| The player climbs the cliff beneath the castle of the warlord Akuma, who holds Princess Mariko captive, and must rescue her. The Famicom booklet adds that the hero comes home a karateka to a burnt, empty village. | PDF p. 4, storyPDF p. 4, storyPDF p. 4, storyPDF p. 4, story | Manual |
| The hero fights his way past Akuma's palace guards. Each guard has different headgear and a different fighting style, and as a rule they get tougher farther into the palace; the Famicom booklet calls the game a right-scrolling real-time adventure and General Akuma, at the end, a strong fighter. | PDF p. 5, 2. KARATEKAの遊び方PDF p. 5, 2. KARATEKAの遊び方 | Manual |
| The Famicom version is for one player. The booklet gives a punch at three heights, high, middle and low, and running by pressing the pad while standing; kicks and punches need the fighting stance. | PDF p. 7, 3. 操作方法PDF p. 7, 3. 操作方法PDF p. 8, 3. 操作方法PDF p. 8, 3. 操作方法PDF p. 8, 3. 操作方法 | Manual |
| On the Famicom a hit-point meter shows stamina, red for the player and blue for the enemy. When the enemy's lamp flashes the player can finish him, and when the player's flashes, he must back off to recover. | PDF p. 9, 4. 画面説明PDF p. 9, 4. 画面説明PDF p. 9, 4. 画面説明 | Manual |
| The Famicom booklet warns of traps in the castle, among them a locked door with no key, which the player must work out how to open, and a hawk that appears suddenly after an enemy in the castle falls. The player loses on being beaten by General Akuma or by one of his henchmen. | PDF p. 10, trapsPDF p. 10, trapsPDF p. 11, 君が負けてしまう場合PDF p. 11, 君が負けてしまう場合 | Manual |
| The Famicom booklet's cast is the karateka, Princess Mariko, General Akuma, Akuma's henchmen, who come in various types, and Akuma's hawk. | PDF p. 6, 登場キャラクターPDF p. 6, 登場キャラクターPDF p. 6, 登場キャラクターPDF p. 6, 登場キャラクターPDF p. 6, 登場キャラクターPDF p. 6, 登場キャラクター | Manual |
| The Famicom cartridge, SFC-KR, is Soft Pro's: its booklet thanks the buyer for choosing Soft Pro's KARATEKA and gives the address of Soft Pro International, a division of Soft Pro in Osaka, with the game licensed from Broderbund. | PDF p. 2, openingPDF p. 12, back coverPDF p. 12, back coverPDF p. 1, cover | Manual |