Bruce Lee (1984). Play online

Summary

Bruce Lee on the MSX blends platforming and beat‑‘em‑up action in a tight package. Ron J. Fortier’s design, Kelly Day’s pixel art and John A. Fitzpatrick’s synth score give a cinematic martial‑arts feel that still feels fresh on an 80s home computer. Published by the Japanese magazine Comptiq in 1985, the conversion follows the original Atari layout but runs smoothly on the MSX. The title lets two players either share the hero’s moves or drop one in for Yamo, a rival ninja who appears automatically if idle.

Each of the twenty chambers adds new hazards—mines, moving walls and a “comb” of electric sparks that race across the floor, demanding precise jumps and ducking. Enemies have infinite lives, respawning instantly, turning each round into a relentless chase. After the first playthrough the game loops, removing safe platforms and spawning fresh opponents for a tougher second round.

The MSX version rode the wave of the game’s UK chart success, hitting the top ten by mid‑1985 and topping Atari listings the next month. Reviewers praised its graphics and addictive combat, and it’s remembered as one of the first titles to fuse platform collection with beat‑‘em‑up mechanics—a legacy that sparked later re‑releases and fan‑made ports.

Storyline

Bruce Lee on MSX (often just called Bruce Lee) puts the legendary martial artist in a magical tower. The wizard’s tower is divided into twenty single‑screen chambers, each filled with platforms, ladders and hanging lanterns. Lee must move from chamber to chamber, gathering the required lanterns to unlock the exit. The layout forces the player to climb, jump and fight through increasingly tricky platform puzzles. On the final, twentieth chamber the hero confronts the evil Fire Wizard, the source of the tower’s dark power, and claims the promised treasure and secret of immortality.