Spartan X (1984). Play Free Online

Summary

Spartan X, known abroad as Kung‑Fu Master, launched in the arcades as a pioneering beat ‘em up. It arrived as an unlicensed tie‑in to the Jackie Chan film Wheels on Meals, borrowing the film’s energetic choreography and even echoing Bruce Lee’s Game of Death.
The player guides Thomas through five temple floors, using an eight‑way joystick and separate punch and kick buttons. Punches hit fast and score higher, while kicks reach farther; both can be executed while standing, crouching or jumping. A health bar lets you absorb multiple blows before a life is lost, and each level imposes a timer that rewards swift clearance with bonus points.
Takashi Nishiyama’s design was complemented by Masato Ishizaki’s late‑added soundtrack, which survived after an initial belief the game needed none. The title smashed Japanese arcade charts and became America’s second‑best‑grossing cabinet of 1985, earning its place as what many call the first true beat ‘em up. Its boss‑fight structure hinted at Street Fighter and its side‑scrolling action even nudged Nintendo toward Super Mario Bros.

Storyline

Spartan X (known in the West as Kung‑Fu Master) follows Thomas, a kung‑fu master in a white keikogi, who receives a mysterious letter from a criminal called Mr. X. The note warns that his lover Silvia has been kidnapped and taken to the Devil’s Temple, where five sons of the Devil await. Determined, Thomas storms the pagoda, battling through a series of enemies and obstacles on each floor. Each of the five levels ends with a floor guardian that must be defeated before he can ascend.
On the sixth floor Thomas confronts Mr. X himself, defeats the crime boss and rescues Silvia. After the victory the game restarts at a higher difficulty, challenging players to repeat the fight with tougher enemies.

Edited by Maya Carter