Summary
- Release Year: 1989
- Genres: Fighting, Simulator, Sport
- Platforms: Amiga, Amstrad CPC, Commodore C64/128/MAX, DOS, MSX, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, ZX Spectrum
- Developers: Electronic Arts
- Publishers: Dro Soft, Tec Toy
Budokan: The Martial Spirit (1989)
Budokan: The Martial Spirit is a martial arts video game developed by Electronic Arts and released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1989. The game is based on the real-life Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan, and features twelve different martial arts styles, including karate, kendo, nunchaku, and bo.
Players take on the role of a martial artist who must train and fight their way to the top of the Budokan tournament. Along the way, they will learn new moves and techniques from a variety of masters. The game features a unique player interface that allows for over 25 moves per style.
Budokan: The Martial Spirit was a critical and commercial success, and is considered to be one of the best martial arts games ever made. It was praised for its realistic graphics and gameplay, as well as its deep and engaging story mode.
Gameplay
Budokan: The Martial Spirit is a side-scrolling fighting game in which players control a martial artist as they fight their way through a series of opponents. The game features twelve different martial arts styles, each with its own unique moves and techniques. Players can learn new moves and techniques by training with masters, or by defeating opponents.
The game’s controls are simple and easy to learn, but difficult to master. Players can use the D-pad to move their character, and the A and B buttons to attack. The A button performs a weak attack, while the B button performs a strong attack. Players can also hold down the A or B button to charge up a more powerful attack.
In addition to basic attacks, players can also perform a variety of special moves and techniques. These moves are performed by pressing a combination of buttons, and can be used to deal more damage, stun opponents, or knock them down.
Budokan: The Martial Spirit features a variety of different game modes, including a story mode, a versus mode, and a tournament mode. In story mode, players must fight their way through a series of opponents in order to reach the top of the Budokan tournament. In versus mode, players can fight against each other head-to-head. In tournament mode, players can compete in a single-elimination tournament to determine who is the best martial artist.
Graphics and Sound
Budokan: The Martial Spirit features some of the best graphics and sound on the NES. The game’s characters are large and detailed, and the animations are fluid and realistic. The game’s backgrounds are also well-drawn and detailed, and help to create a sense of atmosphere and immersion.
The game’s sound is also top-notch. The music is catchy and upbeat, and the sound effects are realistic and impactful. The game’s voice acting is also well done, and helps to bring the characters to life.
Story
Budokan: The Martial Spirit features a deep and engaging story mode that follows the journey of a young martial artist as he trains and fights his way to the top of the Budokan tournament. Along the way, he will learn new moves and techniques from a variety of masters, and face off against a variety of challenging opponents.
The game’s story is well-written and engaging, and does a good job of conveying the sense of challenge and accomplishment that comes with training in martial arts. The game’s characters are also well-developed and relatable, and the player will find themselves rooting for the protagonist as he progresses through the story.
Conclusion
Budokan: The Martial Spirit is a classic martial arts game that is still enjoyable today. The game’s realistic graphics and gameplay, deep and engaging story mode, and catchy music make it a must-play for fans of martial arts and retro gaming.
Review Score
8/10
