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The evil Lord Akuma has captured Princess Mariko and she is cast into a dungeon to await his pleasure. As a newly fledged karateka, it is your task to fight your way through the regiment of guards in an attempt to free her from Akuma's evil clutches.

This is yet another game which I suspect was first released in the USA as a disk-based game because each section has to be loaded from tape individually. Mercifully, each part is speed-loaded so there is not much waiting around to be endured.

The first part, like the rest of the game, is beautifully animated and shows the imprisonment of the beautiful Mariko before the game proper is loaded.

The scene switches from the innermost recesses of Akuma's castle to the top of the cliff which forms a natural defence, just as our hero scrambles up the last few feet to do battle with the waiting guard.

The movement of the karateka is in one of two modes, either running or crouched ready to spring into action. In his running mode, our heroic champion is defenceless and must take care not to approach an opponent too closely otherwise death will come with the first blow he inevitably receives. Best to stop too soon and move cautiously forward.

After overpowering the guard at the gate, you proceed at speed through the courtyard eliminating more guards as you approach the doorway to the reception hall of the castle, and what a reception awaits! Akuma has not only commanded his best guards to stop you in your tracks but has also sent his pet eagle to strike you down.

As if this wasn't enough, your advance to the next stage is hampered by a bamboo portcullis which descends to spear the unwary attacker and a pause for deep thought is necessary to survive this test of ingenuity.

Now the going gets together. A grotesque opponent appears whose skill is greater than any fighter so far encountered. The successul karateka is the one who finds a way to overcome this fighting fiend and to penetrate the doorway behind him which has a magical forcefield which prevents your advance.

I have already said that the graphics are excellent but the beautifully choreographed movements do result in a loss of speed which some people may find annoying... but I can't say that I did.

The addition of the linking scenes emphasising the storyline adds to the overall impression that this is a well crafted and professional product which would grace anyone's collection.