How rare is International Karate on floppy?

[eobet]

I never even knew the game was released for Atari 800, and since I'm casually collecting the game, I'd like to know how rare a mint boxed version would be...

 

I currently have it for Atari ST, Gameboy Color, Gameboy Advance, Amiga CD32 and Playstation.

 

The GBC/GBA versions I have are the unlicensed Studio 3 (formerly System 3) versions. I say unlicensed, because Archer Maclean created the game, and has not granted Studio 3 permissions to release those two titles. The Playstation version I have, is however actually an official release, and it is even a 100% accurate port of the original Amiga version (the Studio 3 versions have new graphics and new features... which, I must admit, aren't bad, actually).

[tjlazah]

It is not that rare, I have a copy of it too. I also have the C64 and Atari ST version. Sadly there was no Amiga version. On the Amiga version I think what you are talking about is IK+ which is a different game and it really sucks compared to the original!

[eobet]

Thank you for the information, I will keep looking on Ebay.

 

And yeah, sorry, I don't differentiate between International Karate and IK+, since they're basically the same game.

 

Both were made by Archer Maclean and use the same control system (merely changing a few moves). On the 8-bit computers, they even use the same sprites (ST/Amiga versions has new sprite graphics, though).

 

The Atari ST version is very interesting, though. There were two releases of International Karate's for that system, using completely unique graphics. System 3 did the original (presumably) and the other was published by Epyx under the name World Karate Championship. And neither credited Archer Maclean.

 

I'm very interested in acquiring the original System 3 version for Atari ST.

[tjlazah]

Yeah in the rest of the world the game was called International Karate, and in the US its called World Karate Champinship. AFAIK the graphics are the same? On the ST the graphics are different? I have the WKC for ST, do you have International Karate on ST? I would like to see the difference if there is one.

[eobet]

Oh, sorry for confusing you.

 

I meant that the graphics were unique for the ST because Archer Maclean didn't do them himself.

 

And no, as I said, I don't have the System 3 release either.

 

I have actually corresponded with Archer Maclean a little bit. Once when the Gamboy version was released (which he was unaware of) and once when the Playstation version was released.

[geosteve]

I have World Karate Championship on disk for the Atari 8-bit, nice game with impressive graphics and music, and the AI puts up a good challenge too. sorry I don't believe I have the box to that though.

[geosteve]

edit: sorry I couldn't find that rarity guide list, I'll keep looking

[Kr0tki]

Yeah in the rest of the world the game was called International Karate' date=' and in the US its called World Karate Champinship.[/quote']

On 8-bits, World Karate Championship runs slightly slower than IK. I believe WKC is the NTSC version, and IK is PAL.

[pps]

Hmm, Don´t think IK is rare on disc. My version comes together with the C64 version as a "dual boot" disc, so there sure will be some C64 owners, that still have the ATARI Version...

[eobet]

Dual boot? Wow, thanks for the info! I'll keep an eye out.

 

The reason the game is slower on WKC sounds like PAL timing issue, which yields 25fps at 50hz, while NTSC yields 30fps at its 60hz.

 

Never thought about it back in those days, but I remember it being a constant annoyance on early Playstation games.

[Trooper]

I've got the cassette version, aren't you all envious of me now??

 

/Troop

[+CharlieChaplin]

Well,

the game speed can be increased or slowed down on IK as well as WKC. Guess Epyx and System 3 simply used different speeds when the game first started off (as kinda pre-settings)... So, press 1, 2, 3 or 4 to alter the game speed manually... -Andreas.

[Tickled_Pink]

Sold a dual boot copy of IK on eBay a couple of months ago with case (don't think the instructions were with it though).

[Tezz]

I still have the doubled sided dual disk of IK. It cames in the old VHS sized box with the C64 and Atari8 on opposite sides.

 

Wonder why this was never done again, this would have saved production costs. As we all know, most A8 games only hit the Cassette market 'cos most users didn't buy a DD. Reason for that I will never understand. The 1050 was cheap and easy to get. I suppose Atari should have bundled it with the machines to the retailers. I think the A8 would have been much more successful if they had done this.

 

The baud rate was slowwww on the A8 cassettes, it took an age to load anything in even with the so called speed loaders.

 

World Karate Championship is the US version which did run slower due to the changed timing, although as stated in this post, pressing keys 1-4 sets the speed of the gameplay.

[Andre]

Check the entries of International Karate and World Karate Championship at Atarimania and you will find what you are looking for

 

André