Looking for a game that will make you feel really old? The OG Karate Kid movies are getting a side-scrolling beat-'em-up later this year
Is this really an IP that needs exploring, though?
.jpg?width=70&height=70&fit=crop&quality=60&format=png&auto=webp)
If you're looking for a (very) heavy dose of nostalgia, the newly announced side-scrolling beat-'em-up The Karate Kid: Street Rumble should do the trick.
Got a classic 80s movie? Need to make a video game based on it but don't want to push the boat out when it comes to imagination? How about making a beat-'em-up! That's exactly what GameMill Entertainment has announced with The Karate Kid: Street Rumble, a new 16-bit-styled (key word being styled there) title that is taking the 80s classic and turning it into a common genre of the era. As revealed on IGN, the game will let you play as Daniel Russo, Mr. Miyagi, Kumiko, or Ali Mills, and you'll be able to face off against the series' villains including Johnny Lawrence, John Kreese, Terry Silver, and others. It was specifically mentioned that it's set in the 1980s too, though, that point seems slightly moot given literally everything about the game.
The game is obviously riffing on more modern beat-'em-ups like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge, which came out in 2022 and was met with a generally favourable response. You can check out the trailer for Street Rumble above, which mostly does just look like your standard beat-'em-up. Perhaps the full game will have a bit more to offer, but right off the bat apart from the colourful sprites, it doesn't look like it will be doing all that much.
It won't be that long until you get to play it yourself though, as it's due out in just a couple of months on September 20. You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to platforms too, as it will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. Judging by the list of bad guys listed, it'll cover at least the first three films, so if you wanted to re-experience the movies, or even experience them for the first time (weird way to go about it), you'll be sorted there too.