International Karate Plus

International Karate Plus, often spelled IK+ was the sequel of International Karate.

This was also one of the best Fighting game available on Amstrad CPC.

Informations

Publisher : System 3

Music : Rob Hubbard

The Franchise

Internationnal Karate (1986) was a famous game from the C64, also ported on most home computers of the era.

Yet its Amstrad version was quite poor (mode1).

IK+ on the other hand benefited from superior Mode0 graphics directly ported from C64 version and a better gameplay.

Yet the version seemed a bit unfinished : lack of intro page, lack of varied backgrounds.

The Game

Wikipedia content :

In the game, three karateka fight against each other on a beach, trying to be the first to score six points.

After every two rounds, there is a bonus game which is either deflecting bouncing balls or kicking away bombs.

The (8 bit) versions of the game only has the ball bouncing bonus game, and not the bomb bonus game.

The game can be played by one or two human players, at least one fighter is always controlled by the computer. Unlike its predecessor, International Karate, there is only one backdrop.

Oh : music from Rob Hubbard... nuff said !

Amstrad Version

Despite quite similar to the C64 version, the Amstrad one was a bit less smooth or fast, and lacked the lot of animations in the background, and sounds were by far inferior too.

Yet thanks the sweet colour Palette of the CPC, it is an enchantment to watch the sun upon the sea in a coloured spring-sky.

And the game was smooth and fast, with a 2-players mode.

Videos

Presentation of the game, courtesy of Ataru'75

Another courtesy of Ukmarkh

Cracks and clones

Karatian is a mix of Barbarian and IK+...

Also Wikipedia states :

Video game publisher Data East sued System 3 and Epyx for publishing World Karate Championship, and by extension, International Karate, which was nearly identical to its arcade game, Karate Champ.

International Karate used the same coloured fighters, and had the same points system. Initially Data East won the lawsuit, obtaining a permanent injunction against Epyx, In., and an impoundment that restrained Epyx from further sale or distribution of World Karate Championship, as the court found that the work violated and infringed upon Data East USA’s copyright on its game Karate Champ; Epyx was required to recall from both customers and distributors all copies of the infringing work.

The decision was appealed to a higher court, who reversed the decision, stating that while the game was similar, it was not identical, and that one game company can not monopolize one entire sport.

As a result, Melbourne House did not sue System 3 nor Epyx, as the game The Way of the Exploding Fist is also very similar to both of these games