Martial arts like karate, judo and kung fu originated in the far Eastern countries of Asia. Their popularity spread all over the world mainly through Hollywood films like Enter the Dragon and Karate Kid. The martial arts are used as self defense and as competitive sport. They continue to provide entertainment through movies, television series, arcade games and online slots. This article recommends and reviews two martial arts themed slots games from the software providers Cryptologic and Microgaming.

Street Fighter is a very popular arcade game of which several versions have been developed over time. The software provider Cryptologic first launched a branded online slot based on Street Fighter II. Later when the fourth version of the arcade game was released, Cryptologic launched an upgraded online slot titled Street Fighter IV. As expected Street Fighter IV has improved graphics and audio. The animations in the introductory clip and wins are more dynamic in keeping with the developments in the software technology. The thematic symbols on the reels are the various weapons used by the Street Fighters. The Yin Yang is the wild symbol and the Street Fighter logo is the scatter symbol. High value card symbols are also used.

The best feature in Street Fighter IV is the bonus game, which gets automatically activated when three or more scatter symbols appear anywhere on the reels. 10 free spins are immediately awarded. The player has to select a Street Fighter and also the martial arts move that he wants. Then the game presents the enemy that the Street Fighter has to battle. In the battle if the enemy defeats the Street Fighter, then the ten free spins are played out. But if the Street Fighter overcomes the enemy then the number of free spins is increased and a payout multiplier may also be provided. The enhancements are decided by the choice of the Street Fighter and the martial arts move and are explained in the game rules.

The Microgaming martial arts themed slot game titled Kung Fu Monkey has a comic touch to it. It revolves around a kidnapping and is set in Chinatown. The introductory clip shows the Kung Fu Monkey searching for the baby kidnapped by the gang of Big Boss Gorilla and his goons the Baboon and the Ninja Monkey. All these characters appear as symbols on the reels. The Kung Fu Monkey Logo is the wild symbol and the Gong and Chinatown are scatter symbols. The animations in the winning combinations are awesome.

The Gong appears only on reels 1 and 5 and awards ten free spins with doubled payouts. However, it is the Chinatown symbol that activates the most interesting feature of Kung Fu Monkey. When this symbol simultaneously appears on reels 2, 3 and 4 it triggers the Kung Fu bonus, which is a three level bonus game on the second screen. In the first level the player picks three baboons. If the baboons defeat the Kung Fu Monkey the bonus game ends but the player is awarded compensatory free spins. In the second level the player selects ninjas and the game is played in the same manner. In the final level the Kung Fu monkey takes on the Big Boss. As in Street Fighter IV, the player has to choose the martial arts move. If the Kung Fu monkey wins then the kidnapped baby is released and the player wins big bonuses.