Kings of Kung Fu

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 324 reviews

graphics19 positive mentions

gameplay18 negative mentions

The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic 70s and 80s kung fu movies, with great character designs and sound effects.
The gameplay offers a unique experience with a focus on raw skill and strategy, rather than flashy super moves.
The variety of characters and their distinct fighting styles provide a fun and engaging experience for fans of martial arts.

The controls can feel clunky and unresponsive, making it difficult to execute combos and moves effectively.
The AI can be inconsistent, sometimes feeling overly aggressive or too easy to defeat.
The game lacks a robust story mode and online multiplayer, limiting its replayability.

gameplay
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
50%
27%
The gameplay of this title is characterized by a mix of unique concepts and significant flaws, with many players noting its clunky controls and poor combat mechanics. While some appreciate the nostalgic atmosphere and potential for fun, the overall execution is often described as disappointing, lacking fluidity and depth, which detracts from the experience. Despite a few positive remarks about its simplicity and charm, the consensus leans towards a need for substantial improvements to make the gameplay more enjoyable and engaging.
- “Overall, I consider the gameplay to be realistic and entertaining.”
- “Nice and easy gameplay, but hard to master.”
- “Fun and intuitive gameplay.”
- “Plain horrible gameplay.”
- “Very poor fighting mechanics and unenjoyable gameplay overall.”
- “The control of the characters feels awkward and the mechanics are off.”
graphics
57 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
53%
14%
The graphics of the game evoke a nostalgic 70s kung fu film aesthetic, with many players appreciating the unique visual style despite its outdated quality. While some find the character models and animations lacking, others enjoy the charm and atmosphere they create, likening it to classic fighting games. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with a blend of charm and shortcomings that may appeal to fans of the genre but may not satisfy those seeking modern visual fidelity.
- “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.”
- “Poor graphics mixed with very bad animations and controls makes this game hardly enjoyable.”
- “Graphics and effects are so ugly and there are also very few characters without much difference.”
- “Graphics are subpar, 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.”
music
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic 70s and 80s kung-fu vibe, with many players highlighting the catchy and well-suited soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere. However, some users noted that certain tracks can become repetitive over time, and there are concerns about the lack of volume control and occasional glitches. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's standout features, contributing significantly to its charm and appeal.
- “The soundtrack is just great.”
- “Great atmosphere, great characters, great music.”
- “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 glitched and looped for quite a while, on a frequent basis.”
- “No way of changing the volume until the game starts up, which is awful for this game, considering it blasts the music as soon as you start it up.”
- “Boring repetitive music.”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
67%
13%
The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing it for being overly simplistic and lacking depth. While some appreciate the nostalgic 70s kung fu vibe and the recognizable characters, the consensus is that the story mode is barebones and fails to engage players, leaving them wanting more narrative content and character development. Overall, the absence of a compelling story detracts from the gameplay experience, making it feel incomplete.
- “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.”
- “The story mode is so barebones, it's hardly worth playing more than once.”
- “Honestly, it was worth the sale price of like $2.75, but I would advise against paying more than that since outside of the online multiplayer component, there's not much in this game to come back to after going through story/arcade mode once.”
- “No story, no bells and whistles, just straightforward combat!”
atmosphere
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
23%
23%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its nostalgic homage to 70s and 80s martial arts films, enhanced by great music and character design. Reviewers highlight its unique blend of old-school gameplay and cinematic qualities, creating an engaging and immersive experience that resonates with fans of the genre. Despite some shortcomings in graphics and story depth, the atmospheric elements stand out as a defining feature of the game.
- “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 was to make a list of this game's best features, the atmosphere would clearly be at the top.”
- “However, what it lacks in completeness, it makes up in atmosphere and character.”
- “Old kung-fu atmosphere.”
- “Inimitable atmosphere of the game.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a mix of hilarity and absurdity, with players finding the gameplay both cruel and amusing, particularly due to its quirky controls. While some moments, like facing the same character in a tournament, add to the game's charm, others, such as exaggerated physical interactions, can feel off-putting. Overall, the humor is seen as a blend of cheap laughs and old-school silliness.
- “It's a cheap and cheerful game; once 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 faces off against the same character.”
- “That's not a big deal, but it's just a funny thing.”
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.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The reviews highlight that the character development is visually impressive, with beautiful character designs and clothing that enhance the overall aesthetic of the game. Additionally, the sound effects and soundtrack complement the character designs, contributing to a fun and immersive experience.
- “The character design is beautiful, and the backgrounds are stunning, complemented by on-point sound effects.”
- “Everything about this game, from the character designs to the sound and stage designs, is enjoyable.”
- “The character design and clothing, along with the levels and backdrops, create a cohesive and immersive experience.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it is noted for its polish and smooth performance, there are significant concerns regarding performance and balancing that have yet to be addressed.
- “It is quite polished, runs smoothly, and boasts a high level of authenticity.”
- “Performance and balancing are currently not optimized!”
- “Performance and balancing are currently not optimized!”
- “Something I didn't and cannot comment on is optimization.”
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 at fighting games. This contradiction leads to confusion about their actual competence in competitive play.
- “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.”
- “That made me feel confused.”
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 potential for future improvements rather than exploiting players.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users indicate that the game lacks significant replay value, suggesting it may only be worth purchasing on sale for those seeking a temporary experience.
- “If you can get it on sale, then fine; it just doesn't have any real replay value.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”