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My first encounter with this game was a demo at Gen Con. My friend Marcus and I dug it immediately, and I purchased it on the spot. Marcus waited until towards the end of the con, because he has trouble parting with money.
Game Play - This game has great game play that really holds true to the feeling of Kung Fu movies with cards like your Kung Fu is Weak and Dramatic Pose.
2-6 players take turns in an all out brawl to try and take your opponents chi from 20-0. During your turn you can lay down a stance and or a weapon. These are permanents, but can be discarded by some cards. Also you may discard your own stance or weapons during your turn to play a new one. Also during your turn you can play as many chi restoration cards as you have. The other thing you can do on your turn is to play an attack. Attacks can come from your hand like a kick or a throw, or from a weapon you have in play. You can also add enhancements to your attack like, wild or spinning. These attacks can be blocked if your opponent has the proper blocking card.
I feel that the strategy really come in this game with hand management. At the beginning of your turn you can discard as many cards as you want and draw up to 7. Otherwise the game is pretty luck dependant.
The other strategy issue is loose alliances. It is hard to win the game if everyone around the table is attacking you.
I feel that the game play deserves 6 out of 10 chi.
Look and Feel - The cards have nice art. It is a good style for the game. I also like how the different stance cards seem to have the actual stance shown on them.
The game also flows well thematically. The different stances give bonuses based on things that make since. Like Crane Stance gives a bonus to Flying and Drunken Stance gives a bonus to Wild.
It also really helps to use your best Kung Fu movie voice while playing to really augment the game's feel.
The look and feel of this game earns Kung Fu Fighting an 8 out of 10 chi.
Overall Score - 7 chi out of 10
Final word - If you are into Kung Fu movies and or fast paced card games, this game should join your collection. It doesn't offer a deep well of strategy, but it does offer a deep well of fun.
One more note about this game. I have heard that there is an expansion on the way, but I have no firm date as of yet. The expansion is supposed to include locations and the ability to interact with them, like attack enhancements that will allow you to throw people out of windows and such.
