The Way of the Exploding Fist

The Way of the Exploding Fist is a 1985 karate duel for the Commodore 64 and one of the titles that started the European wave of fighting games. It is played from a side view and supports one player or two at the same machine.

The names on the record are worth a look. The developer appears under the later designation of the Melbourne studio that originally made it, and the publisher field holds a label used for budget reissues. The header therefore captures a later corporate state rather than the original mid-eighties release, which is typical of games reprinted many times.

The fighting itself is built on a large vocabulary of stances and strikes called up by combining joystick direction with the button. There is no draining health bar: a cleanly landed technique scores a point, and a bout ends once a fighter reaches the required total. Progress then means a higher belt and a quicker opponent, so difficulty climbs steadily.

The animation mattered just as much. Figures moved unusually smoothly for the period and held recognisable postures, so a player could read what the opponent was preparing — which is precisely what separated this game from harsher, less legible rivals. Two people sharing one machine could also replay it endlessly without the tension wearing off.

The Way of the Exploding Fist plays in the browser on OldGame.cz exactly as it did from tape.