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Chuck Norris Superkicks

Game Description

Martial arts legend and film star Chuck Norris gets his very own video game with Chuck Norris Superkicks. You take on the role of the robed one as he attempts to reach an ancient monastery in order to rescue a famous leader who is being held hostage.

You begin the game as a white belt, but by defeating attackers, scoring points and learning new martial arts skills (such as somersault superkicks and forearm blocks), you will earn each of the colored belts associated with the "Tang Soo Do" style of karate. Every time you gain a belt, you get extra time. In order to reach and enter the monastery, which is guarded by ninja assassins (masters of karate and camouflage), you must achieve the highest rank of all -- black belt.

Chuck Norris Superkicks consists of seven levels: Path to the Monastery, Attack by the Rice Fields, Attack in the Foothills, Ambush on the Waterfront, The Village Attack, The Approach to the Monastery and Inside the Monastery. You must walk up pathways from screen to screen, avoiding tall grass along both sides of the path. The manual instructs you to use your "sixth sense," intuition, to choose the correct route. Impassable barriers such as fallen trees block off some of the pathways.

Many times throughout the game, Chuck will stop walking and the action will switch to a close-up perspective. This is when you must punch, kick, and otherwise fight off Yakuza, Dorobo, Tengu, and other warriors, guards, and bandits who attack from both sides of the screen. After you clear a wave of enemies (some of which throw stars), you will continue on your way.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Roots & Influences

Chuck Norris Superkicks is a relatively obscure title that is one of the earliest 2D fighters. It was also released for the Atari 2600.

Preceding fighters were mostly games such as Boxing for the Intellivision and Boxing for the Atari 2600. Chuck Norris Superkicks most likely influenced such coin-op classics as Karate Champ, Kung-Fu Master, Yie Ar Kung-Fu and Shao-Lin's Road.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Review: Overall

In gaming circles Chuck Norris Superkicks is often the subject of ridicule. The reasons for this are many as the game is replete with unintentional humor. If you walk on the tall grass, seconds fly off your timer with every step you take. Are the designers of this game telling me that world-renowned karate expert Chuck Norris is vulnerable to unkempt greenery? Also, the snow-capped mountain peaks alongside the walkways are tiny in relation to their surroundings. They look ridiculous.

The manual suggests that you use your "intuition" when walking up pathways in order to determine the correct route. This annoying bit of new age nonsense only means that lady luck plays a role in the game. If you walk up an obstructed pathway, you must turn around, walk a different direction and repeat the same level. It's not a huge ordeal to fight the same fights over again, but this bit of hooey is annoying and redundant.

On a more positive note, Chuck Norris Superkicks is an unusual game for its time and something of a novelty. Gaining fighting moves as you progress from level to level is a cutting-edge concept. Especially cool is the somersault superkick. However, the game never really picks up until you reach the final stage. Up until this point, the levels are incredibly brief and very easy.

Once you reach the monastery, a seemingly endless flow of ninjas come after you. The more you defeat, the deadlier they become as their camouflaging abilities increase. It's challenging and even enjoyable to dodge the thrown stars while trying to punch or kick ninja after ninja; this is the point at which you can really boost your score. Interestingly, the graphics take a marked leap in quality as well. The inside of the monastery, with its rich blue hues, wall dragon and flickering candles, is tastefully and elegantly designed.

Overall, Chuck Norris Superkicks is an uneven and sometimes laughable gaming experience. The inclusion of pathways makes the game a quest of sorts, but the actual walking and avoiding "killer weeds" is dull. Also dull are the first six levels. The final stage is fun, but time runs out after a few short minutes, and you've either got to play a different game or start all over.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Review: Enjoyment

The monastery scene is borderline intense, but the rest of the game is an interesting waste of time.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Review: Graphics

The monastery looks cool, but the outdoor scenes are poorly composed and lacking in texture. Chuck's face is always viewed from a profile perspective, even when he is walking up a pathway. If you really use your imagination, he looks like himself (but he could just as easily be Larry Bird). The enemies as well as Chuck have nicely designed karate uniforms.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Review: Sound

Nice musical intro. Redundant, but competently done music plays during fight scenes and when you progress from one level to the next. The sound effects are about average for a third-party ColecoVision title.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Review: Replay Value

I wish an energy bar of some type (or extra lives) were in place instead of a timer. Chuck never dies, he just runs out of time. Also, even the hardiest of enemies can be dropped with one hit or kick.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

Review: Documentation

The manual goes into detail regarding the levels and fighting moves.
~ Brett Alan Weiss, All Game Guide

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