Shao-lin's Road
 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(December 2013) |
| Shao-lin's Road | |
|---|---|
 Japanese arcade flyer | |
| Developer(s) | Konami |
| Publisher(s) | Konami (arcade) The Edge (computers)[3] |
| Platform(s) | Arcade,Commodore 64,Amstrad CPC,ZX Spectrum |
| Release | Arcade
|
| Genre(s) | Beat 'em up |
| Mode(s) | 1 or 2 players alternating turns |
| Arcade system | Konami 6809[4] |
Shao-lin's Road(Thiếu Lâm Tự へ の nói),[a][b]also released in North America asKicker,is a1985beat 'em upvideo gamereleased byKonami.The game was commercially successful, becoming a chart hit in thearcades.[5]It was ported to several earlyhome computersand has also been featured in classics compilationsKonami Arcade Classicsfor thePlayStationin1998andKonami Classics Series: Arcade Hitsfor theNintendo DSin2007.
The game was also released as a download-only title as part ofMicrosoft'sGame Roomfor theXbox 360andMicrosoft Windowsin2010,as well asHamster Corporation'sArcade Archivesfor theNintendo SwitchandPlayStation 4in2023.
Plot
[edit]Players take control of Wanpyou(ワンピョウ)(renamed Kicker inKicker,renamed Lee in other ports), who has just mastered the secret of Chin-styleShaolinmartial arts. He then encounters the Triad Yamucha Gang(ヤムチャ đoàn),also responsible for the assassination of his master Raochuu(ラオチュー),and is trapped within their Jaken Temple(Tà quyền chùa).He attempts to escape and enact revenge with his new-found skills.
Gameplay
[edit]The controls consist of a four-positionjoystickand two buttons. The goal of eachlevel( "step" ) is to defeat a set number of enemies, as indicated by an on-screen meter. The player can move left or right, jump between platforms/floors, and attack with various jumping/kicking strikes.
Enemies emerge from doorways to attack the player; some fight hand-to-hand, while others throw projectiles. Defeating a green-clad enemy causes a colored sphere to appear, which grants the player one of threepower-upweapons for a few seconds if caught: ameteor hammer,the ability to throw fireballs, or a ball that orbits the player and damages any enemy it touches. Food items occasionally float across the screen and can be struck for bonus points.
The player can take three hits from enemies or their projectiles and continue fighting, but a fourth hit costs one life. Each step is divided into two parts; the second half includes a fight against a Boss character, who requires five hits to defeat and may have a special attack technique. Once all enemies in either half of a step are defeated, the player earns bonus points based on the number of hits taken in that half and the damage meter is fully restored.
The game includes a total of five different step designs, which repeat in a cycle with increasing difficulty. Once all lives are lost, the game ends.
Reception and legacy
[edit]In Japan,Game MachinelistedShao-lin's Roadon their June 15, 1985 issue as being the twenty-second most-successful table arcade unit of the month.[6]In Europe,Shao-lin's Roadwas marketed as a follow-up toYie Ar Kung-Fuand became a commercial success in arcades.[7]The Legend of Kage,released byTaitolater the same year, was influenced byShao-lin's Road.[8]
Records
[edit]The current arcade world record is held by Estel Goffinet scoring 50,000,000 points on June 28 of 2014 in just under 32 hours of play. The score is listed in the Twin Galaxies database.
The current arcade world record for "Extreme Settings" is held by Joe Hudak scoring 5,054,500 points on September 17 of 2018. The score is listed in the Twin Galaxies database.
Adrian Rodriguez holds the official world record of 13,007,800 in the MAME platform on Twin Galaxies from 2018.[9]
Notes
[edit]- ^Various ports useShao-Lin's Roadorショーリンズロードto refer to the game.
- ^"Thiếu Lâm Tự へ の nói" is also the name of the Japanese release of18 Bronzemen( Thiếu Lâm Tự mười tám đồng nhân );Shao-lin's Roadmay have been planned to be based on that film in a similar manner toSpartan X.
References
[edit]- ^"Shao-lin's Road (Registration Number PA0000257007)".United States Copyright Office.Retrieved30 May2021.
- ^"Shao-Lin's Road, Arcade Video game by Konami Industry (1985)".
- ^ab"Shao Lin's Road Release Information for Amstrad CPC - GameFAQs".
- ^"System 16 - Konami 6809 Based Hardware (Konami)".
- ^Sinclair User,January 1987,page 94Archived2015-09-24 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Game Machine's Best Hit Games 25 - テーブル hình TVゲーム cơ (Table Videos)".Game Machine(in Japanese). No. 262.Amusement Press, Inc.15 June 1985. p. 25.
- ^"Shao-lin's Road: The arcade hit... in your home!".Popular Computing Weekly.19 February 1987. p. 16.
- ^Hamilton, Ferdy (20 December 1986)."Legend of Kage".Commodore User.No. 40 (January 1987).
- ^Kicker Marathon Settings (MAME) World Record by Adrian Rodriguez,December 7, 2018
External links
[edit]- Shao-lin's RoadatMobyGames
- Shao-lin's Roadat SpectrumComputing.co.uk
- Youtube Video: Shao-lin's Road Bruce Lee Edition - Gameplay