Kung-Fu

Your Spectrum

Dave Nicholls 2.5/5 MISS

Roger Willis 3/5 HIT

Ross Holman 3.5/5 HIT

JOYSTICK JURY All the latest software from around the houses! Passing judgement this month are Dave Nicholls, Ross Holman and Roger Willis. Our regular crew of software screw balls are in fine form this month. Draining the dregs of Christmas spirit are Dave Nicholls, the hairy hacker; JSW champion Ross Holman; and our own two-wheeled terror, Roger Willis. Just in case you find our scoring system too confusing, here's what it's all about. The score out of five at the end of each person's review is based on their own experience of the game. But that's pretty subjective... so, they also use the HIT and MISS system to indicate its potential as a commercial success. KUNG-FU Bug-Byte £6.95 Roger: Charmingly oriental graphics frame well-animated Bruce Lee clones trying to knock each other senseless in this superb example of on-Spectrum violence. Stomping, rather than getting stomped, means advance as well as retreat, and there's a choice of four classic blows in the authentic 'punch-chop-kick' martial arts tradition. Your inscrutable opponent will attempt to block all your attacks and smack you in the gob. An action replay facility allows you to study the sequence leading to each terminally-successful knuckle sandwich delivery. Acquisition of 48K black belt status eventually leads to another screen with different background and figures - but the action stays more or less the same. This is one of few action games where cursor control can be extremely accurate, simply because of Kung Fu fighting's formalised movements. Although it initially appears simplistic, the various combinations of attack, defence and surprise can be very entertaining and it's certainly safer than the real thing! For enthusiasts of the real thing, it'll provide a chance to keep in trim while their smashed bodies heal...

Read it at Your Spectrum Unofficial Archive

ZX Computing

Instructions 70%

Presentation 95%

Addictability 70%

Value For Money 75%

ZXC Factor 7/10

David Harwood 7/10

Bug-Byte [redacted] PRICE: TBA I cannot say a lot about this Kung-Fu game from Bug-Byte software, as the idea is very simple. You are a Kung-Fooist and have to fight your opponent until he drops down (dead? I don't know) for you to win. Please forgive the lack of technical terms, but there are four moves at your fingertips, the left chop, the forward punch, the right kick and the left kick with forward and backward movement. The keys used are 1, 2, 3, 4, break and sym shift respectively for player one with the opposite keys for player 2. There is joystick compatibility Kempston, but the moves are quite easy to master on a keyboard. The scenario is obviously Chinese style, with Orientated music, which can be very annoying, so I was grateful for the music on/off facility. There are two different options to play either against the Spectrum or another player. For some reason, if you fought against the Spectrum, 3 rounds were attempted inside a Chinese Style house, but if against another player, only one round outside was played. The replay function is quite a good idea, enabling you to watch the tense action all over again and for the enthusiast, a ranking is given telling you the colour of your belt. A novel game of skill, including excellent animated graphic sequences (nulli secundus). A bit of a no-goer for me, as there is not a lot of action.

Sinclair User

Gilbert Factor 6/10

GRASSHOPPER'S LEAP Memory: 48K Price: £6.95 Joystick: Programmable, Cursor, Sinclair, Kempston Become a master of the ancient oriental art of Kung-Fu without dislocating your back or having the wind knocked out of you. Kung-Fu, from Bug-Byte, is described as a totally animated combat game for two players or one player and the computer. Each player controls one of the Kung-Fu fighters which must approach each other in a very inscrutable way before bashing the hell out of each other. Bug-Byte may enthuse about the graphics and crow about the cleverly designed fighters but, although the display initially looks impressive, movement is jerky and action slow. The fighters move as if they are robots. Much emphasis is put on the techniques which the fighters can use when in action. Such moves are fairly authentic but the movement between a standing pose and making contact with the other player could have been made more realistic. If you are going to play Kung-Fu with any kind of agility then you will need a joystick. You will then at least get some enjoyment out of it and not get whitewashed by a computer Ninja.

Read it at Sinclair User Magazine Online

Sinclair Programs

Rating 60%

June Mortimer 60%

PRICE: £6.95 GAME TYPE: Simulation There are clear signs that software manufacturers are beginning to move away from characters made up of user-defined graphics to larger scale, more sophisticated character. Bug Byte have followed this route with their new program Kung Fu. The title screen shows a dainty, willow-pattern plate design, while the playing sequence shows two large-size kung-fu experts. There are options to play the computer or to play against another human. Moving your character left or right results in a graceful walk, accompanied by some very Oriental-sounding music. Two sorts of kicks and two sorts of punch are available to you. The computer plays very well, and is unlikely to provide you with any easy opening. Bug-byte have produced a very elegant simulation game. However the lack of variety in either screen picture or background noise may mean that it palls more quickly than other detailed simulations. Produced for the 48K Spectrum by Bug-Byte Limited, [redacted].

Personal Computer Games

Graphics 9/10

Sound 8/10

Originality 8/10

Lasting Interest 6/10

Overall 7/10

Bob Wade 7/10

Peter Connor

Samantha Hemens

MACHINE: Spectrum 48K CONTROL: Keys, Kemp, Sinc FROM: Bug-Byte, £6.95 Let me take you now to the land of the East where everybody makes fortunes out of hi-technology and can knock you dead with one strike of their little finger. Kung Fu places you in the Orient facing a lethal opponent whom you must defeat only to be confronted by another kamikaze fighter bent on your annihilation. The four strokes at your disposal are a chop, punch, front kick and side kick, These are used to hit your adversary or to parry his attacks but can only be done one at a time. You have three lives which are shown by clenched fists in the bottom left of the screen. Your strength is indicated by one of the fists which runs through the colours of the spectrum as you gradually weaken under the hail of blows. Your opponent also has an indicator which decreases but, like you, he can be felled by one undefended hit. If you can survive enough bouts and score highly enough you move on to more skilled men and eventually to more than one opponent. This is far from easy since even at the first stage outwitting your enemy appears to depend a lot on luck. Each movement is animated in great detail and the end of each fight can be replayed in a fantastic slow-motion sequence. Oriental music accompanies the action and the demo screen of three fighters practicing their moves. You can play against either the computer or another person. The latter option provides more satisfaction, as you'd expect. The game loses some of its addictiveness through its sheer difficulty but the excellent graphics and sound are some compensation. It may not be an all-time hit but you'll certainly get a kick out of it!

Big K

Graphics 2/3

Playability 2/3

Addictiveness 1/3

Overall 2/3

Fin Fahey 2/3

GREVIOUS BODILY NIRVANA MAKER: Bug-Byte Software FORMAT: cassette PRICE: £6.95 For aspiring Shao-lin monks Bug-Byte have knocked out this simulator that takes you through the moves without all those nasty bruises. Truly, seeking enlightenment on a Spectrum is like riding an ox to go see an ox. You can play the machine as opponent, or you can play another human (if you can both get your hands on the keys). Either way, you are rewarded with a view of a Chinese interior, with a sort of willow-pattern background. Two animated figures represent the players. They can move backwards or forwards, or you can select, using the numeric keys, from a repertoire of blows. Two punches and two kicks are available, and it takes concentration to find your opponents moment of vulnerability. The animation is convincing, but I didn't find the game spectacular enough to sustain my interest. Perhaps the answer if to Become One With The Machine (smear super-glue on the keys?).

Crash

Use of Computer 78%

Graphics 82%

Playability 80%

Getting Started 77%

Addictive Qualities 71%

Value For Money 76%

Overall 77%

Unknown

Unknown

Unknown

Producer: Bug-Byte Memory Required: 48K Retail Price: £6.95 Language: Machine code Author: Dusko Dimitrijevic This is probably the most unusual game to be seen on the Spectrum for a long while, perhaps ever. As its name suggests, the game is a simulation of the noble art of defence and attack. There are two modes of play for one player against the computer, or for two players against each other. The one and two-player modes each have a different background of suitably oriental design. The playing characters are quite large, animated line drawings which faithfully follow your commands. Four movements are possible, a left arm karate chop, a step forward and block, a right foot front kick and a left foot back kick. Additionally the character may be advanced or retreated. Below the playing area is an indicator of hits on the computer player. A successful knock out strike results in the hit character collapsing to the ground. The more successful you are on the single player mode, the tougher the computer player becomes to beat. Now everyone has the chance to become a grasshopper... COMMENTS Control keys: 1, 2, 3, 4 for left player for solo) 6, 7, 8, 9 for right player, with CAPS SHIFT and SYM SHIFT walk left, Z and SPACE walk right Joystick: Kempston and Sinclair 2 Keyboard play: responsive, key positions work quite well Use of colour: very good Graphics: excellent animation Sound: constant tune (could do with on/off) Skill levels: progressive difficulty Lives: Screens: 2 Special features:

Haiiiii...

Personal Computer News

Overall 7/10

Susan Cooke 7/10

PRICE: £6.95 PUBLISHER: Bug Byte [redacted] Are you a Kung Fu expert? Even if not you'll still enjoy this game, especially if you challenge a friend. Instead of firing endless bullets at your enemy you now have the chance to show your true strength. You use four keys, each one giving a different movement. The idea is to flatten your opponent as many times as you can while taking care to defend yourself. It's not that easy - one minute you may be thinking you've performed a perfect kick but the next minute you're flat on your back seeing stars. The music adds to the atmosphere of the game with its Oriental touch, even if it is a bit monotonous. The graphics for the two players are made up of large line drawings and are beautifully animated, though they could be more colourful. You may find the game more exciting if you play with a friend as you may then have more chance of winning. It also makes the competition closer. No matter how hard you try when you play the computer, it always seems to come out tops. If you perform some fantastic stroke but miss it in all the excitement there is an option to replay the last bout - as many times as you like. Depending on how well you do you are awarded a coloured belt. I only ever received a white one, which I gather is the lowest. I thoroughly enjoyed playing this game because it is different from the usual sort. But it's a pity the game doesn't vary at all, by having different moves the further you advance for instance.