Powerman
The most notable early example was Irem's "Kung-Fu Master" (1984), the first and most influential side-scrolling martial arts action game. It adapted combat mechanics similar to single-screen fighting game "Karate Champ" (1984) for a side-scrolling format, along with adapting elements from two Hong Kong martial arts films, Bruce Lee's "Game of Death" (1973) and Jackie Chan's "Wheels on Meals" (1984), and had elements such as end-of-level boss battles as well as health meters for the player character and bosses.