History VideoGame / KungFuMaster

''Kung-Fu Master'' is a 1984 UsefulNotes/ArcadeGame released by Creator/{{Irem}}, also known as ''Kung Fu'' in its 1985 UsefulNotes/{{NES}} port and ''[[MarketBasedTitle Spartan X]]'' in Japan (all versions except for the {{UsefulNotes/MSX}} one, which was titled ''Seiken Acho'' due to the existence of ''Jackie Chan in Spartan X'', a different MSX game by Pony Inc.). Playing as martial artist Thomas, you get to kick, punch and jump-kick an horde of...rather ''grabby'' enemies and acrobatic midgets throughout 5 straighforward stages.

* AllThereInTheManual: The UsefulNotes/GameBoy game's plot. ''X 2'' actually starts in the middle of the story, with the beginning detailed in the manual.

* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Mr. X.

* BigBad: Mr. X (Arcade/NES), Zapp Morgan (UsefulNotes/GameBoy) and Caeson Hawk (Spartan X 2).
** TheDragon: For Caeson at least, Murder Lin.

* BigNo: ''Noooo!!!''

* BreathWeapon: The dragons in the original and Flames Joe's signature attack.
* ChainsawGood: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Chainsaw Man.]]

* CorruptCorporateExecutive: Zapp Morgan.
* CowboyCop: Johnny Spartan, much to his boss' chagrin.
* DaChief: Steve.
* DamselInDistress: Sylvia.

* DragonLady: Murder Lin.
* DumbMuscle: Strongman and Billy Beiry.
* EndlessGame: The original.

* EternalEngine: Stage 04 and 05 in the UsefulNotes/GameBoy game, Morgan's weapon factory.

* EvilCounterpart: Mr. X to Thomas.

* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Devil's Temple.
* {{Expy}}: Chainsaw Man is one to [[Franchise/FridayThe13th Jason Voorhees]].
* FanRemake: [[http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CBoQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.onemorelevel.com%2Fgame%2Fkung_fu_remix&ei=cbZRTYXfFIrZgQfu47DlCA&usg=AFQjCNFX-qNU4RltxoAkYoNATsYxmDSB_g Kung-Fu Remix]].

* GasMaskMooks: The Napalm Bomber, as seen in the game's boxart.

* IHaveYourWife

* ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: The entirety of the original game.

* KungFuWizard: The Magician. Although he utilizes stage magic as opposed to real magic.

* {{Mooks}}

* {{Ninja}}: Most {{Mooks}} in the UsefulNotes/GameBoy game are these, plus two more as bosses. ''X 2'' has 4 ninjas hidden in Caeson's olympic-sized swimming pool.
* ObviouslyEvil: The Devil's Temple.

* PyroManiac: The Napalm Bomber.

* SaveThePrincess: The original game's plot.
* ScaryBlackMan: Strongman and Billy Beiry.
* ShipLevel: Stage 03 in ''X 2''.

* SmokeOut: Magician's teleport includes it.

* TeleportSpam: The annoying habit of Magician and Chin Gensai.

* TrainTopBattle: Stage 02 in the UsefulNotes/GameBoy game and the first one in ''X 2''.

* TheMovie: The French film ''Le petit amour'' features the game heavily and became known internationally as ''/Creator/AgnesVarda's Kung Fu Master!''.

* TheMovie: The French film ''Le petit amour'' features the game heavily and became known internationally as ''Agnes Varda's Kung Fu Master!''.

* MartialArtsUniform: Thomas in the first two games.

* LicensedGame: In Japan, at least.

* SpiritualSuccessor
** Irem's arcade game ''VideoGame/{{Vigilante}}''.
** The arcade version's lead designer, Takashi Nishiyama, left IREM to work on Capcom. Although he is better known as the co-designer of the first ''VideoGame/StreetFighter'', Nishiyama also worked on the Capcom arcade game ''Trojan'', which played a lot like ''Kung-Fu Master''.

* WhipItGood: Mr. Benjamin.

* YellowPeril: Chin Gensai.

* BoundAndGagged: Sylvia. Didn't look quite clear in the Arcade and NES versions because she could still yell "Help me, Thomas!" during the intermission after Stage 2, but the Amstrad version's title screen showed her to be gagged as well.

* ArbitraryMinimumRange: The stick fighter can't hit you if you're point blank no matter how much he swings. Exception is the Atari 7800 version, where it requires trading blows.

* FanSequel: [[http://www.thegamespage.com/backroom/backroom.php?game=kungfu2final&s=1 Kung Fu II]] and [[http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/522160 Santa Fu]].

* KnifeNut: The knife-thrower EliteMook in the first game, Murder Lin in ''X 2''.

If you were looking for [[Film/TheKarateKid Mr. Miyagi]] and co., see {{Mentors}}. Also not to be confused with [[Series/KungFu the film and TV series starring David Carradine]].

* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: The gorilla MiniBoss in ''X 2''.

* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: According to the official [[http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/myanzoujp/41306803.html brochure]] of the game, the main villain in ''Spartan [=X2=]'' is named "Caeson", even though his name is pronounced almost like "Caesar" or "season".

* CompletelyDifferentTitle[=/=]MarketBasedTitle: Quite a problem for the first game as it's known by ''four'' different names depending on region/console.

* BoundAndGagged: Sylvia.

* [[spoiler:DeathFakedForYou: Johnny asks Tracey a favour: to claim his death]] at the end of ''X 2''.

-->''"Congratulations, Thomas and Sylvia! But their happiness does not continue long."
-->'''**Stage 1 starts**'''

* [[IHaveYourWife I Have Your Girlfriend]]

* [[SaveThePrincess Save the Girlfriend]]: The original game's plot.

* AllThereInTheManual: The GameBoy game's plot. ''X 2'' actually starts in the middle of the story, with the beginning detailed in the manual.

* BigBad: Mr. X (Arcade/NES), Zapp Morgan (GameBoy) and Caeson Hawk (Spartan X 2).

* EternalEngine: Stage 04 and 05 in the GameBoy game, Morgan's weapon factory.

* {{Ninja}}: Most {{Mooks}} in the GameBoy game are these, plus two more as bosses. ''X 2'' has 4 ninjas hidden in Caeson's olympic-sized swimming pool.

* TrainTopBattle: Stage 02 in the GameBoy game and the first one in ''X 2''.