Karate Champ, developed by Technōs Japan and released by Data East in 1984, is widely regarded as the pioneering versus fighting game. It features dual-joystick controls, letting players pull off up to 24 karate moves via various combinations. Matches follow a best-of-three format: each successful hit scores half a point or one full point, and the first to reach two points wins. Initially launched as an arcade game, it was later ported to platforms like Apple II, Commodore 64, and NES. Its innovative gameplay and versus mode have had a profound impact on subsequent fighting games.