THE SPECTRUM GAME DATABASE



WAY OF THE EXPLODING FIST



PUBLISHER

Melbourne House



AUTHOR

Beam Software (Gregg Barnett, Greg Holland, Stephen Taylor and

William Tang)



YEAR

1985



DESCRIPTION

A one or two player beat'em-up.



CONTROLS

The controls are as follows:



Player 1         Player 2

Q  W  E          Y  U  I

A     D          H     K

Z  X  C          B  N  M



Fire: 1          Fire: Space



These keys represent the eight directions it is possible to

move/attack in.



INSTRUCTIONS

Using the combination of keys, the objective in the one player

game is to work your way through as many opponents as possible

until you reach 10th Dan.  Each contest is the first to gain two

points more than your opponent.





CHEATS



SEQUELS/PREQUELS

The sequel, Fist II, used the same sort of graphics, but the game

was more of a split screen adventure.



INLAY CARD TEXT



THE WAY OF THE EXPLODING FIST



The Way of the Exploding Fist is a karate simulation game, and

is controlled entirely from the keyboard or joystick.



Although it may take a while to become completely familiar with

the various moves, you should be able to start playing almost

immediately without learning any of the moves.



HOW TO PLAY WITHOUT READING ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS



Press the key 1 or 2 and the game will start.



  Moving your character: Left and right control the left/right

movement of your character.

  Using the kicks: All kicks are controlled by pressing the fire

button and pushing the joystick in the appropriate direction.

  Crouching: Pressing the joystick up will allow your character

to leap up while pressing it down makes the player crouch.

  Blocks: The joystick also allows you to block your opponents

move.  This is obtained by backing off your character while your

opponent is performing some aggresive move.

  You may occasionally find that when you are naturally backing

off, your character goes into a blocking stance.  This is

fortunate for you, as the "block" is only activated if you are

in danger of being hit by your opponent.

  To release the block, move the joystick to neutral or to any

position other than moving backwards.

  "Holding your moves": Most of the moves in the Way of the

Exploding Fist can be withdrawn shortly after beginning to

execute them so that you are able to change your mind and start

another move.  This also means that if you do want to continue

with a move you must ensure that you hold the joystick in the

correct position  long enough for the move to be executed.

  Practising your moves: The easiest way for you to practise your

moves is to go into 2-player mode and test all your skills.  Your

opponent will not make any move against you, so you should be

abke to get all the moves perfected.

  This should be enough to get you started playing The Way of the

Exploding Fist.  The following instructions give you more detail

on the subtleties of this exciting game.



ONE-PLAYER AND TWO-PLAYER MODES:



The Way of the Exploding Fist can be played in either one player

mode or two player mode.  In playing in one-player mode, you will

always control the black character.



Various options can be selected before each game:

1: choose one player mode

2: choose two player mode

0: choose joystick mode or choose to redefine control keys.



The computer will start in demonstration mode, with the computer

controlling both characters.  This is indicated by the word DEMO

in the top left of the screen.  Make your selection whilst the

program is in DEMO mode.



Pressing keys G and H simultaneously will abort the game.



Playing one-player mode: The object is to move up through Dan

levels by defeating successive opponents, each one slightly

better than the previous ones.

  You start at novice level, your task being to reach 10th Dan.

  In each bout, the aim is to score a full two points over your

opponent.  The first player to obtain two full points wins the

bout.  In the event that neither player wins two full points

within the time period specified, the judge will determine which

player performed better and award the victory accordingly.

  The match finishes when one of your opponents scores two full

points in any one bout.



Playing two-player mode: In this situation, the match does not

terminate as above, but the winner is determined by whoever

scores the most after a set of four bouts.

  After the time limit has been reached in each bout, the judge

stops the bout and a new bout is started.



THE SCORING SYSTEM

Points are scored not on which action has been taken but on how

well each move was executed.  If your aggresive move fails to

make contact, obviously no points will be awarded.  If your move

is perfectly executed, you will obtain one full point.

  In some instances your move will strike an opponent, but the

hit will not be perfect.  In these instances, you will only

obtain a half-point.

  Your current point total is represented on the screen by the

yin/yang symbols.  The black player's points are shown on the

left, while the shaded player's points are shown on the right. 

(A half-symbol represents a half point.)

  As well as the points for each strike, you will get a score

value for each move succesfully executed.  The score will depend

on the move chosen, so that a difficult move, such as a round-

house kick, will score more than an easy move, such as a jab

kick.  The score value added will be twice as much if the move

was executed perfectly (i.e. a "full-point" execution) than if

it was less than perfect (i.e. a "half-point" execution).



SUMMARY OF JOYSTICK POSITIONS:

The following joystick positions will result in the appropriate

moves.  Each move is explained in more detail further on.



DIRECTIONS OF JOYSTICK WITH FIRE BUTTON NOT PRESSED



                     JUMP

                      ^

            FORWARD   |

          SOMERSAULT  |  HIGH PUNCH

                   \  |  /

      WALK           \|/

BACKWARDS/BLOCK  <----*----> WALK FORWARDS

                     /|\

                   /  |  \

             BACK     |   JAB

          SOMERSAULT  |

                      v

                   CROUCH/

                  LOW PUNCH



DIRECTIONS OF JOYSTICK WITH FIRE BUTTON PRESSED



                    FLYING

                     KICK

                      ^

             HIGH     |

          BACK KICK   |  HIGH KICK

                   \  |  /

    ROUNDHOUSE/      \|/

    ABOUT-FACE   <----*---->  MID KICK

                     /|\

                   /  |  \

          BACKWARDS   |   SHORT JAB KICK

            SWEEP     |

                      v

                   FORWARD

                    SWEEP



USING THE KEYBOARD

The following keys are used in keyboard mode:



Player 1         Player 2

Q  W  E          Y  U  I

A     D          H     K

Z  X  C          B  N  M



Fire: 1          Fire: Space



The operation of these keys is identical to the joystick

controls.  To choose between joystick and keyboard mode - press

the zero while in demonstration.



DETAILS ON THE VARIOUS KICKS:

As mentioned above, all kicks are controlled by pressing the fire

button, and pushing the joystick in the appropriate direction.

  The fopllowing instructions assume that the character is facing

right.  You will find that the descriptions refer to "left" and

"right".  When your character faces the other way, all controls

are mirrored - in other words, if you need to press right to get

the midkick when facing right, then when you are facing left, you

need to press the joystick left to obtain the midkick.

  The same applies to the punches and somersaults described in

the following sections.

  Eight kicks are available to you - one each for the eight

positions of the joystick:

  Flying kick: This is obtained by pressing the fire button and

pressing the joystick up.  This is an extremely powerful kick,

and can be succesful against a standing opponent who is not

blocking against the move.  Other ways to block this kick are to

crouch, or if you are fast enough to respond with a counter

flying kick.

  High kick: Press fire button and press joystick in the diagonal

upper right direction.

  Mid kick: Press fire button and press joystick right.

  Short jab kick: This is obtained by pressing the fire button

and pressing the joystick on the diagonal lower right direction. 

The main benefit of this kick is that it is very fast to execute

and can be used in closer combat.

  Sweep (f'ward): Press fire button and joystick down.  This low

sweep places your character in a crouching position, then sweeps

forward.  This can be effective against many aggresive actions,

as it combines offence with defence.

  Sweep (b'ward): Press fire button and press joystick in a lower

left diagonal direction.  This move is identical to the forward

sweep, but the effect is to sweep behind you.  This can therefore

be used if your opponent is behind you.

  Roundhouse: Press fire button and joystick left.  This move is

the traditional roundhouse kick of karate, but also has the

advantage that it allows you to turn about face.  This kick has

two distict operations: in the first instance (by keeping the

fire button pressed throughout the kick) you execute the full

roundhouse kick.  The second mode of operation is a fast about-

face.  This is acheived by starting the roundhouse kick as

described above, but releasing the fire button before the kick

is completed.

  You will find the full roundhouse kick is a time-consuming

manouvre, it can be especially effective in many situations. 

Note also that as the roundhouse kick moves you out of the direct

line of your opponent's attacks, some of your opponents aggresive 

moves may not be effective against you while you are performing

this action.

High back kick: Press fire button and press joystick in an upper

left diagonal position.  This move is the reverse of the forward

high kick and enables you to attack opponents that may have

slipped past you.

  You can of course also turn around to attack opponents that are

behind you (see notes on roundhouse kick above).



PUNCHES

As well as kicks, the Way of the Exploding Fist requires devotees

to be adept at close fighting, using punches.  Three punches are

available from joystick control.  Note that the fire button

should not be pressed when executing punches.

  High punch: This is obtained by pressing the joystick in the

upper right diagonal direction.  (Do not press the fire button.) 

This is effective against an opponent that is reasonably close

to you.

  Jab punch: This is obtained by pressing the joysticks in the

lower right diagonal direction.  (Do not press the fire button.) 

This is the fastest action you can take, and is extremely

effective in very close fighting.  At times your opponent may use

this move, and because it is such a fast jab, you may not even

be aware of what hit you!

  Low punch: This is obtained by going into the crouch position

first, then pressing the joystick to the right.  Because of the

variety of moves that can be accomplished from the crouching

position, the low punch can often be a surprise move.



SOMERSAULTS

Somersaults are a very fast way to move out of the reach of your

opponent.  There are two somersaults - one forward and one

backward.  Note that if you get too close to the edge of the

screen in either direction, you r somersaults may not be as

effective.

  Forward somersault: This is obtained by pressing the joystick

in the upper left diagonal direction.  (do not press the fire

button.)

  Backward somersault: This is obtained by pressing the joystick

in the lower left diagonal direction.  (Do not press the fire

button.)



ADVANCED PLAYERS' TIPS:

Blocks: Note that blocks are not the perfect answer to aggresive

moves from your opponent.  There are two blocks the computer can

choose from, a high block and a low block, depending on the

action that is being taken by your opponent.

  Holding the joystick in a block move means that you will be

holding the block, and it is possible for your opponent to start

a different aggresive move that is not countered by your current

block.

  Note also that the two low sweeps cannot be blocked.  If you

are within striking range of the sweeps, the only appropriate

actions are a jump (joystick up) or one of the somersaults.

  Crouch: The crouch is a move that can be "held" by keeping the

joystick held down.  This allows you to execute either a low

punch, or the two sweep actions.  If one of the two sweeps is

selected from a crouching position, the time taken for this is

greatly reduced, and the move is therefore much more effective.





Gregg Barnett - Game design

Greg Holland - Graphics

Stephen Taylor - Animation and graphics programming

William Tang - Additional programming

(C) Beam Software 1985

Cover Illustration by David Rowe



Cassette duplication by Ablex Audio Video

Production by Cosprint Limited





Published by

Melbourne House

Castle Yard House, Castle Yard,

Richmond TW10 6TF

United Kingdom.



70 Park Street, South Melbourne, 3205.

Australia





SCORES RECEIVED



URL



GENERAL FACTS



NOTES

