Kicker

It might be a little unfair to compare this to Yie Ar Kung Fu, since they're not even really the same genre, but the character designs and general aesthetic are really similar (seriously, the protags in the arcade versions are dressed identically), and they're both examples Konami's early attempts at establishing a proto-beat-em-up. That said, Yie Ar feels like it has a little more character to it, though that may be partly due to the fact that the bosses go down so fast you don't get to spend much time with them. And while this game isn't nearly as frustrating to control as Yie Ar, in simplifying it does lose a touch of depth. It's fun for a quarter or two of playtime, but I don't see all that much longevity in this. The strictly tiered platforming actually reminded me a little of a slower-paced Mr. Goemon, also Konami, from the following year.