() is an arcade fighting game developed and published by Konami. It first had a limited Japanese release in October 1984, before having a wide release nationwide in January 1985 and then internationally in March. Along with Karate Champ (1984), which influenced Yie-Ar Kung Fu, it is one of the games that established the basis for modern fighting games.
The game was inspired by Bruce Lee's Hong Kong martial arts films, with the main player character Oolong modelled after Lee (like Bruceploitation films). In contrast to the grounded realism of Karate Champ, Yie Ar Kung-Fu moved the genre towards more fantastical, fast-paced action, with various different characters having a variety of special moves and high jumps, establishing the template for subsequent fighting games. It also introduced the health meter system to the genre, in contrast to the point-scoring system of Karate Champ.
The game was a commercial success in arcades, becoming the highest-grossing arcade conversion kit of 1985 in the United States while also being successful in Japan and Europe. It was ported to various home systems, including home computer conversions which were critically and commercially successful, becoming the best-selling home video game of 1986 in the United Kingdom.
Gameplay
Oolong (or Lee in the MSX and Famicom versions) must fight all the martial arts masters given by the game (eleven in the arcade version; five to thirteen in the home ports).
The player faces a variety of opponents, each with a unique appearance and fighting style. The player can perform up to 16 different moves, using a combination of buttons and joystick movements while standing, crouching or jumping. Moves are thrown at high, middle, and low levels. Regardless of the move that defeated them, male characters (save Feedle) always fall unconscious lying on their backs with their legs apart (Oolong flails his legs), and female characters always fall lying on their sides. Feedle disappears. When a player gains an extra life, the word "xiè xiè" (Mandarin for "thank you") is heard.
Instead of a point-scoring system like Karate Champ (1984), Yie Ar Kung-Fu instead introduces a health meter system. Each fighter has a health meter, which depletes as they take hits. Once a fighter's health meter is fully depleted, it leads to a knockout.
On the arcade version, players can play on until all their lives are gone. No bonus lives are given thereafter once 9,999,900 is scored.
Characters
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Oolong (, Japanese: ウーロン Ūron; see oolong). Controlled by the player, this Bruce Lee based kung fu shih fu's story focuses on him entering the "Kung-Fu History" tournament in order to fulfill his father's last wish, Oolong participated in the two fighting arenas with the goal of winning the throne cup and win the title of "Grand Master" in honor of the loving memory of his deceased father. On Oolong's side is a variety of punch and kick blows reachable by combining the joystick with one of the buttons (punch or kick). He also has the greatest jumping ability of all the game's fighters, with the exception of "Blues".
"Hot Fighting History": Buchu He uses a leaping motion to fly over Oolong, and as a middle level attack against him. Buchu may be big and powerful, but he is also slow. Much like Oolong, Buchu does not use weapons to fight. He is the first opponent in the first gauntlet and when he gets hit in the crotch, his eyes bug out and the game says "nǐ hǎo" (which is Mandarin for "hi" or "hello"). Star The first female opponent Oolong faces. Star is a young girl in a pink outfit who throws shuriken (that can be punched or kicked for extra points) at all levels, and uses fast punches and kicks. Star bears resemblance to Taiwanese martial arts actress Angela Mao. Nuncha He is a man in a yellow gi-swinging nunchaku at Oolong at high and middle levels. His appearance is a homage to John Saxon's role as Mr. Roper in the film Enter the Dragon, and his nunchaku skills were modeled after Bruce Lee'''s. Pole A short man who carries a large bo and uses it against Oolong. Pole also uses it to pole vault to gain extra momentum for his moves. Feedle He is basically an endurance test for Oolong. Numerous enemies (or the same enemy who can replicate himself) attack from both sides of Oolong, punching high and low. In some ports, like the Commodore 64 one, he/they are absent.