NES Game From 1986 Stealth Released on Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5
An NES game from 1986 has been stealth-released on Nintendo Switch and PS5, its first re-release in its 40-year existence. That said, while the game in question is primarily known as an NES game and was introduced in 1986 for many, it’s actually a 1984 game that debuted in arcades. Then, in 1985, it came to the Apple II and C64, followed by the NES version the following year. Its releases then concluded in 1988 with a release on the FDS. Now, it’s on Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5 for $7.99.
The new release comes courtesy of Japanese developer Hamster, who re-releases classic arcade and console games every week, often of the more niche and forgotten variety. This time it’s Karate Champ, a somewhat controversial 1980s game due to various legal battles that saw its developer, Data East, go after copycat games and be taken to court itself for being a copycat title. The karate fighting game ultimately didn’t establish much presence in the West, but it is often cited as a pioneering title. Not in the way a classic Street Fighter would be, but it certainly influenced fighting games that came after it. As you would expect, nostalgic NES users are excited to specifically see the NES version re-released. To this end, the trailer below that accompanied the stealth release doesn’t have a single dislike.
1980s Fighting Game
For those unfamiliar with the classic game, you play as a martial artist competing in various karate tournaments and demonstrations featuring more and more skilled opponents. There isn’t really any story to it beyond this. It’s much more of a gameplay-focused title.
This is the original version of the game, but there are some quality-of-life improvements and upgrades. These include customizable layouts, rewind functionality, multiple save points, screen layout adjustments, and custom filters.
“I do have the original cartridge of Karate Champ for NES, given to me by one of the neighbors that moved out a while ago,” reads the top comment on the trailer above. “Controls are tough to get used to, but fun to hear the voice before and after a karate match.”
Other comments point out this is not the best version of the game, which makes the like-to-dislike ratio surprising. The NES version is known for having very difficult controls compared to the arcade version, in particular. If the NES version is all you know, though, you may not even know this. That said, without the nostalgia, this is a tough play in 2026 because the controls are very rough. Those with nostalgia for it, though, who were undeterred by the controls in the 1980s, will find the nostalgia hits potently. Meanwhile, this is now the second 1980s NES re-release this month.