Hokuto no Ken

a.k.a. Black Belt / 北斗の拳

published by Sega / Tec Toy in 1986-07-20, developed by Sega, running on Master System
type: beat 'em up
genre: Manga, Martial arts
series: Hokuto no Ken
setting: Post-apocalypse
perspective: side view
player options: single player
languages: eng jpn
3.3/5

Personal review

Hokuto no Ken, or 'Fist of the North Star', is based on the popular Japanese series of the same name.

You're Kenshiro, the Fist of the North Star, and must fight your way through a desolate and apocalyptic world.

The game consists of two parts that are constantly changing. First you fight enemies in an open arena much like Final Fight, and then you battle against the boss in the typical 2D fighting way.

The game was quite violent (enemies were blown to gory pieces), and therefore there was a censored version released called 'Black Belt.'

I have to admit that the 'Final Fight'-like stages are really fun (but repetive), but the boss levels are just plain bad, the CPU fights unfair, and you don't really have a chance to fight with tactics. Presentation is mediocre, with small sprites and lousy sounds and music, yet this game features nice paralax-scrolling. In the end, it's just another unfair game that you actually don't need, unless you're a die-hard Master System fan.

# 2006

Description

Description for Black Belt

In this game, you play Riki. Kyoko, your beautiful Japanese girlfriend, has been kidnapped, and in order to rescue her, you must get through a tireless army of enemies. These enemies come equipped with weapons that include whips, knives, swords, and flamethrowers, but Riki has to make do with his well-trained martial arts body.

Black Belt is a side-scrolling game that is split into seven chapters. During these chapters, you are fighting Chinese Kung Fu men, wrestlers, jujitsu men, eagles, ninjas, and black women. When you get halfway through the chapter, you will fight a different enemy than one that you encounter before. At the end of each chapter, you have to defeat several bosses before continuing on to the next round. Each type of these has their own personal strengths and weaknesses.

Once you touch an enemy or boss, you will lose energy. once you lose all energy, you lose a life, but more life can be restored by getting the cake when it comes across the screen in mid-air, or by defeating an enemy that will come at you halfway and you receive a bonus for doing so.

Black Belt is a modified version of the Japanese-exclusive Hokuto no Ken, with the licence removed and new level designs.

Alberwood # 2010-03-30 18:24:36 - source

Technical specs

display: raster

Editor note

In Black Belt, the U.S. version of the game, the character sprites have been altered and renamed. For instance, Ken is now a generic karate fighter named Riki.

(Jacquismo) - # 2006

External reviews (3) - average: 68.7% - median: 80%

review sourceissuedatescore
Arcades (1-7)fr11987-10n.a.view
Console XSuk11992-0641/10041%
view
Génération 4 (1-82)fr11987-1085/10085%
view
Tilt 39-113fr461987-1016/2080%
view

Contributors (9)

AndreaD
teran01
zerothis
dandyboh
Sanguine
uvlbot-1
Alberwood
Ritchardo
gmblongplays

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