# Karnov
**Karnov** (カルノフ) is a 1987 arcade platform-shooter developed and published by [Data East](https://www.edgepedia.org/data-east), in which a fire-breathing Russian strongman fights through nine stages to recover a stolen treasure. The arcade original appeared in Japanese and American versions, both copyrighted 1987, by Data East Corporation and Data East USA respectively[1](https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/dataeast/karnov.cpp). The title character appeared as a boss and playable fighter in later Data East games, and the arcade original was re-released by Hamster Corporation in its [Arcade Archives](https://www.edgepedia.org/arcade-archives) line[2](https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/title/aca-427/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arcade debut | 1987, Data East; Japanese version © Data East Corporation, USA version © Data East USA[1](https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/dataeast/karnov.cpp) |
| Premise | Jinborov Karnovski, a one-time circus strongman, seeks the Lost Treasure of Babylon stolen by the dragon Ryu[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml) |
| Structure | Nine levels of running, swimming, climbing, and flying, with a boss guarding each map piece[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml) • [2](https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/title/aca-427/) |
| Items | The NES version has ten Options, including Wings, Ladder, Shield, and the K Mark, which grants an extra life per fifty collected[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml) |
| Famicom port | Released December 18, 1987 by Namco at 4,900 yen (tax excluded), catalog number 35[4](https://gamecatalog.net/karnov/) |
| Collector rarity | VAPS ownership census ranks it 23 out of 100, with 2 known instances among active collectors[5](https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/karnov) |
## Gameplay
Karnov is a side-scrolling platform game whose main attack is breathing fireballs at enemies[6](https://www.mobygames.com/game/77/karnov/). Power-up orbs raise his firepower: collecting two Super Fireballs lets him shoot double fireballs and three enables triple fireballs[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml). Boots increase jump height[6](https://www.mobygames.com/game/77/karnov/).
**Items and Options.** Karnov can carry and use a set of items the NES manual calls Options: Boots, Bombs, a Ladder, a [Boomerang](https://www.edgepedia.org/boomerang), a Clapper, Glasses, a Swimming Mask, Wings, a Shield, and the K Mark[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml). The Clapper destroys minor enemies on screen instantaneously, Wings let him fly, and a scuba helmet lets him swim underwater[6](https://www.mobygames.com/game/77/karnov/). Collecting fifty K icons rewards an extra life[6](https://www.mobygames.com/game/77/karnov/). On the NES, the A button jumps, the B button shoots, SELECT uses an Option, and START begins or pauses play; the same game may be continued only three times[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml).
## Plot and setting
The story begins in the peaceful village of Creamina, where the Treasure of Babylon has been kept for centuries and has been sought by Ryu, a huge and evil dragon, for thousands of years[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml). The hero, Jinborov Karnovski, otherwise known as Karnov, is a one-time circus strongman with a unique talent for shooting fireballs[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml). Defeating bosses yields torn pieces of a map, and the stated goal is to defeat the Emperor of Darkness and reclaim the treasure[2](https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/title/aca-427/).
## Development and release
Data East produced the arcade game in 1987, casting a Russian strongman fighting through nine levels to piece together a map leading to the treasure, with a monster at each level's end[5](https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/karnov). Data East USA, Inc. of 470 Needles Drive, San Jose, California, published the official arcade manual (part 780-0054-00), containing setup and installation instructions, a main harness diagram, a pinout diagram, and PCB schematics[7](https://archive.org/details/karnov). The cabinet uses a horizontal raster color monitor, JAMMA conversion class, an 8-way joystick and three buttons (Fire, Jump, Select), amplified mono sound, and supports one simultaneous player[5](https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/karnov). The MAME driver family for the game also covers the sibling Data East titles Wonder Planet (1987) and Chelnov, indicating a shared Data East arcade hardware lineage[1](https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/dataeast/karnov.cpp).
## Ports and versions
**Famicom and NES.** The Famicom version, カルノフ, was released in Japan on December 18, 1987 by Namco at a list price of 4,900 yen (tax excluded) as a single-player action game, catalog number 35; the Japanese record lists the developer as Data East (データイースト) and SAS Sakata (酒田SAS)[4](https://gamecatalog.net/karnov/).
The NES version differs from the arcade in several ways. Karnov takes two hits to die, turning blue after the first hit and losing a life if hit again while blue[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml).
**Home computers.** Electric Dreams Software converted Karnov to the [ZX Spectrum](https://www.edgepedia.org/zx-spectrum), Amstrad, and [Commodore 64](https://www.edgepedia.org/commodore-64) in 1988[5](https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/karnov).
## Legacy and later appearances
Data East reintroduced Karnov in several other games. He is a boss in the first level of [Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja](https://www.edgepedia.org/bad-dudes-vs-dragonninja), as a pale gray variant called Kusamochi Karnov; he is the final boss of Fighter's History (1993) and a playable character in Karnov's Revenge, also released as Fighter's History Dynamite.
After Data East's era, the arcade original returned in modern distribution through Hamster Corporation's Arcade Archives line (ACA-427), which describes the nine weapon options enabling actions such as increasing movement speed, creating a ladder, and flying, and the goal of defeating the Emperor of Darkness after collecting all the torn map pieces[2](https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/title/aca-427/).
## By the numbers
- Nine levels of gameplay, traversed by running, swimming, climbing, and flying[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml).
- Ten Options in the NES version, with an extra life per fifty K marks[3](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml).
- Fifty K icons collected for an extra life[6](https://www.mobygames.com/game/77/karnov/).
- Famicom list price of 4,900 yen (tax excluded) on December 18, 1987[4](https://gamecatalog.net/karnov/).
- VAPS ownership popularity of 23 out of 100, with 2 known instances owned by active collectors (1 dedicated cabinet, 1 conversion)[5](https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/karnov).
## References
1. [karnov.cpp, MAME driver source, MAME GitHub repository](https://github.com/mamedev/mame/tree/master/src/mame/dataeast/karnov.cpp)
2. [Arcade Archives KARNOV, HAMSTER Corporation](https://www.arcadearchives.com/en/title/aca-427/)
3. [Karnov NES Instruction Manual transcription, World of Nintendo](http://www.world-of-nintendo.com/manuals/nes/karnov.shtml)
4. [カルノフ | ナムコ, gamecatalog.net](https://gamecatalog.net/karnov/)
5. [Karnov, Videogame by Data East, Museum of the Game (VAPS)](https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/karnov)
6. [Karnov (1987), MobyGames](https://www.mobygames.com/game/77/karnov/)
7. [Arcade Game Manual: Karnov by Data East, Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/karnov)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Video games and digital play › Games and gameplay › Individual game titles › Standalone arcade game titles*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license