Take a complete walkthrough of Karateka for the Commodore 64, played on an Ultimate 64 Elite FPGA C64 system. Created by Jordan Mechner, best known as the creator of Prince of Persia, Karateka was originally released by Broderbund for the Apple II in 1984 before being brought to the Commodore 64 in 1985.
In this video, I showcase a complete-in-box copy of Karateka for the Commodore 64 including the original game box, floppy disk, manual, and packaging details. The video also compares Commodore 64 and Atari 2600 game box packaging while taking a closer look at the Ultimate 64 Elite system, breadbin badge, original Commodore 64 keyboard, side ports, and rear connections.
The gameplay walkthrough covers the complete Karateka adventure from the opening story and race to the palace entrance through the outdoor battles, palace hallway, gate trap, dungeon fights, Warlord Akuma, Akuma's hawk, and the final approach to Princess Mariko. The video highlights the timing, movement, and careful approach needed to survive this classic cinematic martial arts game.
Karateka remains one of the most memorable and influential action games of the 8-bit era, connecting Commodore 64 gaming, Jordan Mechner, Broderbund Software, Prince of Persia history, and classic 1980s computer gaming in a way that still feels important today.