Spartan X

Story & overview

About the game

Spartan X, known in North America by the Kung-Fu Master port, is a 1984 beat 'em up arcade game developed and published in Japan by Irem. It was later published in North America by Data East, without the movie license. The Japanese version was based on the Jackie Chan movie Wheels on Meals, known as Spartan X in Japan, and credited "Paragon Films Ltd., Towa Promotion", who produced the film upon which it was based. The game is considered by many to be the first beat 'em up video game, and contains elements of Bruce Lee's Game of Death.

One day, a kung-fu master, Thomas, and his girlfriend, Silvia, are attacked by a gang of mysteriously men. While Thomas is trying to fight off the people in front of him, more come from the back, capture Silvia and then all of them take off. Thomas finds a letter left behind from a man named Mr. X that reads: Your love Silvia is in our custody now. If you want to save your dear Silvia's life, come to the Devil's Temple at once 5 sons of the devil will entertain you. Thomas follows X's instructions and immediately shows up at the temple. There he must fight through 5 floors, each with an array of enemies, obstacles, and a boss at the end, until he reaches the 6th floor, in which he must fight Mr. X himself to free Silvia.