Karateka/Gameplay

Single button controls

 * Joystick: Use the joystick to control your fighter. Your fighter has two stances; a fighting stance from which attacks are executed, and a regular stance that permits him to run forward.
 * Fighting stance: When the joystick is in the neutral position, the fighter rests in his fighting stance. In this stance you can direct him to slowly walk back and forwards, or punch and kick.  While punching or kicking, pressing the joystick up or down will direct the attacks in either direction.
 * Regular stance: To enter the regular stance, hold the joystick in the up position. From the up position, you can direct the fighter to run by moving the joystick up and to the right.  Once the fighter is running, you can keep the joystick pressed simply to the right.  The fighter will continue to run until you let go of the joystick.
 * Button: Press the button to direct the fighter to either punch or kick. The length of time that you press the button determines which attack is performed.  If you press the button while holding up on the joystick, your fighter will bow honorably.
 * Punch: Tap the button and immediately release it to perform a punch. You can rapidly tap the button for a continuous attack of left and right punches.  If the joystick is neutral, the fighter will punch at waist level.  Hold the joystick up to throw a punch to the face, or hold the joystick down to direct a punch at the opponents leg
 * Kick: Press and hold the button to perform kicks. When you hold the button down, the fighter will perform as many consecutive kicks as he is able to before putting his foot down and starting over.  If the joystick is neutral, the fighter will kick at waist level.  Hold the joystick up to kick the opponent's head, or hold the joystick down to kick his leg.

Two button controls

 * Joystick: Use the joystick to control your fighter. Your fighter has two stances; a fighting stance from which attacks are executed, and a regular stance that permits him to run forward.
 * Fighting stance: When the joystick is in the neutral position, the fighter rests in his fighting stance. In this stance you can direct him to slowly walk back and forwards, or punch and kick.  While punching or kicking, pressing the joystick up or down will direct the attacks in either direction.
 * Regular stance: To enter the regular stance, hold the joystick in the up position. From the up position, you can direct the fighter to run by moving the joystick up and to the right.  Once the fighter is running, you can keep the joystick pressed simply to the right.  The fighter will continue to run until you let go of the joystick.
 * Buttons: Pressing one button will perform a punch while pressing the other button will perform a kick. If you press the punch button while holding up on the joystick, your fighter will bow honorably.
 * Punch: You can rapidly tap the punch button for a continuous attack of left and right punches. If the joystick is neutral, the fighter will punch at waist level.  Hold the joystick up to throw a punch to the face, or hold the joystick down to direct a punch at the opponents leg
 * Kick: Press the kick button to perform kicks. You can perform anywhere between two and four consecutive kicks, at various heights, depending on the sequence performed.  If the joystick is neutral, the fighter will kick at waist level.  Hold the joystick up to kick the opponent's head, or hold the joystick down to kick his leg.

Famicom controls
The Famicom controls largely correspond to the two button control scheme described above, except for one major departure. Your fighter will remain in whichever stance you last directed him to stand in. Pressing up puts the fighter in the regular stance. Releasing up keeps the fighter in this stance, and only by pressing down will the fighter return to fighting stance.
 * : Assume the regular stance
 * : Assume the fighting stance
 * : Kick
 * : Punch

Fighter
This is the lone fighter that you control. After having swam across the ocean to Akuma's island fortress, and scaling the cliff wall, the fighter must now defeat Akuma's entire army of henchmen, and ultimately Akuma himself, in order to rescue Mariko. As a master in the karate martial art, he possesses the potential to succeed in this mission, but does he possess the will? Time is of the essence. The quicker he runs forward after each fight, the less time Akuma's army will have to stop him.

Akuma
Akuma is a ruthless warrior, and commander of his own loyal army of martial arts warriors. He will send all that swear loyalty to him to attack the fighter and prevent him from ever reaching Mariko. He will even send his pet hawk to attack you. Jealously guarding Mariko's cell, he will wait until no more fighters remain to take the fighter on with his own hands. Even if the fighter does have the skill to defeat all of Akuma's army, Akuma himself will be his greatest challenge.

Mariko
Mariko sits on the bench in her cell, powerless. Regardless of any despair that she feels, she still holds on to a faint hope that rescue is forthcoming. In the quiet of her cell, any commotion outside is easily heard, and she begins to believe that she may yet escape from Akuma's clutches. However, don't expect her to be so happy to see you that she will forget her royal position. Approach her with respect, or suffer the consequences.