This is the future of video game preservation and historical study. Combining scanned documents, documentary video, and a selection of playable titles ranging from never before seen prototypes to a modernized take on the classic Apple II version of Kartateka, The Making of Karateka is as academic as it is fun, putting proper polish on games that might otherwise be lost to time.
The holy trinity of Karateka versions (Apple II, Commodore, and Atari 800) are all featured, demonstrating their varied strengths (for example the Commodore features the best music, while the Apple II features separate buttons for punch and kick). And for those looking for something new, Karateka Remastered adds cut content like the jungle cat attack set piece, and Deathbounce: Rebounded (a rebirth of an original Mechner creation that was never published) stands out near the top of modern stick-shooters. I played Deathbounce alone for HOURS, it had such a hold I me I felt like I was in an arcade as a kid again.
Even if disinterested in Karateka or Mechner's work, Digital Eclipse has, with this title and its predecessor, Atari 50, taken the first steps in what will be the future of game research. It's both a great gift to culture at large, and an incisive prediction of what comes next for the industry once we escape the sway of the ever-repeating HD remaster.
The holy trinity of Karateka versions (Apple II, Commodore, and Atari 800) are all featured, demonstrating their varied strengths (for example the Commodore features the best music, while the Apple II features separate buttons for punch and kick). And for those looking for something new, Karateka Remastered adds cut content like the jungle cat attack set piece, and Deathbounce: Rebounded (a rebirth of an original Mechner creation that was never published) stands out near the top of modern stick-shooters. I played Deathbounce alone for HOURS, it had such a hold I me I felt like I was in an arcade as a kid again.
Even if disinterested in Karateka or Mechner's work, Digital Eclipse has, with this title and its predecessor, Atari 50, taken the first steps in what will be the future of game research. It's both a great gift to culture at large, and an incisive prediction of what comes next for the industry once we escape the sway of the ever-repeating HD remaster.