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Apr 12, 2001
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Jordan Mechner, creator of the classic Prince of Persia game, recently remade his Apple II game Karateka for iOS. To celebrate, he released a video (found by TUAW) comparing the delivery methods for the Apple II version of Karateka and the iOS version.

The video highlights how software prices are dropped, how delivery methods have improved and how the actual software has gotten more advanced in the last 30 years. The game was released yesterday and our sister-site TouchArcade has posted a lengthy review.

Karateka. 30 years later. Does the magic stand the test of time? As I have so subtly implied, I am a bit of a fan of Mechner's original masterpiece, and was skeptical upon seeing the the first sketches and screenshots of this re-invisioning. For fellow fans of the original, I am happy to say that my concerns were allayed just minutes into playing the Xbox 360 version on launch day -- and the iOS version should treat players the same. I found that, while this modern console title appears quite different than the Apple II original -- in a lavish sort of way -- it, at the same time, feels very much the same.
Karateka is available for $2.99 on the App Store. It requires at least an iPhone 4S, the iPad 2, or a 5th-generation iPod touch. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Karateka Creator Jordan Mechner Compares Apple II and iPhone Versions of Classic Game
 

iRCL

macrumors 6502
Nov 2, 2011
284
0
Yeah, it's a great new version, except

-- Despite his (ancient) history of being a legendary game designer, Mechner added nearly nothing to this version
-- Despite being *many* months in the making, there's a game breaking bug (bowing) that requires the app to restart
-- In an attempt to be cross-platform, it's been reduced to a single button press system that pales in comparison to what it should have been (imagine an infinity blade type game)

The sad thing here is that we have these legends like Mechner, who many of us grew up being amazed by, and the entire industry was captivated by, and then for years they did nothing and we were left to wonder if they had simply moved on to better things, or what they were up to.. wishing that they hadn't simply become obsolete.. and then they come back and release something like this, squashing the argument forever, definitively stating that they were only great, when they were great, because of when they were active

I did spend the $3, and I beat it (who couldn't.. although I never beat original Karateka on C64), and I played it a second time, but that's about it before being deleted. It's depressing
 

MagnusVonMagnum

macrumors 603
Jun 18, 2007
5,193
1,442
[url=http://cdn.macrumors.com/im/macrumorsthreadlogodarkd.png]Image[/url]


Jordan Mechner, creator of the classic Prince of Persia game, recently remade his Apple II game Karateka for iOS. To celebrate, he released a video (found by TUAW) comparing the delivery methods for the Apple II version of Karateka and the iOS version.

The video highlights how software prices are dropped, how delivery methods have improved and how the actual software has gotten more advanced in the last 30 years. The game was released yesterday and our sister-site TouchArcade has posted a lengthy review.

YouTube: video
Karateka is available for $2.99 on the App Store. It requires at least an iPhone 4S, the iPad 2, or a 5th-generation iPod touch. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Karateka Creator Jordan Mechner Compares Apple II and iPhone Versions of Classic Game


A 5th generation iPod Touch only? I guess that's going to limit his sales. I only bought my 4th Gen model a little over a year ago and it's already out of date? :rolleyes:

I'll say once again, that iOS game developers should release Mac versions as well if they want to increase their sales. I'd much rather play a game on my Mac than a tiny little pocket device anyway (short of small puzzle games to play on trips, etc.) I'm certainly not going to rush out and buy a new multi-hundred dollar iPod Touch or iPad just to play a $3 game. :(

While the new game looked interesting (as far as Karate games go), I couldn't see much resemblance to the original with the new 3D style. It seems more like a new game (and I assume the same basic plot) than a true remake. Personally, I found the original to be PAINFULLY slow on the C64 (might as well have been running in slow motion at times). So if it were allowed to run on the earlier Touch and original iPad, it might be more authentic at the crawling frame rates. :D
 

Arcady

macrumors 6502
May 24, 2002
402
24
Lexington, KY
I still play this on my Apple //e. Funny that it works on my 30 year old hardware, but it won't run on my iPhone 4 from 2 years ago.
 

krravi

macrumors 65816
Nov 30, 2010
1,173
0
Geez I saw the video of the original DOS game that I played and then it all came back to me.

I gotta get this game ASAP for old times sake.
 

Val-kyrie

macrumors 68020
Feb 13, 2005
2,107
1,419
Wow! This brings back the memories. 5.25" floppies. Playing a video game that was not for typing speed for the first time on a computer. This was one of the first games I played as a child, alongside Moon Patrol and a version of Mario--some pipe game. Anyone remember that? I think I played these games on a Commodore 64, but I don't remember anymore. Anyway, nice to see the game back--I will have to try it for old times' sake.
 

Yvan256

macrumors 603
Jul 5, 2004
5,080
991
Canada
1GB downloads in 2 to 3 minutes... right. :rolleyes:

I bet most people would need around 30 minutes to download 1GB.
 

ConCat

macrumors 6502a
Thank you for posting that video. When I first heard Jordan say "care-uh-take-uh", I wanted to punch my screen. からてか or カラテカ! How can you write a game with a Japanese subtext and not use the Japanese vowel sounds!?

Because English speakers have trouble pronouncing most other languages, or places originally written in another language. See: Bombay, Japan, Nanking, the list goes on. Although, to be fair, Japan is a mispronunciation of the original mispronunciation from Chinese.
 

Avatar74

macrumors 68000
Feb 5, 2007
1,605
401
This one and Dr. J vs Larry Bird!

I believe the title was One on One... it was one of the first games published by Electronic Arts in 1983. :) Loved it.... and especially loved the innovation that you could slam dunk and smash the backboard. Ahh, the simple pleasures...

Karateka was one of my favorites, and I remember being frustrated trying to figure out how to get past that damned gate (eventually did)... That, Silas Warner's Castle Wolfenstein and Brøderbund's Tai-Pan were my three favorite, most addicting games.
 

marksman

macrumors 603
Jun 4, 2007
5,764
5
Oh my gosh. I admit to having pirated a copy of karateka over my 300bps modem when i was a dumb kid. I remember it being a big release for this pirate group in the 805 area code.

I did play it for a couple hours but action games like that were never my thing.
 

tjanuranus

macrumors member
May 25, 2004
86
5
1GB downloads in 2 to 3 minutes... right. :rolleyes:


I bet most people would need around 30 minutes to download 1GB.

Wtf 1 gig only takes a few minutes to download he is correct. It's not his fault if some people are using ****** ISP's.
 
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