Karate Champ

About

Two joysticks. Two fighters. Three rounds. This 1984 arcade brawler pits players against an AI or each other in fast-paced bouts. Basic punches and kicks mix with acrobatic moves, all controlled by separate joysticks for offense and defense. Wins are decided by first to two victories in a best-of-three set. The simplicity hides clever mechanics like timing-based counters and combo strings that reward quick reflexes. Despite its age, it remains a staple of retro game lists on forums, with over 80% of voters on ClassicGameShack rating it “still fun today.” Now playable on modern phones but best experienced with a dual-joystick setup, it’s a raw snapshot of early fighting game design before combos and stages became standard.