Drink a Beer and Play a Game - Yie Ar Kung Fu (NES) Review
27Drink a Beer and Play a Game Review: Yie Ar Kung Fu (NES)
I wonder if this game was made in Japan....
Released in 1985 for the Arcade, Yie Ar Kung Fu is one of the earliest games released for the fighting game genre. It features a main character named Oolong who has to face all the different martial arts masters that the game throws at him.
This game was ported to a number of consoles, including the ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64, and MSX to name of few. Of course the version that reviewed would be on the NES. There are many differences between the arcade and NES versions, the first being that the main character is named Lee. We are talking about the mid 1980's, and most games that were Westernized had complete name and story changes. This game is another in that long line.
Instead of fighting 11 masters like in the arcade, the NES version only has 5 masters to face. Like the arcade, every character has a completely different most set and fighting style. The masters are armed with different weapons and abilities, from fireballs, to poles, to ninja stars. Lee must use his jumps and kicks in order overcome these odds. The game never really ends, you just fight the masters over and over, with them getting faster each time. There is also a bonus stage.
Here is a nice poster we found of the Main Character and the 5 Bosses
Even though it only had a 2 button control scheme, the arcade version was very innovative in that the direction and timing of the attacks determined what move was performed, and how hard or soft the attack was. The NES tries to emulate this as well, though the moves are harder to pull off.
This game controls surprisingly well, and while the gameplay is a little stiff and floaty, it performs better than most other fighters for the console. It is nowhere near as good as TMNT, but it is easily toward the top. It is not an easy game, either. This game requires some time in order to memorize the fight patterns of the opposing fighters.
Overall, this is an interesting piece of gaming history. The most revolutionary thing about this game is the fact that there are different types of fighting styles for each character, something that would not be seen for years. This first came out in 1985, at a time when every fighter consisted of pallet swaps fighting each other. The control scheme is something to be commended, as it makes a lot of a little. While there are much better games that can be played, for the NES this is an interesting part of any collection. It isn't the greatest, but will not disappoint if played for curiosity's sake.
When drinking, this game can easily get frustrating. It takes a lot of concentration to learn the enemy fight styles, so I would stick to the weaker beers. If you don't know what you're doing, being buzzed will not help you do any better. Also, the matches are constantly busy, so most of your drinking will come between matches. Good luck with the faster speeds later on, you are going to need it. #YieArKungFu #Famicom #NES
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