Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 14 hours ago
Bangkok Knights is a Muay Thai martial arts combat game developed and released by System 3 in 1987 for the Commodore 64 (C64). It is often remembered for its large, cartoon-style animated combatants and pseudo-3D perspective.
Game Overview
Genre: Beat 'em up / Fighting Simulation.
Release Year: 1987 (Commodore 64).
Publisher/Developer: System 3.
Plot: The player is a young Thai fighter aiming to win the championship, culminating in a final match at the renowned Lumpini stadium.
Gameplay and Features
Controls: The game uses the joystick to move in eight directions and utilizes the fire button to select from eight different strikes and defenses.
Combat: The game emphasises Muay Thai (Thai Boxing), involving kicks, punches, and elbow strikes.
3D Perspective: Unlike single-screen fighters of the time, Bangkok Knights offered a "pseudo-3D" perspective allowing players to move up, down, left, and right within various backgrounds (e.g., villages, jungles, city streets).
Audio: The game features music by renowned C64 composer Rob Hubbard, with loading screen music by Matt Gray.
Critical Reception
Graphics/Sound: Critics often praised the large, well-animated sprites and high-quality audio, calling it "upper-class" in terms of production.
Difficulty: Some contemporary reviews found the game to be too easy in single-player mode, with it being possible to win by simply spamming the same move, diminishing long-term motivation.
Comparison: While technically impressive, some critics felt it did not reach the same level of polish as other System 3 hits like Last Ninja.
Cheats and Technical Notes
Music/Alternative Mode: Entering a series of numbers (9990, 6360, 6360...) at the title screen with music off allows playing against specialised opponents with names like "Joe Zombi" and "Cyba Ninja".
Long Loading Times: Due to the large sprites, the game requires reloading between stages, which was particularly tedious on tape drives.
Bangkok Knights is a Muay Thai martial arts combat game developed and released by System 3 in 1987 for the Commodore 64 (C64). It is often remembered for its large, cartoon-style animated combatants and pseudo-3D perspective.
Game Overview
Genre: Beat 'em up / Fighting Simulation.
Release Year: 1987 (Commodore 64).
Publisher/Developer: System 3.
Plot: The player is a young Thai fighter aiming to win the championship, culminating in a final match at the renowned Lumpini stadium.
Gameplay and Features
Controls: The game uses the joystick to move in eight directions and utilizes the fire button to select from eight different strikes and defenses.
Combat: The game emphasises Muay Thai (Thai Boxing), involving kicks, punches, and elbow strikes.
3D Perspective: Unlike single-screen fighters of the time, Bangkok Knights offered a "pseudo-3D" perspective allowing players to move up, down, left, and right within various backgrounds (e.g., villages, jungles, city streets).
Audio: The game features music by renowned C64 composer Rob Hubbard, with loading screen music by Matt Gray.
Critical Reception
Graphics/Sound: Critics often praised the large, well-animated sprites and high-quality audio, calling it "upper-class" in terms of production.
Difficulty: Some contemporary reviews found the game to be too easy in single-player mode, with it being possible to win by simply spamming the same move, diminishing long-term motivation.
Comparison: While technically impressive, some critics felt it did not reach the same level of polish as other System 3 hits like Last Ninja.
Cheats and Technical Notes
Music/Alternative Mode: Entering a series of numbers (9990, 6360, 6360...) at the title screen with music off allows playing against specialised opponents with names like "Joe Zombi" and "Cyba Ninja".
Long Loading Times: Due to the large sprites, the game requires reloading between stages, which was particularly tedious on tape drives.
