Kung-Fu Master

Loosely based on a movie, Kung-Fu Master is a side scrolling action game for one or two players, who alternate turns.

Mr. X has captured the pickpocket Sylvia and it is up to Thomas, a kung-fu master who owns a restaurant, to get her back. She is located on the top floor of Mr. X's castle and Thomas will need to fight his way to the top. Of course, this won't be easy as each floor has many opponents to get past and a floor boss at the end of each level.

Thomas is able to move left and right, jump, duck, and punch and kick. Enemy projectiles such as knives can be kicked in the air to rebound them towards the enemy. On the top floor resides Mr. X himself.

History:

The lead developer of Kung-Fu Master was Takashi Nishiyama, who left Irem and joined Capcom, where he led the development of the very first Street Fighter game.

Sequel ?:

While at Irem, Nishiyama also developed a sequel "Beyond Kung-Fu Master" which was supposed to have only been released to test audiences in Japan, then cancelled. However, reports in recent years suggest that some version of the sequel made its way to North American amusement park vendors in the form of gray market kits, shorty after Nishiyama and others left Irem.