Kick Boxing, The

The Kick Boxing on NEC PC Engine CD is a sports title that landed on the platform during the early 1990s, when CD-based gaming was still a novelty. It brought the ring to the PC Engine with digitized audio and presumably animated sprites, capitalizing on the CD format's capacity for bigger soundtracks and voice samples. The game was released only in Japan, as many PC Engine CD games were, and its publisher and developer are not widely documented outside of niche retro archives. Inside the ring, you take control of a kickboxer and face off against a series of opponents in standard match formats. The core loop involves managing distance, timing punches and kicks, and blocking or dodging incoming strikes. The gameplay leans toward arcade-style simplicity rather than deep simulation, with a focus on quick reflexes and pattern recognition. Since the menus are in Japanese, navigating options like mode selection or difficulty may require some trial and error if you cannot read the language. For fans of retro fighting and sports games, The Kick Boxing offers a straightforward take on the genre that fits the PC Engine CD library's eclectic mix of titles. It is not as refined or polished as later boxing games on more powerful consoles, but it captures the era's enthusiasm for bringing every possible sport to the living room. If you enjoy early 90s digitized sound effects and simple one-on-one combat, this one is worth a few rounds to see how the CD format handled the sport. How to play this game:

Controls

• Arrow Keys = D-Pad
• X = A button (jump/confirm)
• S = B button (run/attack/cancel)
• Z = Y button
• A = X button
• Q = L shoulder
• E = R shoulder
• Enter = Start
• V = Select

Getting Started: When you start The Kick Boxing, you will likely land on a title screen or menu. Since the game is in Japanese, pressing Start or Enter should bring up mode options - try each to find single-player versus the computer. The core loop is simple: select your fighter, step into the ring, and use the D-Pad to move and S (B button) for basic punches and kicks. X (A button) might be a jump or a special move depending on the game. Watch your opponent's patterns and stay mobile. Blocking is often done by pressing back on the D-Pad or holding a shoulder button. Each round is short, so try to land consistent combos while avoiding heavy hits. If you get knocked down, tap buttons rapidly to get up faster - a common arcade convention of the era. Because menus are in Japanese, pay attention to visual cues or sound effects that indicate selections. The game likely has a standard tournament mode where you fight through a roster of opponents. Don't expect deep mechanics; just enjoy the digitized voice samples and the challenge of timing your attacks. Is Kick Boxing, The considered easy to pick up or challenging? The controls are simple but the AI can be punishing, making it challenging for newcomers. The arcade-style difficulty ramps up quickly, requiring precise timing and pattern memorization. What type of game is Kick Boxing, The? It is a sports fighting game focused on kickboxing, featuring one-on-one matches with punch and kick mechanics typical of early 90s arcade sports titles. Is Kick Boxing, The exclusive to NEC PC Engine CD or did it appear on other systems? It appears to be exclusive to the NEC PC Engine CD, with no known ports to other platforms. The game remains a Japanese-only release. Sports Play Kick Boxing, The online for free on NEC PC Engine CD - an arcade-style kickboxing sports game with digitized sound and simple controls from Japan. null Japan 1 official_release null null null null null medium