I don’t think that many people would list Kung Fu as their favorite NES game, but just about everyone who played the game probably has a soft spot for it in their pre-adolescent heart.  After all it was one of the first games for the system, and like all of those digital pioneers, it blew us away and captivated our attention.

Now, the first view for Nintendo folks was that this game was 100% straight from the Arcade, albeit with a slight drop in graphical quality. However, this was a moot point, since people cared about the game play then. Also, how could you not like the game, when it included the priceless ’’HA! HA! HA!’’ sound whenever your character made an attack?

The premise of the game is simple - you are the hero (who’s name I can’t remember), and you have to save your girlfriend (who’s name I can’t remember) from the evil Martial Arts guru (who’s name I can’t remember). Upon entering his dojo (who’s name I can’t remember), you are immediately attacked be several disciples of his (who’s names never came up). This means war! You have to use all of your Kung Fu abilities to save Marion (I THINK that’s her name...or is it Maria? Bah...). So what are you waiting for? Get out there and save her!

Whether or not you will enjoy Kung Fu largely depends on what you think of being attacked by hundreds of pant leg grabbing, ninja-flipping midgets. If this sounds like your idea of gaming nirvana, then by all means, go and pick up a copy of the game immediately.

For the rest of you, it comes down to whether or not you are willing to purchase a game that can be completed in about ten minutes. For an early NES game, Kung Fu does pack a good amount of game play punch for the limited amount of time it lasts, so if you’re borderline interested, I say go ahead and take the plunge. Besides, what else are you going to spend that 50 cents on... a Safeway Select Soda?

So what have we learned about the martial arts? We know that with a little work, even a couch potato can become a grand master like Thomas. Kung Fu is just such a neat little game that lets you fill the karate uniform of a man on his quest to save his main squeeze from the clutches of horny and perverted men.

Despite the clunky controls, poor level design, and overall brevity, Kung Fu is one adventure worth experiencing. Now go grasshopper, and don’t let the pink pajama men butt hump you on the way out! HIYA!