Karateka on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information

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From PRINCE OF PERSIA creator Jordan Mechner, the original side-scrolling karate classic comes to Steam with art by Jeff Matsuda (The Batman) and music by Grammy-winning composer Christopher Tin (CIVILIZATION IV).

Karateka is a action, indie and strategy game developed by Liquid Entertainment and published by DotEmu.
Released on December 03rd 2012 is available only on Windows in 5 languages: English, German, French, Italian and Spanish - Spain.

It has received 371 reviews of which 262 were positive and 109 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. 😐

The game is currently priced at 3.99€ on Steam, but you can find it for 0.89€ on Gamivo.

The Steam community has classified Karateka into these genres:

Action Indie Strategy Remake Fighting Martial Arts Rhythm Arcade Classic Side Scroller 1980s Retro 3D Fighter Cult Classic Colorful 3D Anime Combat Old School Great Soundtrack

Media & Screenshots

Get an in-depth look at Karateka through various videos and screenshots.

Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot
Karateka screenshot

System requirements

These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.

Windows
  • OS *:Win XP, Win 7, Vista, Win 8
  • Processor:1.5GHz dual-core
  • Memory:1000 MB RAM
  • Graphics:ATI X1800 or better
  • DirectX®:9.0c
  • Hard Drive:1000 MB HD space
  • Sound:44kHz stereo
  • Additional:Runs on Unreal Engine 3

User reviews & Ratings

Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.

Nov. 2024
I love this game. In true Jordan Mechner style it's cinematic and emotionally impactful despite using a very light hand with storytelling. Mechanics are fun and quick to grasp. I love the tension of bowing to a foe, having them taunt me, I bow again, and on rare occasions they will relent and bow back. It's rare that a game makes such a strong first impression on me. I wish I bought this a long time ago.
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Nov. 2024
For current discounted price, felt like steal, only thing can buy with this amount is a can of soda... The game is better than current AAA game in 2024. you could use Re-shade make the graphic event better by adding FXAA SMAA and Some HDR light and shadow effect
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Aug. 2024
One of the old cool games for the Commador 64. This is the same game but, with of course, much better graphics than back in the Mid-80's. CRT monitors. Very pixelated indeed but was so cool for it's time. Levels are or seem to me, been a long time certainly due to technology improvements, more challenging. Have not made it to the end yet but not addicted as before to make the conquest, but if the same ending, I already know what it is to expect .
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Aug. 2024
Karateka is such a great remake of the original game that came out in 1984 for Apple II by Jordan Mechner. The guy is also responsible for the original Prince of Persia which is renowned for its rotoscope animations. The same applies to the original Karateka as well. Using rotoscope animations in a game back in 1984 was a revolutionary success, but how does that reflect on the gameplay itself? I’m personally not a big fan of the original Karateka because it was quite slow, and its controls were not that great. It was also very punishing, leaving no room for errors, but what games were truly fair back then? I ended up beating the NES version after months of practice and figuring out how to get past the trap gate, but I wasn’t satisfied with my victory for reasons I don’t remember why. I probably ended up being way too frustrated due to the unfair artificial difficulty to be satisfied with my accomplishment. Also, the game traumatized me with its soundtrack back then and my inner child still shivers whenever I boot it up. The remake, however, is exactly what I could ask for. I’m a sucker for QTEs and this game revolves around very well-designed quick-time events. Instead of pushing a button to get into the fighting stance, the character automatically takes it upon encounter and leaves you to deal with the enemy. You have to block the attacks the enemies throw at you and then hit them hard with everything you have until they are defeated. Unlike the original game, you can use your Chi Attack to stun them for a brief period to perform a special attack and replenish your health with flowers you come across. Upon failure, a new suitor, who replaces the previous character, is shown with their motives to rescue the lovely Mariko. There are 3 characters in total: Mariko’s True Love, Righteous Monk, and Loyal Brute. Mariko’s True Love has the lowest HP point and attack output among them and if you’re not careful, Monk replaces him pretty quickly. It’s not easy to fail while playing as the Monk since he hits hard and has more HP than the original protagonist, but if you somehow fail, Loyal Brute takes his place who’s literally a tank which means nearly indestructible. Mariko, however, won’t be satisfied if she’s rescued by the Monk or the Brute since she longs for her True Love, but getting to the Akuma as him is not an easy feat. The game’s production value is extremely well since everything is supported by several cutscenes despite its length which is around 30 minutes. You also face many bosses on your way to Akuma and their introductions get you in the mood for vengeance. The character designs are also very good, and the sound design is where the game shines best because you are kind of forced to listen to the sound cues to know when to block or attack. Achievements are also fair, but there are some hardcore ones such as getting to Akuma without getting hit by his minions and that means surviving 42 enemies without getting a single hit. The game’s pretty short and pretty easy to learn, therefore; it shouldn’t take you long to get all of them, nonetheless. It took me 3 hours to get a 100% completion rate. Oh, and, the infamous hawk is in the game too, but not as annoying as it was in the original title. TL;DR A wonderful remake of the original Karateka that revolves around very well-designed quick-time events with 3 protagonists. With its cinematic cutscenes, Karateka will get you in the mood for vengeance once again!
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July 2024
Another fantastic remake. I still haven't managed to win with the first character yet but I am working on it. The hawk seems to give me the most difficulty defending against so far. The game play is simple yet rewarding.
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More games like Karateka

Frequently Asked Questions

Karateka is currently priced at 3.99€ on Steam.

Karateka is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 3.99€ on Steam.

Karateka received 262 positive votes out of a total of 371 achieving a rating of 6.71.
😐

Karateka was developed by Liquid Entertainment and published by DotEmu.

Karateka is playable and fully supported on Windows.

Karateka is not playable on MacOS.

Karateka is not playable on Linux.

Karateka is a single-player game.

Karateka does not currently offer any DLC.

Karateka does not support mods via Steam Workshop.

Karateka does not support Steam Remote Play.

Karateka is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.

You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Karateka.

Data sources

The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.

Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.

Last Updates
Steam data 13 June 2025 07:21
SteamSpy data 10 June 2025 17:24
Steam price 14 June 2025 12:45
Steam reviews 13 June 2025 05:57

If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Karateka, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.

  • SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Karateka
  • SteamCharts - Analysis of Karateka concurrent players on Steam
  • ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Karateka compatibility
Karateka PEGI 12
3.99€ -78% 3.99€ 0.89€
6.7
262
109
Game modes
Features
Online players
0
Developer
Liquid Entertainment
Publisher
DotEmu
Release 03 Dec 2012
Platforms
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