The Making of Karateka Reviews
The Making of Karateka is part game collection and part documentary; a playable history of an 80s game Karateka that tells a remarkable true story in the coolest way possible.
The Making of Karateka feels like a huge step in documenting the history of video games. There have been plenty of titles that have packed in making of details, but I can’t really name another that has gone to this much effort of establishing context for the games it’s spotlighting. Aside from Atari 50, I mean. Digital Eclipse has put together a masterful formula that speaks to retro explorers such as myself, and this is the perfect test of it. It’s absolute gold, and I can’t wait to see what they dive into next.
A very nice interactive documentary about an important videogame of the 80s.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Making of Karateka is a step forward for game's preservation and interactive documentaries. Digital Eclipse has given us an inkling to what might turn into a new age of storytelling, adding up to far more than just a remaster. Combining remade videogames, interviews, and original documents, this offering is a masterclass in how to incorporate an audience into a narrative.
Everything you wanted to know about Karateka, but was afraid to ask, is here. Digital Eclipse has done it again. The bonus reimagined games are cool too. Go save the girl, and shoot down some alien bats. If this is the first in the series, I'm ready to get kicked in the face, multiple times.
Digital Eclipse is unable to fail, and this first installment of the Gold Master Series is confirmation that Mike Mika's team is second to none when it comes to the preservation and diffusion of video game culture. The reduced price only rounds out a truly appetizing package for retrogaming enthusiasts.
Review in Italian | Read full review
And then there's the games. Watching a video describing Jordan's first attempt at making a video game and then actually being able to play that build — framerate dips and all — is a remarkable experience. On their own most of the games here would be little more than curios, but presented here as they are they're a fascinating time capsule, and an enthralling window into the creative process. For anyone interested in the history of video games we can't recommend this enough.
The Making of Karateka is not for everyone, and most of its appeal will lie with older gaming generations. If you're a student of historical gaming flash points, however, it's a package that delivers the goods, and in fine form. It doesn't have anywhere near as much unique gaming content as Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration, a fact that will limit its appeal. Despite this, the two remasters are solid, the prototypes intriguing, and the content comprehensive. If you were a fan of Atari 50, The Making of Karateka will find you well.
Despite a few bugs and oversights, The Making of Karateka has become one of my favorite releases in 2023 and should be considered unmissable. Playing this interactive documentary, packed with history and fun remastered works, can't help but make one wonder what Digital Eclipse plans next. How about a deep dive into Mechner's later work, The Last Express?
An extraordinary interactive documentary on an industry-revolutionizing classic
This should become the gold standard of modern processing of classic games. Many publishers will continue to bring mere ports and such, but here Digital Eclipse has shown how it should be done. It's not enough to just stretch the game to a higher resolution. Bonus materials, videos, audios, documents, photos, and various other things add tremendous value. Similarly, different versions of games, from prototypes through final releases to modern remaster, contribute as well. This is simply how it should look.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The Making of Karateka is a history lesson. A round package for those who want to know the first works of Jordan Mechner. The making of part is great and bringing in the different versions is essential for preservation. However, for those who seek gameplay and do not care about this historical side, you may be disappointed that we only have basically two very short games. In addition, there are no texts in Portuguese of Brazil, which hinders the accessibility of the material.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
As a fan of retro games and documentaries, The Making of Karateka really hit a sweet spot that I don't think any other game has before.
The Making of Karateka is essentially an interactive documentary, worth adding to your collection for a number of reasons.
Review in Greek | Read full review
The Making of Karateka gives you a better than good idea why Karateka was one of the most influental games of its time.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
The true shining gems from Making of Karateka however, are the remastered titles. Karateka getting a definitive remastered edition is awesome enough, but a super addicting, finalized version of Jordan Mechner’s Deathbounce? Hell yes, and the latter is definitely the game that’ll keep me coming back to this set again and again for a casual scorechase, while the Karateka titles are presented in the best sort of way that they can.
Anyone can make a re-release or game collection, but Digital Eclipse has shown lately that they just have it in them to make celebrations of these games.
Still, The Making of Karateka is perhaps the most impressive rerelease of a retro game I’ve ever played. It’s a collection but one dedicated to a single release. This is the sort of release that movie fans get when they buy a Criterion Collection release only for a video game. The new versions of Deathbounce and Karateka alone are worth the price of admission, but with everything else included, this is an easy purchase for anyone remotely interested in classic games. I can’t wait to see what Digital Eclipse and their Gold Master Series have coming next.
With The Making of Karateka, Digital Eclipse shifts our perception of what videogame ‘making of’ content can entail, raising the bar for future products in this new genre of “docu-games”.
Much more than a compilation of prototypes, the entire historical archive contained in the timelines of The Making of Karateka is very interesting and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes to know more about the creation of games made in the past. But this title never hides that its value is 100% documentary, which makes it a specific product for a very particular niche of the public.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review