The Best Kung Fu Games

Hong Kong and Kung fu movies have inspired many fighting games. Whether implemented in one-on-one fighting or in action RPGs, video games are the perfect platform to recreate the fantasy of beating up bad guys using a variety of fighting styles found under the Kung fu umbrella.

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Like the movies, it's a fast and fluid style of martial arts that translates well to video games, drawing from many styles and forms of Kung fu, whether it's the form of Bruce Lee's Jeet Kun Do or Jet Li's Wushu. This list outlines some of the best games that utilize Kung fu's styles in their combat.

8 Shenmue (Series)

A Sprawling Action Adventure With Multiple Martial Arts Style

Shenmue is a classic action-adventure game that originated on the Sega Dreamcast and was ahead of its time due to its exploration, interactivity, and social simulation elements. However, at the heart of it all, Shenmue is a classic revenge martial arts action story. The father of protagonist Ryo is murdered by a Kung fu master named Lan Di, all over an artifact called the Dragon Mirror.

This sets Ryo on a quest for revenge, but to defeat the dangerous Lan Di, Ryo's skills as a Karate practitioner alone aren't enough. Along the way, he encounters martial arts practitioners who teach him skills based on Kung fu, Tai Chi, and more. His repertoire is expanded further when he makes it to Hong Kong in Shenmue 2.

7 Judgment & Lost Judgment

Detective Thrillers Set In The Yakuza Universe

Judgment and its sequel Lost Judgment are spin-offs of the Yakuza/Like A Dragon series and are set in the same city of Kamurocho. Both Judgement games are detective thrillers that put players in the shoes of Takayuki Yagami, an honest but tough private investigator who gets embroiled in murder mysteries and conspiracies where the Yakuza and corruption are involved.

The combat is similar to the Yakuza games, but Yagami employs a Kung fu style that utilizes Crane, Snake, and Tiger stances and refuses to use knives, swords, or guns. The system is faster and more acrobatic than the fighting styles used in the Yakuza series, which has its foundations in Karate. Although Yagami learned the techniques from his father, he dubbed his method the "Kamurocho style," he has honed his techniques on the streets. However, Yagami uses a lot of moves and styles that are associated with the Kung fu style, like the flying cross kick, Wing Chun style rush attacks, and more.

6 Absolver

A Complex Fighter That Combines Martial Arts Styles

• Platform: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
• Developer: Sloclap
• Released: 2017

Absolver is an action-adventure game that features a dynamic martial arts fighting system. Players can integrate different martial arts disciplines that reflect Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do philosophies into a cohesive system that is effective in combat. It's a complex game with a steep learning curve but ultimately rewarding gameplay.

Players build on preset classes with combat decks to customize and build a fighting style that works for them. The difficulty is comparable to a Soulslike, along with its strange world, but Absolver has an identity all its own. Absolver's replay value lies in its player-versus-player combat, where unique styles shape each battle and skill consistently determines the victor.

5 Jackie Chan Stuntmaster

A Comedy Beat-Em-Up/Platformer Hybrid

• Platform: PS1
• Developer: Radical Entertainment
• Released: 2000

Jackie Chan Stuntmaster is primarily a Beat 'em Up, but it also includes platforming levels that showcase the iconic action star's daring stunt work in his films. Jackie Chan is a legendary kung fu star is known for his work in Hong Kong films like Police Story and Snake in the Eagle's Shadow and Hollywood blockbusters like Rush Hour and Shanghai Noon.

Chan also starred in a popular cartoon series called Jackie Chan's Adventures. This game is closer in tone to the cartoon series, but it includes many death-defying platforming set pieces and fight scenes that are reminiscent of Jackie's movies. The character models may appear blocky by modern standards, yet the combat and animations remain impressive. The fighting is snappy and satisfying, with Jackie Chan providing the motion capture and voice work himself.

4 Jet Li's Rise To Honor

Fluid Directional Combat Mo-Capped By Jet Li

• Platform: PS2
• Developer: Foster City Studio
• Released: 2004

Jet Li's Rise to Honor is a single-player Beat 'em Up starring martial arts superstar Jet Li. Li's proficient Wushu techniques and movements were filmed through motion capture technology, along with his likeness, creating an immersive experience akin to participating in one of Li's Hong Kong Kung fu films.

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Instead of using the face buttons, players utilize the right analog stick to execute Jet Li's moves in any direction. It's an intuitive fighting system that feels fluid and gives the game a true three-dimensional feel. Despite its age, Rise to Honor is a cinematic action game that gets more challenging as the story progresses. Fans of Jet Li will also love the references to his Hong Kong and Hollywood martial arts films with nods to Cradle to the Grave and Once Upon a Time in China.

3 Jade Empire

An RPG Epic From BioWare

Jade Empire is a martial arts action RPG from BioWare, the creators of Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect. The game uses an action-based fighting system with a choice of six preset character classes. Jade Empire features a well-known cast, with Firefly's Nathan Fillion and Monty Python's John Cleese lending their voice work to the game.

As typical for a BioWare RPG, there are moral choices to make for the player's chosen characters that impact how NPCs react and the story develops. Jade Empire uses a fantasy setting based on Chinese mythology and the fighting styles are based on kung fu, with hand-to-hand, weapons, and magic options. Contrary to BioWare's earlier titles, the combat is in real-time, effectively capturing the essence of the martial arts films that served as their inspiration.

2 Sifu

A Challenging Roguelike And A Tribute To Martial Arts Cinema

With a fast and fluid Kung Fu fighting system, Sifu is a challenging Roguelike and Beat 'em Up. Despite the high difficulty, the experience improves the more players practice, even without the skills that can be unlocked. Mastering Sifu's systems gives players a sense of accomplishment that few games can match.

There's a unique aging system where every time the protagonist dies, they come back to life a few years older, but have another chance at avenging the death of their father. Aging is a double-edged sword in Sifu. As an older martial artist, the protagonist has access to more fighting skills and deals more damage, but they become more vulnerable with age as well. Luckily, players can spend experience points to lock in their favorite skills without permanently losing them on death. There is also an element of Metroidvania level design, as players can open up shortcuts, making it easier to get to the end of level bosses and avoid the gangs of enemies that obstruct their path.

1 Sleeping Dogs

The Ultimate Open World Kung Fu Experience

Sleeping Dogs is an open-world action and a spiritual successor to the True Crime series. It's a dramatic improvement over True Crime in terms of story, characters, and the terrific Kung fu battle system. The fighting system is similar to the Batman Arkham series but is far more brutal, with bloody environmental attacks that look and feel satisfying to perform.

Players assume the role of Wei Shen, a San Francisco police officer who goes deep undercover as a member of the Triads. Wei's Kung fu style is primarily Wing Chun, but he can learn and combine several styles, like Jeet Kun Do. There's even an homage to one of the most influential martial arts movies, Enter the Dragon starring Bruce Lee, with the Zodiac Tournament taking place on a remote island just like the tournament in the film. Other tributes include nods to Rumble in the Bronx, Ong Bak, Game of Death, Fist of Fury, and many more.

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