Yie Ar Kung-fu

A pioneering fighting video game series developed by Konami, starting with the 1985 arcade release Yie Ar Kung-Fu.

Games

1985–1986

Years

Platforms

$76.21

Ø CIB

+15%

24M change

About

The Yie Ar Kung-Fu series is a foundational franchise in the fighting game genre, originating with Konami's 1985 arcade hit Yie Ar Kung-Fu. The series follows martial artist Oolong as he battles various opponents, each utilizing distinct weapons and fighting styles. It was followed by the sequel Yie Ar Kung-Fu II: The Emperor Yie-Gah, which introduced new characters and gameplay elements across various home computer ports.

Following its initial arcade release, Konami ported Yie Ar Kung-Fu (1985) to numerous platforms, including the MSX, NES, and Commodore 64. These home versions often altered the roster of opponents due to hardware limitations. A specialized tape release, Yie Ar Kung-Fu [Cassette] (1985), brought the martial arts action to European home computers like the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC.

The franchise expanded with the official sequel, Yie Ar Kung-Fu II: The Emperor Yie-Gah (1985), which was released for the MSX and later ported to other systems as Yie Ar Kung-Fu II (1985) and Yie Ar Kung-Fu II (1986). This sequel introduced a new protagonist, Lee Young, and incorporated side-scrolling skirmishes against multiple minor enemies before the traditional one-on-one boss fights. The series also inspired community-driven projects, such as the retrospective Yie Ar Kung-Fu [Homebrew] (1982) adaptation. Together, these releases established control schemes, health-bar mechanics, and varied opponent archetypes that became standard conventions for the fighting game genre throughout the late 1980s and beyond.