Editing Kung-Fu Master (video game) (section)

{{Short description|1984 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Kung-Fu Master
| image = KungFuMaster arcadeflyer.png
| caption = North American arcade flyer
| developer = [[Irem]]<br>[[Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development|Nintendo R&D4]] (NES)
| publisher = {{collapsible list | title=Irem
  | '''Arcade''' {{vgrelease|JP|Irem|NA|[[Data East]]|EU|Irem<ref name="CVG"/>}}
  | '''NES''' {{vgrelease|WW|[[Nintendo]]}}
  | '''Apple II''' {{vgrelease|NA|Data East<ref name="CGW27"/>}}
  | '''C64''' {{vgrelease|NA|Data East<ref name="CGW27"/>|EU|[[U.S. Gold]]<ref name="PCW"/>}}
  | '''Game Boy''' {{vgrelease|JP|Irem|NA|Irem|EU|Nintendo}}
  | '''7800''' {{vgrelease|NA|[[Absolute Entertainment]]<ref name=man7800/>}}
}}
| director = {{ubl | [[Takashi Nishiyama]] (arcade) | [[Shigeru Miyamoto]] (NES)<ref name="Micom"/>}}
| designer = {{ubl | Takashi Nishiyama (arcade)<ref name="Ishizaki"/> | Shigeru Miyamoto (NES)<ref name="Micom"/>}}
| composer = {{ubl | Masato Ishizaki (arcade)<ref name="Ishizaki"/> | [[Koji Kondo]] (NES)<ref name="Iwata"/>}}
| platforms = {{cslist
  | [[Arcade video game|Arcade]]
  | [[NES]]
  | [[Amstrad CPC]]
  | [[Apple II]]
  | [[Commodore 64]]
  | [[Atari 2600]]
  | [[MSX]]
  | [[ZX Spectrum]]
  | [[Atari 7800]]
  | [[Game Boy]]
}}
| released = {{collapsible list | title=November 24, 1984
  | '''Arcade''' {{vgrelease|JP|November 24, 1984<ref name="Copyright"/>|NA|Late 1984<ref name="flyer"/>|EU|Early 1985<ref name="CVG"/>}}
  | '''NES''' {{vgrelease|JP|June 21, 1985<ref>{{cite magazine |title=スパルタンX |url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=2829&redirect=no |magazine=[[Famitsu]] |access-date=17 March 2021}}</ref>|NA|October 18, 1985|EU|1987<ref name="CVG75"/>}}
  | '''Apple II''' {{vgrelease|NA|December 1985<ref name="CE1985">{{cite magazine |title=1985 Index |magazine=[[Computer Entertainer]] |date=January 1986 |volume=4 |issue=10 |page=6 |url=http://www.ataricompendium.com/archives/newsletters/video_game_update/computer_entertainer_jan86.pdf#page=6}}</ref>}}
  | '''Commodore 64''' {{vgrelease|NA|December 1985<ref name="CE1985"/>|EU|February 1986<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Kung Fu Master |magazine=[[Zzap!64]] |date=9 February 1986 |issue=11 (March 1986) |publisher=[[Newsfield]] |location=United Kingdom |page=31 |url=http://www.zzap64.co.uk/cgi-bin/displaypage.pl?issue=011&amp;page=031&amp;thumbstart=0&amp;magazine=zzap&amp;check=1}}</ref>}}
  | '''Atari 2600''' {{vgrelease|NA|May 12, 1987<ref name="VCS"/>}}
  | '''Atari 7800''' {{vgrelease|NA|1989<ref name=man7800/>}}
  | '''Game Boy''' {{vgrelease|JP/NA|1990|EU|1991}}
}}
| genre = [[Beat 'em up]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| producer = Scott Tsumura
}}

'''''Kung-Fu Master''''', known as {{nihongo foot|'''''Spartan X'''''|スパルタンX|Suparutan X|lead=yes|group=lower-alpha}} in Japan, is a 1984 [[beat 'em up|beat 'em up game]] developed and published by [[Irem]] for [[arcade video game|arcades]]. It was distributed by [[Data East]] in North America. Designed by [[Takashi Nishiyama]], the game was based on [[Hong Kong martial arts films]]. It is a loose adaptation of the [[Jackie Chan]], [[Sammo Hung]] and [[Yuen Biao]] film ''[[Wheels on Meals]]'' (1984), called ''Spartan X'' in Japan, with the protagonist Thomas named after Jackie Chan's character in the film. The game is also heavily inspired by the [[Bruce Lee]] film ''[[Game of Death]]'' (1972), which was the basis for the game's concept. Nishiyama, who had previously designed the [[side-scrolling shooter]] ''[[Moon Patrol]]'' (1982), combined fighting elements with a [[shoot 'em up]] gameplay rhythm. Irem and Data East exported the game to the West without the ''Spartan X'' license.

The player controls Thomas, a [[kung fu]] master, as he fights his way through the five levels of the Devil's Temple to rescue his girlfriend Sylvia from the crime boss Mr. X. As he ascends the tower, he has to fight many enemies along the way and five end-of-level [[boss battles]], a concept inspired by ''Game of Death''. Thomas and each boss have a [[health meter]], and the game temporarily becomes a one-on-one [[fighting game]] during boss battles.

The game was a major commercial success, topping the Japanese arcade charts and becoming America's second highest-grossing arcade game of 1985, while receiving critical acclaim for its fast-paced, side-scrolling gameplay and detailed, colorful graphics. A port for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System]] (known as the Famicom in Japan) was developed by [[Nintendo]] under the direction of [[Shigeru Miyamoto]], released as ''Spartan X'' in Japan and '''''Kung Fu''''' in the West, selling 3.5 million copies worldwide. It was also one of the top five best-selling [[Commodore 64]] games of 1986. It spawned the sequel ''[[Spartan X 2]]'' (1991) and the spiritual successors ''[[Trojan (video game)|Trojan]]'' (1986) and ''[[Vigilante (video game)|Vigilante]]'' (1988).

''Kung-Fu Master'' was a highly influential game. It is regarded as the first beat 'em up video game, and an early example of the side-scrolling character [[action game]] genre, which became popular during the mid-to-late 1980s. Miyamoto's work on the NES port inspired his development of the side-scrolling [[platform game]] ''[[Super Mario Bros.]]'' (1985), while Nishiyama was hired by [[Capcom]] where he used the game's boss battles as the basis for the fighting game ''[[Street Fighter (video game)|Street Fighter]]'' (1987), before working for [[SNK]] on fighting games such as ''[[Fatal Fury: King of Fighters|Fatal Fury]]'' and ''[[The King of Fighters]]''. ''Kung-Fu Master'' also influenced other media, such as the [[Red Ribbon Army]] saga (1985–1986) of the [[manga]] and [[anime]] series ''[[Dragon Ball]]'', as well as the French film ''[[Kung Fu Master (film)|Kung Fu Master]]'' (1988).