"Kings of Kung Fu" is a martial arts fighting game inspired by classic Kung Fu films, where 14 stuntmen compete in a tournament to win a starring role in a studio's next film. Each fighter has a unique style, inspired by actual moves used in martial arts cinema, with hundreds of attacks, counter-attacks, blocks, and grapples. Selectable characters include Tao Lung, Chen Fu, Ron Jones, and Hou Feng, each with their own distinct style.
The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic kung fu movies with its graphics, sound effects, and character designs.
The variety of characters, each with unique fighting styles, adds depth and keeps the gameplay interesting.
The game is fun to play, especially for fans of martial arts cinema, and offers a unique experience compared to other fighting games.
The controls are clunky and unresponsive, making it difficult to execute combos and perform moves accurately.
The AI can be inconsistent, sometimes being overly aggressive or too easy to defeat, leading to a lack of challenge.
The game lacks a comprehensive story mode and online multiplayer, which limits its replayability and overall depth.
gameplay
86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
52%
29%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its unique but clunky mechanics that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the nostalgic homage to classic kung-fu films and find the combat entertaining once mastered, others criticize the controls, lack of fluidity, and poor balance, leading to a generally disappointing impression. Overall, the gameplay is seen as needing significant refinement to meet the expectations of fighting game enthusiasts.
“Overall, I consider the gameplay to be realistic and entertaining.”
“The gameplay is pretty solid too, full of the kung fu styles from those same movies.”
“Fun and intuitive gameplay.”
“The gameplay is also really clunky.”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay just falls short.”
“Clunky controls and animations made me delete this one after less than 2 hours of gameplay.”
graphics
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
53%
16%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the nostalgic 70s kung fu aesthetic and film reel effects, while others criticize the outdated visuals and poor animations. Some find the character designs and backgrounds charming, despite their lack of polish, while others feel the graphics detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game’s visuals are seen as a labor of love that captures the essence of classic martial arts films, but they fall short of modern standards.
“The graphics are also more than I expected and have that 70s throwback era film reel feel to them.”
“The game definitely has a beefy selection of plenty of fighters based on famous movie characters and the graphic style definitely resembles the old VHS movie look!”
“The graphics really set the stage and though you have several characters to choose from with their own fighting styles, you can tell whom the fighters are supposed to be in the real world from Chuck Norris, Donnie Yen, Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, and so on.”
“The game is indie as hell but in a wrong way: bad graphics, weird animations, ugly sound and non-existent plot.”
“Graphics are sub-par, with partly terrible animations and questionable collision checking; sometimes you hit the enemy while hitting empty air and sometimes you miss while hitting him square in the face.”
“Poor graphics mixed with very bad animations and controls makes this game hardly enjoyable.”
music
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
47%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and nostalgic homage to classic 70s and 80s kung fu films, enhancing the overall experience with a fitting soundtrack that includes memorable tracks. While many players appreciate the variety and energy of the music, some note that certain tracks can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's standout features, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.
“The soundtrack is also of very good and entertaining quality, it fits perfectly with the martial arts film style that we know from the good classic titles, which is very appropriate for a great fighting game like Kings of Kung Fu.”
“The music is awesome and the sound effects are on point.”
“The 70's kung fu aesthetic is great, the music is perfect and all the characters are really spot on representations of the actors that inspired them.”
“The music can get a little repetitive for some, and pulling off some moves feels a little clunky.”
“Boring repetitive music.”
“Volume: no way of changing the volume until the game starts up, which is awful for this game, considering it blasts the music and such as soon as you start it up.”
story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
66%
13%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its lack of depth and engagement. While some appreciate the retro kung fu feel and character variety, others criticize the story mode as barebones and uninteresting, often feeling disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, the narrative is seen as minimal and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more substantial storytelling to enhance their experience.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“The plot of the story is interesting and original for a fighting game.”
“Good retro kung fu feel to it and decent variety of characters to choose from for the short story mode.”
“I quit twice during the story mode because I thought I'd been playing for an hour.”
“The story mode is so barebones, it's hardly worth playing more than once.”
“There is a lack of story (if you've watched old kung fu movies you don't need it, but one starting battle-cry for each character would have been great) which would drive the arcade mode.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic homage to 70s and 80s martial arts films, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and well-developed characters. Reviewers highlight the unique blend of old-school gameplay and cinematic style, creating an immersive experience that resonates with fans of the genre. Despite some shortcomings in graphics and story depth, the atmospheric quality remains a standout feature.
“I love the atmosphere of the game and the tribute it pays to various martial arts movie stars of the last 40 or so years.”
“The atmospheric feeling of an old school film-like effect that you have used within the game feels both eerie and connecting at the same time, especially with some of the actors who have passed away.”
“If one were to make a list of this game's best features, the atmosphere would clearly be at the top.”
“Atmosphere of 70s and 80s kung-fu and karate movies, old style gameplay, awesome music.”
“Nostalgic martial arts atmosphere in 70's movie style.”
“However, what it lacks in completeness, it makes up in atmosphere and character.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
The character development in the game is highlighted by its stunning character designs, which draw inspiration from classic kung fu films, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in character clothing and backgrounds, noting that these elements, along with the soundtrack, contribute significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
“Everything about this game from the character designs to the sound and stage designs is fun.”
“From the character design and clothing to the levels and backdrops, the soundtrack is all on point and really good!”
“They went and made this game with a bunch of cheap knock-off character designs from some of the finest kung fu films like 'Enter the Dragon', 'Ip Man', and '36 Chambers of Shaolin'.”
“The biggest appeal is the character designs and backdrops.”
“From the character design and clothing to the levels and backdrops, the soundtrack is all on point, really good!”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The humor in the game is described as both amusing and absurd, with players finding the gameplay hilariously cruel and the controls comically frustrating. While some appreciate the lightheartedness and "old school" charm, others express a desire for a more serious tone, noting that certain moments, like unrealistic character interactions, add to the overall comedic experience.
“It's a cheap and cheerful game; when you get used to the controls, it's hilariously cruel with its gameplay.”
“One funny old school 'stupidness' is that somewhere in the tournament, a player plays against the same character.”
“That's not a big deal, but it's just a funny thing.”
“I appreciate the humor, but I would love to take this more seriously.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent bugs, glitches in music and sound, and instances of freezing, particularly during critical moments like boss fights. Overall, players report a frustrating experience due to these technical problems.
“This game is a buggy, clunky, stiff Tekken ripoff.”
“Very buggy.”
“I get to the final boss with White Stallion and the game freezes at the beginning of the fight.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting significant performance issues and clunky gameplay across multiple PCs, while others note that it runs smoothly and is well-polished. Overall, there are concerns about balancing and performance not being adequately optimized.
“It is quite polished, runs smoothly, and boasts a high level of authenticity.”
“I gave it like 3 chances, but besides being clunky as hell, it's also not optimized for any of the 3 PCs I tried it on.”
“- Performance and balancing are currently not optimized!”
“- Performance and balancing are currently not optimized!”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been rated 5/10 for replayability, with users noting that it lacks significant replay value, suggesting it may only be worth purchasing on sale.
“Replay value: 5/10”
“If you can get it on sale, then fine; it just doesn't have any real replay value.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express mixed emotions regarding the game's AI, with some feeling overconfident in their abilities despite not being skilled in fighting games. This contradiction leads to a sense of confusion, as the emotional experience of readiness to compete contrasts with the perceived simplicity of the opponent's intelligence.
“The enemy/opponent AI seems pretty dumb; honestly, I'm not even that good at fighting games and just enjoy them, but this game made me feel like I was ready to compete in EVO.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers note that "Kings of Kung Fu" is not a typical cash grab, indicating that its monetization strategy is more focused on quality and long-term development rather than exploiting players for quick profits. This suggests a commitment to creating a solid foundation for future games by Jae Lee Productions.