The Attack of the Phantom Karate Devils
Early side-view fighting game with projectiles and health costs.
The Attack of the Phantom Karate Devils, a 1984 title for the Commodore 64, was created by John Orthel and released by Phantom Software. This single-player, side-scrolling fighting game is recognized as an early martial arts game to feature projectile attacks. Players control their character with a joystick, moving and executing strikes against ninjas and incoming projectiles. Each hit taken reduces health, and performing kicks or punches also drains the player's health bar. Health can be restored by earning enough points to achieve a new Dan (promotion) or by advancing to the next stage. The game consists of four stages—a temple, caverns, bridge, and control room—each unlocked by accumulating sufficient points on the prior level. Jumping through the door at a stage's end awards bonus points. The final stage appears glitched due to a known bug or limitation, not a deliberate design choice. In Compute!'s Gazette (volume 2, issue 9, February 1984), reviewer Gregg Keizer praised the graphics and innovative gameplay.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Attack of the Phantom Karate Devils
- Developer
- Phantom Software
- Designer
- John Orthel
- Released
- 1983
- Genre
- Fighting
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Commodore 64
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Attack of the Phantom Karate Devils was developed by John Orthel for the Commodore 64 and published by Phantom Software in 1984. The game is a single-player side-view fighting game, using a joystick to move and perform various attacks against ninjas and projectiles. The player loses health not only when hit but also for every kick or punch performed. Health can be restored by earning enough points to gain a new promotion (Dan) or by reaching the next stage. There are four stages: temple, caverns, bridge, and control room. The player advances by earning enough points on the previous stage, and jumping through the door at the end of each stage earns bonus points. The final stage appears broken due to a known bug or limitation, not a deliberate design choice.
Reader's Guide
The Attack of the Phantom Karate Devils holds a place in video game history as one of the first martial arts games to include projectiles, a feature that would become common in later fighting games. Its side-view perspective and health system—where attacks cost health—introduced unique gameplay mechanics for its time. The game was praised by Gregg Keizer in Compute!'s Gazette volume 2, issue 8 for its graphics and new style of gameplay. Though not widely known today, it represents an early experiment in blending martial arts action with projectile combat on the Commodore 64. Its four stages—temple, caverns, bridge, and control room—and the intentional broken appearance of the final stage reflect the designer's creative choices. The game's legacy is as a niche but innovative title from the early 1980s, contributing to the evolution of the fighting game genre.
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