KickMaster (NES) Playthrough

KickMaster (NES) Playthrough
A playthrough of Taito's 1992 action game for the NES, KickMaster.

This video shows all three loops of the game for the best ending. Loop 2 begins at 36:07, and Loop 3 begins at 1:13:17.

The wizard Belzed has invaded the kingdom of Lowrel, killed its king and queen, kidnapped its princess, and wiped out its military force. Thonolan, a "kick master," is the sole surviving knight, and it's up to him to defeat Belzed, rescue Princess Silphee, and ensure that she takes her rightful place as the ruler of Lowrel.

KickMaster is a platforming action game that incorporates elements of the beat 'em up and RPG genres. Thonolan's kicking skills will be put to the test as he fights his way through seven monster-infested areas on his way to Belzed's tower. At the start he only knows three moves - a high kick, a leg sweep, and an overhead kick - but as he defeats enemies, gathers experience, and levels up, Thonolan will gain access to a wide range of flashy attacks that would leave even Chuck Norris slackjawed with envy.

But Thonolan is more than just a teal pretty boy with restless legs. He's also an accomplished magician who will learn several useful magic spells over the course of the adventure, including the ability to heal, fly, summon decoys, create energy shields, stop time, and blitz the screen with lightning bolts.

The controls are smooth and the gameplay is fluid, and the variety of moves and spells give you a ton of options in tackling any situation. Thonolan's hit box can feel a bit inconsistent - certain moves leave him open to damage at seemingly random times - but it's not too much of a problem since you can heal at any time so long as you have enough MP in store, and the game isn't particularly difficult, even on the third loop that turns every enemy into a damage sponge.

As you might expect from a game made by KID (who also created Isolated Warrior, Recca, and the GI Joe games), the graphics and sound are top-notch by NES standards. Thonolan's moves are slickly animated, the backgrounds and Castlevania-style bosses sport a ton of detail, and the sample-heavy music is largely excellent throughout.

As dumb as the "guy saves kingdom by kicking everything into oblivion" setup sounds, KickMaster is a great action game backed by an impressively accomplished presentation that's well worth checking out.
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.

OldSchoolTopGaming

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