Kung-Fu Master
Kung-Fu Master is a 1984 beat 'em up developed by Irem, widely regarded as one of the games that established the side-scrolling brawler and inspired by Hong Kong martial-arts cinema. Players control martial artist Thomas as he ascends a five-floor temple to rescue his kidnapped love Sylvia, fighting through waves of henchmen with a simple but responsive set of punches and kicks aimed high or low.
Each floor ends with a distinct boss, from a stick-wielding fighter and a boomerang thrower to a knife-throwing magician and a giant, while lesser enemies such as grippers grab and drain the hero's health and knife-throwers and snakes harry him from range. Its steady stream of foes, boss-gated progression, and health-bar combat proved enormously influential on the genre that followed.
Kung-Fu Master was widely ported, most famously to home consoles and computers, and helped inspire countless later brawlers and fighting games. The original remains playable through retro compilations and arcade emulation for those interested in the genre's roots.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Kung-Fu Master, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin
€ 19,99A side-scrolling martial-arts brawler with a combo system, directly descended from Kung-Fu Master.
9 Monkeys of Shaolin runs on PC, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Sifu
€ 39,99A modern martial-arts brawler with a floor-by-floor rise reminiscent of Kung-Fu Master's structure.
Sifu runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
The Takeover Indie
€ 19,99An indie side-scrolling beat 'em up echoing classic martial-arts arcade brawlers.
The Takeover runs on PC, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Shaolin vs Wutang 2 Indie
€ 13,99A love letter to kung fu cinema built by one developer, with dozens of styles to learn.
Shaolin vs Wutang 2 runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Verified.
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