Thomas
The martial artist controlled by the player, who fights through the temple to rescue Sylvia.
Documented for this version
Arrow Up | Jump |
|---|---|
Arrow Down | Crouch |
Arrow Left | Move left |
Arrow Right | Move right |
A | Punch |
B | Kick |
The controls use the NES Control Pad, A button, and B button.
No reliable special-button combinations are documented for this version.
How it plays
The screen scrolls horizontally as Thomas advances across five temple floors. The objective is to defeat waves of enemies and reach the end of each floor, where a stronger guardian must be overcome.
Thomas can walk, crouch, jump, punch, and kick. Enemies include knife throwers, low attackers, birds, and other hazards that require different timing. Completing all five floors rescues Sylvia; the game can then be replayed at a higher difficulty.
Plan your run
Stay near the center of the screen so approaching enemies remain visible on both sides. Use punches against standing foes and kicks when additional reach is needed.
Crouch to avoid high attacks and thrown knives, then counter quickly. Learn the timing of each floor guardian rather than attacking continuously, and preserve safe positioning near the screen edges.
Meet the cast
The martial artist controlled by the player, who fights through the temple to rescue Sylvia.
Thomas's captive companion, held by Mr. X at the top of the temple.
The game's final antagonist and the leader who has kidnapped Sylvia.
Before you begin
Use crouching attacks against low threats and crouch to evade high attacks.
Do not let enemies surround Thomas; clear one side before advancing.
The game rewards memorizing enemy timing and repeating short stages.
Kung Fu is Irem's NES adaptation of the arcade martial-arts game Kung-Fu Master, released by Nintendo in 1985. It is a side-scrolling beat 'em up in which Thomas fights through a five-floor temple to rescue Sylvia from Mr. X. The play style is deliberately compact and arcade-focused: players combine punches, kicks, crouching attacks, and jumps while reacting to enemies arriving from both sides. The game was well received for bringing the arcade's fast, demanding action to the NES, although its brief structure and limited move set make it more of a score-and-replay challenge than a lengthy adventure.
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