Kung-Fu Master, released in Japan under the name Spartan X, combined plot elements and character names from the martial arts films Game of Death (originally filmed in 1972) and Wheels on Meals (1984). The game was originally released as Spartan X in Japan, as it was promoted to be a tie-in with the Japanese release of Wheels on Meals, featuring stills of actors from the movie on flyers and sharing its Japanese name. The game is a loose adaptation of the climax of Wheels on Meals where Thomas must climb a Spanish castle to rescue Sylvia; while both Thomas and Sylvia are also the names of the game's protagonists, the game differs by instead turning the castle into a five-story pagoda located in East Asia with enemies and a boss fight on each floor, similar to Game of Death.