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Karateka
Title:Karateka
Category:Game/Action
Release Date:
Language:English
Size:64K
Device Req.:Disk only (1 side)
Machine:PAL Only
Code Type:Machine code
Distribution:Freeware
Game ending type:No end (no highscore)
 Play Online!
Converted by:Ceekay
Credited (Additional code by):Pigmy
Notes: 
  External links:
    C64 release
    ZX Spectrum release
    Amstrad CPC release
    Atari 8bit release
    MSX release
    Amiga release
    Atari ST release

User Rating: 8/10 (14 votes)
Karateka Title Screenshot

Karateka Screenshot


Game Endings
This game is confirmed
to have no ending.


Appeared On Compilations
Pluvi 21


Effects
PartEffect nameParametersNotes
DYCPItems: 5 5 MegaDYCPs


Controls
Space Switch walk/run
< Retreat
> Advance
Q Punch up
A Punch mid
Z Punch down
W Kick up
S Kick mid
X Kick down
B Bow
F1 Restart
Run/Stop Freeze game on/off
J Joystick control (NOT WORKING!)
K Keyboard control


Game's Protections And Bugs
This game is famous for being protected by several routines coded by Roland Gustafsson in a wide range of aspects. The original C64 release has multiple routines related to copy protection, taking a minefield approach to anti-piracy:
1. A routine that checks one byte, which scrambles the music.
2. A routine that checks one byte, which makes playing from the keyboard impossible.
3. A routine that prevents the player from walking through a door.
4. A routine that increases the opponent's regeneration.
5. A routine that makes the hawk invulnerable.
6. A routine that prevents movement when facing the final opponent.
7. A routine that crashes the game when played on an NTSC system.
8. A second routine that prevents walking through a door.
9. A routine that is active before the game loads the levels.

Ceekay failed to remove a large number of these routines, which is why the game is unplayable.
He decided to BIT all the sound code, maybe because of protection 1. The game cannot be played again once the player has been killed, due to routine 2. Most probable that protection 5 is also active, though. The game breaks just after the killer gate at level 2: you can pass through it, but level 3 doesn't load.

It is possible to force the loading of level 3 entering in MONITOR:
>D0 03
G C200
This allows to play level 3. Here the player has to afford another bug: whereas the doors should be opened by kick'em, in this conversion you can run through any door like a ghost. Nonetheless, once you've defeated the last opponent, you must kick the final door after being fully recharged, in order to let the hawk appear.
Again, there's a bug in the ultimate fight against the hawk: the enemy does not attack forth/back as intended, resulting in a continuous hitting against the player and the absolute impossibility to inflict any single hit. The hawk must be killed by entering in MONITOR:
>5E 0
which causes the hawk to explode.

At this point, level 4 would be expected, but the loader points to level 3 again. This occurs because the author did not include level 4, as confirmed due to a deep analisys of the disk structure, and it could have been a wanted choice instead of a mistake. Actually, track 21 sector 10 of the disk contains the file structure, where it appears quite clear there are 3 stages only, loading at $A000.


Credits
Credits for the game have been written in the very first sector of the disk (track 1, sector 0):

--------KARATEKA
PLUS/4 VERSION
BY CEEKAY
MARCH, 22ND
1991 ALL CODE
BY ME EXPECT
THE I/O ROUTINES
MADE BY !PIGMY!!
--------


Image Gallery
Karateka Screenshot #1
Karateka Screenshot #2
Karateka Screenshot #3
Karateka Screenshot #4
Karateka Screenshot #5
Karateka Screenshot #6
Karateka Screenshot #7
Karateka Screenshot #8
Karateka Screenshot #9
Karateka Screenshot #10


Cheats - How do I use cheats?
>0BE4 A9Unlimited energy
>0C39 2CEnemy doesn't regain energy
>B7 1Reduce enemy's energy to 1 unit
>BB91 A9 01All enemies start out with only 1 energy in level 1
>B863 A9 01All enemies start out with only 1 energy in level 2
>B4B2 A9 01All enemies start out with only 1 energy in level 3
>B9B8 4C EC B9Pass thru level 2 gate in any case

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