[Update: Good news, everyone! It turns out that Arc System Works is indeed bringing the collection to North America under the name Super Technos World: River City & Arcade Classics (I?'ve updated the headline, in case you were wondering)?.

However, there's some bad news here. The games that I pointed out would need translation over here? Sugoro Quest++ and DunQuest? Yeah, not getting translated. Says in the press release, "*Japanese language only." However, that caveat isn't listed behind the Kunio-Kun titles, so it soun??ds like they're getting localized, which is a big deal in itself. So, yeah, still very exciting. Original story follows.]

Arc System Works has revealed the Technos The World: Kunio-kun & Arcade Collection (thanks to Gematsu), a new compilation of some of Technos Japan’s lesser-known gems. More importantly, it’s bringing some titles that weren’t included in a few later Kunio-Kun/Nekketsu/Downtown/River City titles that weren’t included in Double Dragon? & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bu?ndle. It’s coming to PS5, Switc??h, and PC, on April 24. No w??ord yet on a North American release.

It’s a pretty great list. I’ll go over some of them in a bit more depth, but before we get into the weeds, let’s go over wha?t’s actually in the package.

• Super Dodge Ball (Arcade)
• Kunio-kun no Dodgeball da yo Zen'in Shūgō! (Super Famicom)
• Shodai Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (Super Famicom)
• Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyu de Shobu da! Kunio-kun (Super Famicom)
• Kunio no Oden (Super Famicom)
• Xain’d Sleena (Arcade)
• China Gate (Arcade)
• The Combatribes (Arcade)
• The Combatribes (Super Famicom)
• Shadow Force (Arcade)
• Sugoro Quest++: DICENICS (Super Famicom)
• DunQuest: Majin Fuuin no Densetsu (Super Famicom)

Groovy. For the Kunio-Kun/Nekketsu/Downtown/River City games, you have baseball, a classic beat-’em-up, a puzzle game (seriously), and two flavors of dodgeball. While I’d say that the Super Famicom Kunio games are decent but not fantastic, the NEOGEO Super Dodgeball is pretty spectacular. It uses a much brighter and more cartoon-y artstyle, which makes it even flashier and mor??e over the top. It’s also something that has never been ported before.

Big ol�?mixed bag with everything else. China Gate is known in Saiyuu Goumaroku: Ryuubouyougi no Shou in Japan. It’s a strange beat-’em-up based somewhat on Journey to the West. It’s kind of short, but it’s interesting. Combatribes is in the same vein. It’s a ridiculously brutal beat-’em-up in the same vein as the Kunio-Kun/Nekketsu/Downtown/River City. You can drive clown faces into the pavement.

DunQuest is a dungeon-dwelling action RPG, which is uncharacteristic for the developer. Similarly, Sugoro Quest++: DICENICS is something of a cross between an RPG and a board game. Xain’d Sleena is a run-and-gun sometimes better known as Solar Warrior or Soldier of Light over here. Shadow Force fits? their M.O. a lot better, as it’s an arcade beat-’em-up.

While there’s no word on whether or not we’ll see this collection over in the West. It may seem unlikely because many of the titles didn’t see release outside of Japan and would require different levels of translation, but Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle did the impossible and localized a tonne of older Kunio-Kun games, so all bets are off. I know for sure that I’d be thrilled to ge??t my hands on it.

Technos The World: Kunio-kun & Arcade Collection is coming to PS5, Switch, and PC on April 24.

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Arc System Works has revealed that R-Force Entertainment is working on a sequel to 2021’s River City Saga: Three Kingdoms. Titled River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next, it’s coming to PC, Sw?itch, and PS4 on November 7.

As the name implies, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms takes the beefy-armed beat-’em-up series to China’s “Three Kingdoms�?period. Kunio and his pals stand in for historical figures such as Guan Yu and Sun Quan and fight in a number of historical events. It’s similar in concept to 1991’s Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zenin Shūgō! Just in a different time period. And?? also newer, so things are a bit more comic and hectic.

Three Kingdoms Next continues from the first game, taking the crew from the events of its climax to the Battle of Wuzhang Plains. It features a number of new characters and, perhaps more notably, a motorcycle. It’s perhaps the most bada?ss way to travel historic?al China.

I consider myself a huge fan of the River City/Kunio-Kun/Downtown/Nekketsu series, but I haven’t kept up with it as much recently. Mostly, I think I’m more interested in Kunio-Kun and his friends when they’re playing sports. They haven’t done much of that recently, and the last time I really got into a River City title was the 2015 PC port of River City Super Sport Challenge.

If you haven’t already, you should definitely play Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retr??o B??rawler Bundle on Switch. It’s one of the best compilations of retro games ever put together, going as far as localizing 11 previous??ly Japan-only Famicom games of the ??series. 

If you’re looking for something more modern, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms Next releases on PC, Switch, and PS4 on November 7.

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But who will play Abobo?

River City Girls 2 director Bannon Rudis sent me a cryptic message on Friday. "There is a play in Japan. I have no info on this."

That's the kind of mystery I live for, so I got to researching, and eventually found out that a theater company called Solid Star (Heaven Eleven, Yu x You) is putting on a River City Girls play based on the original game. It's set to be performed live from December 7th to 11th, 2022. That's quite the limited run! And the cast is massive, maybe larger than that of the original game. Is that even possible? Bannon tells me that neither he nor River City Girls 2 writer Adam Tierney have anything to do with this production, so like Willie Scott once sang, "Anything Goes."

I'd love to see Bannon and Adam go to Japan to review this official(?) River City Girls play, but I'm not sure who'll pay to make that happen. Maybe Solid Star will? Even better would be if they shelled out some extra dough to cast my old Road Rules Northern Trail friend Bob Sapp as Abobo. Bob also hit me up just last Friday, for the first time in 25 years, to see how I was doing. Having Bannon and Bob come at me on the same day feels like more than a co??incidence.

Solid Star, if you're reading this, I will personally pay for Bob'??s airfare and lodging if that's what it takes to see him hit the stage in your show. Abobo was the role he was born to play.

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And the gorgeous and deadly Sabuko returns

Developer WayForward has released a brand new trailer for its upcoming release River City Girls 2, which not only introduces us to the narrative's wretched hive of villainy, but also debuts the brawler sequel's chaotic, knuckle-dustin' four-player co-op act?ion.

River City Girls 2 will see schoolyard superheroes Kyoko and Misako take to the streets of gaming's most violent town in order to, once again, serve up their own brand of dopey, two-fisted justice. Standing in their way are a slew of familiar and not-so-familiar faces, including returning gangland boss Sabuko, her obnoxious step-brother Ken, (which die-hard fans will remember from River City Girls Zero), and River City's most hated antagonist �?the sibling?'s murderous father Sabu.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OrWkuUfHlk

Fortunately, our hometown heroes will not be charging into battle alone. Not only will Kyoko and Misako be aided by long-time Kunio-kun protagonists Kunio and Riki, but Double Dragon's Marian and River City Underground's Provie will also be stepping up to the plate, bringing their own unique, hard-hitting combat styles. The trailer debuts RCG 2's four-player co-op ?action, which will help the River City Girls even the odds further against armies of bullies, street criminals, gangsters, and other dangero?us roustabouts that stand in the way of street justice. Put up yer dukes...

River City Girls 2 will launch later this year on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. Be sure to check out our previous write-ups on both River City Girls and River City Girls Zero, as well as our interviews with director Adam Tierney, and awesome composer Megan McDuffee. For an exclusive look at the new sequel, check out this feature over on *checks notes* IGN.

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Farewell to a Downtown Nekketsu legend

Japanese developer Miracle Kidz! has reported the sad news that its president, Mitsuhiro Yoshida, passed away "suddenly" on August 30. Yoshida, who has been part of the games industry for many decades, is best known as the co-director of one of the most popular brawlers in history, River City Ransom.

Described by his Miracle Kidz! colleagues as the "father" of the Downtown Nekketsu franchise, Yoshida �?alongside co-director Hiroyuki Sekimoto �?may not have been responsible for the creation of the Kunio-kun franchise, but certainly helmed its most well-known and widely played entry. River City Ransom, (known in its native Japan as Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari) launched on the NES in 1989 and is one of the first titles to marry the belt-scrolling brawler action of the series with a non-linear RPG structure. The international success of RCR helped paved the way for a slew of se??quels and spin-??offs.

//twitter.com/miracle_kidz/status/156590??7621072470016?s=20&t=1EUKMC8KdR?fhUOeqUT2pDg

Yoshida would continue to work with the franchise, directing the goofy NES port of Nekketsu Koko Dodgeball (Super Dodge Ball), before starting up a studio comprised of many former employees of old-school developer Technos Japan. Since founding Miracle Kidz!, Yoshida has continued to work on several titles set both in and out of the Kunio-kun universe, and was reporte??dly work??ing on a new game right up until his untimely passing.

As a mainstay of any NES owner's catalog, River City Ransom has provided brawler fans with hours upon hours of double-fisted action �?paving the way for the series' enduring appeal, recognized today in the form of WayForward's popular River City Girls franchise.

We at Destructoid offer our cond??olences to his family and friends.

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You're History

The world of River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is about to get a little more dangerous, as publisher Arc System Works and developer APlus Games have revealed that River City Girls' inimitable schoolgirl sl?uggers, Kyoko and Misako, will be making their presence felt in the upcoming historical brawler.

As we have previously reported, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is a BARF-tastic take on the ancient Chinese fable of “Sangokushi,�?perhaps better known to westerners as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The classic tale has been adapted to fit within the rock-'em, sock-'em Kunio-kun universe, complete with retro-inspired visuals, belt-scrolling brawler action, and?? a cast of familiar heroes and villains telling the tale of the fall of the Han Dynasty, albeit with far more groin kicks.

In addition to the story mode, River City Saga: Three Kingdoms will feature a multiplayer-centric side adventure, "Heroes of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of Red Cliffs". This is where our girls get to enter the fray, joining a roster of 24 Kunio-kun legends to battle through 10 stages of madcap action for one-to-four players. Both Kyoko and Misako have receive??d something of a visual redesign in order to fit in with the period setting �?and they both look just darling in the retro-contemporary duds.

Of course, this cameo appearance will get the pint-sized pugilists warmed up for their own incoming release, River City Girls 2, which is currently in development at WayForward with a tentative launch window of summer 2022. You can check out information on the sequel in our previous reports here and here.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms la??unches July 21 on PlayStation??, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms adds Misako a??nd Kyoko from River City ??Girls [Gematsu]

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Legendary literature, now with added BARF!

Arc System Works has confirmed that River City Saga: Three Kingdoms, a brawler take on a classic piece of Asian literature, will indeed receive a western localization. The latest chapter in the Kunio-kun franchise will arrive on these shores July 21, available on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXc6Jm8g82w

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is an adaptation of the ancient Chinese fable of “Sangokushi,�?perhaps better known to westerners as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, redesigned and stylized in Kunio-kun's typical retro fashion. Characters from the brawler franchise will take up roles from the legend, as players battle their way through a tale of patriotism and warfare, the story's many battles played out in face-busting, slapstick fashion that is the River City trademark.

In addition to the main story campaign, River City Saga will also include an additional multiplayer adventure. Heroes of the Three Kingdoms: Battle of the Red Cliffs will allow up to four players to team up in local and online multiplayer action, fighting their way through 10 stages of enemies and boss characters, while uncovering? secret stages and other neat surprises... Just watch where you're flinging those fisticuffs... You're a team, remembe?r?

River City Saga: Three Kingdoms launches worldwide, Ju?ly 21, on PS4, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

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Valentine's Day Massacre

WayForward Games has finally announced a release date for its revitalized retro rerelease River City Girls Zero. The classic Famicom ti?tle will return February 14 �?fully localized and ready to ruck �?on Nintendo Switch. PlayStation, P??C, and Xbox platforms will see their own port this coming spring.

As noted back in our exclusive feature, River City Girls Zero is a revamped edition of Super Famicom release Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka, the first title in the Kunio-kun franchise to feature cutie-pie ass-kickers Kyoko and Misako in action. River Girls Girls Zero is not only a fully-localized edition of the 1994 Japan-only release, but also features new manga-style cinematics, a fun anime intro sequence, and a new theme song, composed and performed by the brilliant Megan McDuffee.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpJ-UYq9T1k

While February 14 will see River City Girls Zero launch in digital format on Switch, it bears repeating that the new title has several physical editions in the wor??ks over at boutique retailer Limited Run Games.

Now available to pre-order on the official LRG website, River City Girls Zero is available for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch as a?? standard boxed release, or in a funky Collector's Edition sporting a poster, CD soundtrack, and c??ute Figma-like action figures of our girls in their classic '90s garb. In addition, a range of apparel including shirts and baseball caps are also available.

The old-school action of RCG Zero should provide Kunio-kun fans a fun little stopgap as we await the arrival of fully-fledged sequel River City Girls 2, which is ?scheduled to launch on PC and console platforms later in 2022??.

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School's out for Summer

During yesterday's exciting Nintendo Indie World Showcase, publisher WayForward offered up some new tidbits on its skull-cracking brawler River City Girls 2. Not only did we get a funky new trailer, showing our pint-sized pugilists in action, but we also got to hear some rad new tunes, and even received a tentative rele??ase window of summer 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ESLdjvtNo

While plot details remain very thin on the ground, eagle-eyed River City Girls fans will spot final boss Sabuko, looking a little worse for wear and accepting a limo ride from a mysterious stranger. As a dedicated crime-lord, I doubt that Sabuko will take her ass-kicking lying down, and we can perhaps?? expect to see her make a comeback and on a quest for revenge. Sabuko's a great character, one of the original game's many fantastic bosses, so I hope she does return for the sequel, if only to find herself on the receiving end of some brand new combo chaos.

The trailer also shows off RCG 2's roster of six playable characters. Of course our gals Kyoko and Misako are present and correct, alongside series veterans Kunio and Riki, and newcomers in the form of former Double Dragon damsel (and now incredible abs owner) Marian, and the streetwise ass-kicker Provie, who fans will recognize from the stylish 2017 release River City Ransom: Underground. River City Girls 2 will see these six protagonists embark upon ??more face-smacking adventures across the hazardous 'berg, utilizing new weapons, techniques, and moves while laying down the law on a flurry of?? new and returning enemies. Online co-op is confirmed, so you won't have to go it alone.

It's all looking very exciting, you certainly don't have to sell me twice. Oh, and don't forget to turn the volume up so you can check out an awesome new turn from composer Megan McDuffee.

River City Girls 2 will launch summer 2022 on PlayStation, PC, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms. Additionally, retro remaster River City Girls Zero will also launch on Nintendo S??witch in early 20?22, with other platforms to follow suit.

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Here's some funky new artwork though

WayForward has announced that its remaster of River City Girls Zero will unfortunately not meet its intended 2021 release window. In a statement posted to Twitter, the developer announced that the knuckle-dustin' 16-bit adventure would now arrive on Nintendo? Switch in early ?2022; whether this will further delay platform ports is unknown.

River City Girls Zero is a fully localized remaster of 1994 Super Famicom release Super Famicom title Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka, which was the first title in the Kunio-kun franchise to spotlight RCG heroes Misako and Kyoko. The remaster will feature a fully-translated edition of the original game in all of its modest glory, along with a selection of cute, manga-style cinematic sequences and a brand new title track courtesy of the excellent Megan McDuffee.

As a little spark of positivity to go alongside the delay news, WayForward released new artwork for the remaster, which reformats the originalS Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka boxart with modern forms of heroes Kyoko and Misako, along with Kunio-kun veterans Kunio and Riki. Everybody's lookin' mighty retro???, with Kyoko sporting her now trademark baseball bat!

River City Girls Zero is one of two titles expected in 2022, alongside anticipated sequel River City Girls 2.

//twitte?r.com/WayForward/status/1470484104848232448?s=20

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Feudal warfare waged on Nintendo Switch

Arc System Works and developer APlus Games announced a release date for the Japanese edition of the next entry in the Kunio-kun/River City franchise. River City Saga: Three Kingdoms will lau??nch on the Switch platform December 16. Unfortunately, at this time, we are still waiting o?n a release date, or even a confirmation, for a western localization.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aee546svWwQ

Announced back in September of this year, River City Saga: The Three Kingdoms, (or, to give it its full title, Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shuugou!), is a somewhat tongue-in-cheek retelling of the legendary Chinese fable “Sangokushi,�?perhaps better known to westerners as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. The story has been adapted to Kunio-kun's recognizable cast, cutesy visual style, and pro?pensity for knock-down, drag-out, slapstick chaos. The new game features an old-school 2D aesthetic typical of the scrolling brawler series, but afforded something of a modern sheen, with polished sprites and deep narrative storytel??ling and character build mechanics.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see River City Saga: The Three Kingdoms make its way westward in the near future, as the Kunio-kun franchise is going through something of a resurgence on these shores, courtesy of titles such as River City Girls and Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle. With River City Girls 2 and River City Girls Zero already on the horizon, it would make as much sense to try and get The Three Kingdoms into the hands of western fans. With a PS4 and PC port scheduled for Spring 2022, perhaps we'll hear a little mor?e news about localization in the new year.

River City Saga: T??he Three Kingdoms launches for Switch December 16 [Gematsu]

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Bringing history to life... and kicking it in the balls

Arc System Works released the opening movie for its curious, even dubious new brawler River City Saga: The Three Kingdoms, which will see the classic Chinese works adapted in the cutesy, ass-kicking, Kunio-kun style. The strange new title is currently expected to launch on Nintendo Switch in Dec??ember, ??with PS4 and PC to follow in the spring of 2022.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=owljs_MWN1Y

As we have previously reported, River City Saga: The Three Kingdoms will adapt the ancient Chinese fable of “Sangokushi�? perhaps better known to westerners as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. River City Saga will be a stylized retelling of the warfaring tale, with familiar faces from the Kunio-kun uni?verse stepping into the roles of its lead characters. The new title will combine narrative storytelling and deep RPG elements with the knock-down, drag-out brawls that are the series' trademark. Consider it a lesson in culture... but with far more roundhouse kicks and piledrivers.

Previously released screens spotlight the retro/modern fusion that ArcSys is affording River City Saga's aesthetic �?with typical 2D action and Famicom-style sprites, polished with something of a more contemporary sheen. River City Saga: Three Kingdoms is one of a number of Kunio-kun titles in the works, joining upcoming releases River City Girls Zero and 2022's River City Girls 2 as three new sluggers curre??ntly prepped ??for the series' 35th anniversary celebrations.

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School Hall World Brawl

As part of this weekend's Tokyo Game Show festivities, WayForward released a new trailer for its incoming sequel River City Girls 2. The new preview introduces us ??to the action-RPG's sequel Japanese cast, and also gives us a quick look at some of Kyoko and Misako's running buddies as they dole out Street Justice in the avenues and alleyways of River City.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOG_DemrIkU

Opening with footage from the original game and its delightful manga-esque cinematics, the video then transitions to some rapid-fire cuts from the upcoming sequel. We see both Kyoko and Misako in some familiar and brand new locations, (including the local fairground, making its return from previous Kunio-kun titles), as well as a dose of cartoonish chaos at the hands of Kunio and Riki, and returning stars Marian (Double Dragon) and Provie (River City Underground). While both the new characters look tubular, I'm really excited to che?ck out Marian and her six-pack in action. Ker-blam.

Perhaps more importantly, the trailer offers a quick glimpse at a new selection of shopkeepers, allowing eagle-eyed Kunio-kun veterans to spot a number of cameos and familiar faces taken from the franchise's storied, 35-year history. The shopkeepers were a key part of River City Girls' distinct identity, so it'll be great to meet these new retail superstars when River City Girls 2 finally �?drops on PlayStation, PC, ??Xbox, and Nintendo Switch platforms �?in 2022.

Oh, and if you can't wait until then, don't forget that River City Girls Zero �?a remaster of 1994 Super Famicom release Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka �?is expected to hit Nintendo Sw??itch before the year is up.

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Getting ready for the next semester

I love the River City Girls. Y'all know that. So I'm stoked to see these early screenshots from WayForward's upcoming remake/remaster River City Girls Zero, which is currently headed to Ninten?do Switch at some point later this year.

River City Girls Zero is an updated, English language edition of Super Famicom title Shin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka, the game that saw our girls Kyoko and Misako make their Kunio-kun debut. Retitled River City Girls Zero, the new release will feature a fully localized edition of the original 1994 release, but will also sport newly recorded voiceovers, fun manga-esque cutscenes, and a brand new title track from the excellent Megan McDuffee, whose electro stylings and sultry vocals made the original River City Girls such a charismatic adventure.

As you can see from the new image above, it appears that River City Girls Zero is going full meta, and sees the modern-day incarnations of the terrible twosome sitting down to check out their classic Super Famicom shenanigans. Hope they have an adaptor. If you want to borrow a SNES scart lead, Kyoko, gimme a shout. WayForward also tweeted the first screenshots of the action, with juveniles Kunio and Riki attempting to clear their names after being detained for a crime they didn't commit. I'm up for fresh Kunio-kun action... even old fresh Kunio-kun action... so I'm looking forward to the release.

River City Girls Zero launches on Nintendo Switch later in 2021. River City Girls 2 is in development for a 2022 release.

//twitter.com/WayForward/status/144108547561626829??9?s=20

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Slapstick mayhem in the Han Dynasty

Arc System Works has released the first details and screens pertaining to its upcoming historical scrapper Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shuugou!. The brawler RPG �?currently in development at A Plus Games �?is said to be around 70% complete, and will launch in Japan on Switch this December, with PS4 and PC to follow in the spring ??of 2022.

As previously reported, the latest in the long, long, long-running series will be taking time out from its Japanese high school roots and taking a trip into Ancient China, adapting the legendary fable Romance of the Three Kingdoms for its uppercutting, knee-smashing action. These early screens show that A Plus Games is choosing to blend the old-school Famicom style sprites with a WayForward-esque cartoon world, creating a look that holds true to the River City Ransoms of yesterday while still having a little post-2??020 polish.

Set in the Han Dynasty, Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shuugou! will see Kunio take up the role of hero Guan Yu, with all of the Kunio-kun regulars cast in various roles pulled directly from the legendary tales of Sangokushi �?including Gouda as Liu Bei, and Godai and Zhang Fei. Despite the unusual choice of setting, the new sequel will still feature all of Kunio-kun's trademark, open-world, conveyer belt adventure, complete with shopping, skill upgrades, sight-seeing, and lots of slap?stick, fist-throwing action. Be sure to keep an eye out for secret rooms and passages.

While no localization has been announced, the Kunio-kun series has been going through something of a western renaissance in recent years, thanks to the arrival of River City Ransom Underground, River City Girls, and the Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle. With at least two more titles also pl??anned for the near future, it would make sense for ArcSys to push out this quirky new release on west?ern shores. We'll keep you posted!

In the meantime, you can find more screens over on the official Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shuugou! website.

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War & Romance

The latest issue of Japanese publication Famitsu features new details pertaining to Kunio-kun no Sangokushi dayo: Zeiin Shuugou!, an upcoming entry in the legendary Kunio-kun brawler-RP?G series. Famitsu confirms that the new title �?one of many releases set to coincide with the franchise's 35th anniversary �?is in development for PS4, PC, and Switch.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOIEbGHf6vQ

As predicted from the recent teaser trailer, the Kunio-kun will be taking time out from its typical Japanese high-school setting, and will instead be taking its rock-'em, sock-'em action to the Chinese fable of "Sangokushi", perhaps better known to westerners as the Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Video game fans will, of course, recognize this tale from Koei Tecmo's RPG series of the same name �?itself a spin-off from the Dynasty Warriors franchise.

Developer A Plus Games has noted that the new adventure is already 65% complete, with hopes to release in Japan on Nintendo Switch in December 2021, with PS4 and Steam ports to follow in the spring of 2022. A localization is yet to be confirmed, but given the recent success of titles such as River City Girls and Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle, it would make sense that publis??her Arc System Works will continue to bring this brand of mayhem to the west.

In the meantime, check out some early shots over at Famitsu, as reported by Ryokutya2089.

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BARF!

I simply cannot stop walking down the street these days, w??ithout kicking the shit out of everybody I come across... I am, of course, referring to the recent spate of beat-'em-ups that have been finding the??ir way into the modern gaming sphere... yes... that'll do.

And it looks like the party is set to continue into 2022 and beyond, as one of the oldest fist-throwing franchises on the block, Kunio-kun, (Renegade/River City Ransom), is getting ??prepped to celebrate its 35th anniversary this very weekend.

Arc System Works �?current holders of the Kunio-kun IP �?has launched a brand new website, counting down to the cutesy brawler's birthday, set for September 4. While this doesn't necessarily mean that we'll be seeing a brand new game announcement, but with several projects already teased, (including the ace River City Girls Zero and River City Girls 2, currently in development at WayForwad), one expects that ArcSys will ??not let the anniversary pass without some form of exciting new announcements. I hope we get a new dodgeball game, at the very least.

Tape those fists ??and keep that dial tuned to Destructoid. We'll be sure to let you know of any exciting news or reveals once the site finally goes live.

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Cleave him alone

One of the key features that made WayForward's high-school brawler River City Girls so utterly appealing was its wicked cast of characters. Led by the dynamic duo of Misako and Kyoko, RCG was absolutely bursting fun enemies, shopkeepers, bystanders and boss characters. So many neat characters, in fact, that sa?dly not everyone got a turn getting their nose broken.

Apropos of nothing, WayForward has released an image of one such boss character that didn't make the cut for the bone-breaking punch-up. According to the publisher, "Noroi" was a kind-hearted schoolkid possessed by a malicious Yokai demon, turning him into a meat-cleaver wielding maniac with a ghostly visage. The River City Girls cast was a?lready pretty much packed-out, and?? our boy never made it off the page.

River City Girls has an amazing array of Big Bads, from franchise favorites such as Misuzu and Abobo, to the amazing arachnid fashionista Hibari, the hard-rockin' but troubled megastar Noize, and the sexy, sword-swinging, crime lord Sabuko. There isn't a dud among them, which just leaves one wondering what other aw??esome design ideas hit the cutting room flo??or alongside the demonic Noroi. So knuckle up, ladies, it looks like there still might be further evil lurking in the avenues and alleyways of your burned-out 'burg.

Noroi, which means "curse" in Japanese, was considered as a potential boss for River City Girls. This kindhearted schoolboy would have been possessed by a malicious yokai that made him violent towards our heroines, but he never made it past the concept stage. #WayForwardSpotlight pic.twitter.com/UAcaFoz43N

— WayForward (@WayForward) April 5, 2021

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School's Out Forever

The PC edition of WayForward's awesome brawler River City Girls has been u??pdated to Version? 1.1. The new patch fixes one of the game's more troublesome issues, stomps on a slew of bugs, and also features "revised dialogue" for its super secret hidden ending.

First and foremost, players will now have to briefly hold down an attack button to transition from one area to the next, which will eliminate a problematic issue where Kyoko and Misako would accidentally leave the fight - should ?it spill out to the edges of ?the battlefield. This one small fix will help game flow, and is a major positive change for the skull-busting adventure.

Curiously, the dialogue has also been altered for RCG's hidden ending. This is the scene that takes place after the game's secret boss has been defeated. No specific details have been offered for this so far, so we'll all just have to take to the streets once again and check ??it out for ourselves. Knuckle up, folks.

Finally, minor fixes include the removal of a bug tha??t caused Books not to apply their expected buffs to certain characters, the optimi?sation of a hidden character's specific combo, (that would travel off-screen in some instances), and various other small tweaks across the board.

The Version 1.1 patch is live now on PC, and we can guess will be headed to consoles at some point in the future. River City Girls is available now on PS4, PC, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. You can check out our previous interview with director Adam Tierney right here.

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Limited quantites at Best Buy for Switch

If you're looking to get a physical copy of WayForward's upcoming River City Girls, then Limited Run Games has got you covered. Coming to PS4 and?? Switch, you won't find some fancy collector's package, but simply the game on a disc or cartridge for your collection. It'll help preserve the? game for the future and let you put a nice box on your shelf, which is always fun.

Unlike most of its games, River City Girls will be available for pre-order for nearly the entirety of September. While the digital version will be releasing on September 5, 2019, Limited Run needs time to create and ship all of the orders it gets. If you aren't sure about plunking down on a pre-order, limited quantities of the game will be available at Best Buy stores for Switch once it releases.

Limited Run Games [Twitter]

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Remember to always neuter your video games

While Lyle and I try and get video ??games off the damn kitchen shelves, here's what's been happening in video games this past week:

• Fire Emblems: Three Houses is gonna have a season pass!
• Epic Games will be sending out refunds to Shenmue 3 backers on Kickstarter!
• And River City Girls is a thing and more!

As the summer drought kicks in, I find myself returning to my backlog once more in a vain attempt to catch up on the 2018 game releases I missed out on. Personally, I'm also a completionist and someone who doesn't play games out of release order. So, I've come to accept the fact I won't be getting around to God of War for a good?? long while (I still intend to play the other games, first).

However, I am looking forward to Marvel's Spider-Man. It's been literally years since I've played a spidey game, with the last two being Spider-Man 3 on the PS3 and Ultimate Spider-Man on the original Xbox (a fantastic game). That said, I'm also super fond of Spider-Man on the Dreamcast. That Doc Ock symbiote monstrosity and final chase? sequence still haunts my nightmares to this day.

Discharged question of the week: Are there any? games you're looking to catch up on this summer? If so, which one are you most looking forward to?

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BIMMY AND JIMMY

A Kunio-kun compilation is going to be released in Japan this December. Coming to the PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Switch, it is set to include 18 games (19 with a pre-order) that span the entire legacy of Kunio-kun. If you aren't familiar with that name, the series has been localized under numerous different titles including River City Ransom and Super Dodge Ball. In a weird twist, though, the compilation will also be including some Double Dragon love.

Alongside some standout NES classics, you'll be able to partake of Double Dragon, Double Dragon II, and Double Dragon III. These will likely be based on the arcade ports, but that is still quite a huge get. There is no word if this collection will be hitting the US, but there will be physical versions on PS4 and Switch. The compilation releases on?? December 20, 2018, for 5,800 yen (roughly $52) and will include the following games:

• Downtown Nekketsu Koushinkyoku
• Nekketsu Koukou Dodge Ball Bu
• Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu
• Nekketsu! Street Basket
• Nekketsu Koukou Dodge Ball Bu: Soccer Hen
• Bikkuri Nekketsu Shinkiroku: Harukanaru Kin Medal
• Kunio-kun no Nekketsu Soccer League
• Ike Ike! Nekketsu Hockey Bu
• Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun
• Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari
• Kunio-kun no Jidaigeki da yo Zen’in Shuugou!
• Renegade
• Super Dodge Ball
• River City Ransom
• Crash 'n the Boys Street Challenge
• Double Dragon
• Double Dragon II
• Double Dragon III
• Hanazono Koukou Dodge Ball Bu (Pre-order bonus)

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...to those with an hour to spare

These days, there are just two kinds of secrets in video games: the ones that you can uncover in a few minutes using Google, and the kind that remain totally anonymous. The internet has erased many of the world's mysteries, and the "unconfirmed rumor of [blank] thing being unlockable in a gam??e" is only one of them.

That said, there are still plent?y of secrets in video?? games that have yet to be found. The problem is, people don't think to even look for them, because as a wise man once said, you don't know what you don't know. How would anyone even begin to guess that there is a fourth nephew named Phooey in DuckTales Remastered? Why would someone ever look for secret monkey heads ?in eve??ry Harmonix game? 

These and many other secrets had remained undiscovered by the world??, until now. I helped dig up a few of them, but many of them were 100% new to me. Check out the full panel above for all the secrets, and if you know any new ones, let us know in the comments. 

The post Never before seen game secrets revealed appeared first on Destructoid.

PUNCH! KICK! BARF!

River City Ransom is one of those recognizable names from the NES era that then stood out in the growing beat em’ up genre by using some nifty RPG elements, and is best known for the iconic “Barf” expression that enemies exclaimed upon defeat. Originally a much different game in Japan, River City Ransom is a localized version of Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari, which is part of the long-running Kunio-kun series of games.

Well, the Kunio-kun series celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2016 and released Downtown Nekketsu Monogatar SP in Japan, which is a remake of the game that eventually became River City Ransom. Now we’ve got that remake in the form of River City: Rival Showdown and the questions of how it lives up to the classic or will it make fans? barf?

River City: Rival Showdown (Nintendo 3DS) 
Developer: Arc System Works 
Publisher: Natsume
Released: November 21, 2017 (NA), November 3, 2017 (EU) 
MSRP: $29.99

The most noticeable new thing in Rival Showdown is in its appearance, combining the trademark Kunio-kun series ??character designs?? with some very pretty pixel art backgrounds. The backgrounds have a great sense of detail to them, taking advantage of modern pixel art techniques which blend in well with some very expressive character designs. The 3D capability of the 3DS is also utilized well, mixing background and foreground elements giving a good sense of depth that just helps all the pixel art to pop out.

It’s not just the visuals that get an overhaul, the music also gets the modern treatment. The soundtrack in Rival Showdown are modern rearranged versions of the original RCR music along with some new original tacks and are pretty good chiptune tracks on? their own. The new music is pretty faithful to the originals while fully utilizing the new hardware that isn't as limited as the origin??al NES.

River City: Rival Showdown is much less about ransom and girlfriend kidnappings, and is more about hot-blooded Japanese student delinquents using their fists to settle everything. The focus this time is on Kunio (localized as Alex in the original localization) going up against a group of other student delinquents from different schools who want to take over Japan through violence. Interestingly enough, the plot of the original River City Ransom is still here but takes ??a backseat and beco??mes one of the many subplots.

The events in Rival Showdown take place over the span of three days, using a day-night cycle in conjun??ction with a persistent in-game clock where each day starts at 3PM and ends at 11PM. Each day is about 8 in-game hours, each in-game minute equals to 20 seconds in real life and through some ma??th means each day is a little over 2.5 hours. This day-night cycle system changes up the game, keeping things fresh and the player on their toes. The different times of the day and night will feature changes to the environment, such as characters showing up at certain times and most stores being open only open during the day.

Planning ahead and time management become part of the game,?? with the possibility of missing events that h?appen at certain times that can unlock other pathways in the game. Thankfully, the game keeps track of events and even tells players where the important events will happen using an encyclopedia so players aren’t completely blind through subsequent runs. I never really liked a time pressure element in games I just want to chill and have fun but I found enough time to grind money and experience between story beats.

Combat in Rival Showdown stays true to its roots with some modern tweaks to the original River City Ransom formula. I got KO’d a few times playing on the Intermediate difficulty which made me switch to Beginner and was much more manageable and let me learn the basics. Though there are times I randomly ran into really tough opponents that wiped the floor with me, but those same enemies were absolute cakewalk when I went faced them again on subsequent playthroughs on new game plus with my pow?ered up stats and gear.

Being on a newer system with more than just two NES buttons for punch and kick, other actions now have their own dedicated buttons like grab, jump, and block. New flashy cool skill moves have been added on top of the classic repertoire of moves. Button mashing won’t give you an advantage like it would in a more modern beat-em-up. While not as punishing as the original, initiating an attack ??like a punch or a kick will lock the character into the animation wit??h no way to cancel and can leave the player vulnerable to enemy attacks.

Old staples in River City Ransom such as stores and restaurants are still in Rival Showdown, with items that giving boosts and some teaching special moves to the player. Food now gives you a temporary boost that last? for an in-game hour, increasing character stats is now done by leveling up by gaining experience points fro??m combat. This nicely suits the new style that adds more to the sense of progression and depth to the gameplay. There are also equipment that gives some stat boosts that can be bought or earned as loot from beating enemies. Using all these things that can make your character stronger is useful in fighting much stronger enemies that just cannot be defeated by just using skill alone.

A co-operative 2-player mode is available in the game but is limited to local ad-hoc and will require another 3DS and copy of the game. There is also a versus mode in the Double Dragon Duel fighting game mode that has a download play feature that only requires one copy. The Double Dragon Duel fighting game (or referred to as “DDD” in the game) exists as an arcade game within the world of Rival Showdown, and features even more references to the other games from the Kunio-kun series such as Double Dragon.

The DDD fighting game turns the action in Rival Showdown into a one-on-one 2D fighting mini-game while featuring the same controls and special moves in the full game. It’s a nice distraction that would’ve been nicer if given more substance beyond being just a mini??-game.

The map of Yumemicho, where Rival Showdown takes place, is rather sizeable with plenty of interesting locations and is mostly populated with friendly citizens along with those looking for a fight. Talking to NPCs will provide dialogue from?? standard trivial NPC speak like talking about mundane things such as their favorite restaurant or social media. While some NPCs will provide helpful tips a??nd dialogue about all kinds stuff from basic tutorial instructions to plot important details. This method delivering information provides nice world building, adding some great personality to  the game.

Rival Showdown is meant to be played more than once, having multiple paths and endings where learning to find and unlock everything is part of the fun. There are plenty of secrets to be found, with some even that can ??be missed thanks to the in-game clock, providing a fun challenge for completionists. A single run isn’t that long and can take up to 7 to 9 hours. Beating the game once will unlock a new game plus mode, which lets players carry over unlocked moves, experience levels, and gear over to the next playthrough. This allows players absolutely wreck shop on lower difficulties or step up to higher difficulties for some added challenge.

Being part of the Kunio-kun series, Rival Showdown wears its heritage proudly on its sleeve, featuring plenty of references to all the different Kunio-kun offshoots and more. This localized English version even contains references to the other localized English versions of the Kunio-kun games. The game ??strikes a nice balance of a contemporary localization while celebrating its history from an era where localization involves si??gnificant changes to game was the norm.

River City: Rival Showdown leans more heavily on the RPG elements that the original River City Ransom brought to the beat em’ up genre with a stronger focus on a narrative and exploration. Being on a handheld, the new game prioritizes the single-player experience in its core design which loses the charm of the couch co-op that made the original game so memorable to many players back in the day. River City: Rival Showdown ushers in some big changes while still does a good job bringing the original River City Ransom into modern times while still honoring its Kunio-kun roots pretty well.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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2D PUBG

Arc System Works has announced that River City Melee: Battle Royale Special will be hitting Steam this week on September 14. The game is a spin-off of the main Kunio Kun series and features four player multiplayer action in the form of a fighting game similar to Street Fighter. Apparently there are 25 storylines to play through if you're a solo player, though the action won't become like a traditional River City game.

If you own the previous Arc System Works released River City game on Steam (which is Super Sports Challenge ~All Stars Special~), you'll receive a 10% discount on the game in addition to the 10% off launch w??eek special. No price was mentioned, but the game goes for $24.99 on PS4?, so I'd guess around there.

I'm honestly shocked that I'm writing about yet another River City game this year. Like I've said numerous times, the original game was a cult hit and became so legendary because of its singular presence. I feel like all of these extra releases are mostly cashing in on nostalgia, apart from Underground that is a huge labor of love. Do we really need four River City games in one year?

Regardless, I still love that art style and I can't say this looks particularly bad. I do wish we could get a remake of Super Dodgeball, though, sinc??e that is one of my favorite h?idden gems on the NES.

River City Melee: Battle Royal Special Makes Its Steam Debut On September 14, 2017 [Siliconera]

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He did the monster mash

Stranger Things is one of those rare instances where the hype was fully justified. It successfully milked my ’80s nostalgia by invoking the spirit of films like The Goonies and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial without ever feeling downright derivative. Everything from the?? badass, synth-heavy o??pening theme to Eleven’s Eggo waffle fetish was just disgustingly endearing. 

Gearing up for the release of season two on October 27, the Stranger Things Instagram account will be releasing video game-themed artwork based on the events of the first season. According to Bannon Rudis, who worked on River City Ransom: Underground, "8 artists were picked to each represent an episode of season one. I'm episode 6: The Monster." Back in 2016, Rudis treated the world to the gorgeous pixel art pictured below, so I’m sure he’?s stoked to be working on this stuff in some sort of "official" capacity.

For now, there are no plans to make any of this into a full-fledged video game, but I would do terrible things to get my hands on a legitimate, licensed adaptation of the series in this style and, apparently, so would Rudis. He says that these graphics were made to work as in-game assets as we??ll ??as entertaining gifs, and that he's wanted to make a Stranger Things game since the moment he first saw the show.

I'd love to see what he can do because what we have now, as great as it is, doesn't even begin to satiate the lust that it's bred in me. I need this. There's a playable browser game from a different project released at the beginning of this year, but it leaves a lot t?o be desired. However, a NES-inspired adventure game or RPG would?? be positively orgasmic.

The first piece was shown off yesterday via the Stranger Things Twitt??er account, and it’s a gif that's got me drooling…

Today, we make contact. The Monster by @BannonRudis is now playing on our Instagram Story. #StrangerRewatch pic.twitter.com/HBKLd6DrLk

— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) September 6, 2017

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Physical and Digital

River City just won't die! The game that has had us barfing for the last two decades is getting another new installment this year, though this time it will be on the 3DS...it's also not Knights of Justice that I reported on in May. This new game, called River City: Rival Showdown, is more like the original title in that it is an RP??G styled beat em up with a slightly open-ended design structure?.

In a lot of ways, Rival Showdown is actually a remake of the NES classic. It features the same storyline, but includes new paths and endings for players to discover. Along with that, there is co-op support, a Double Dragon styled fighting game and multiple difficulty levels! Sadly, online support is out, but that isn't the worst thing in the world (River City Ransom: Underground has some shoddy netcode).

The game will be releasing at some point in November for $29.99. Thankfully, Natsume is making a physical edition for the game. If you opt to go that route, you'll also get a keychain when you grab the title. Hopefully its just the word?? "BARF!" or a character getting his ass kicked, because I would totally be down for that.

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Hidden gems and Easter Eggs thrown up, but not yet uncovered

Connecting people with games that may go on to be some of their all time favorites is one of the best things about writing for Destructoid. With River City Ransom: Underground, I wonder if I did enough on that front. It's one of the biggest, most detailed 2D beat-'em-ups I've ever played. I'd wager that it has 50 times the content of related games like River City: Tokyo Rumble or Double Dragon IV. Yet, not many seem to know this, hence the game's three paltry professional reviews on Metacritic.

My guess is that people saw the River City name and figured that Underground was of similar size and scope as its predecessors, not knowing how much there is under the surface that they've missed out on. It's an example of how a well known but not hugely popular name can work against you. If The Matrix had been called Johnny Mnemonic: Underground, it probably wouldn't have done quite as well.

A lot of people don't realize that Provie can actually barf. It's a special circumstance to get her to do it. @rivercityransom#indiegame pic.twitter.com/nDq0TKSW11

— Bannon Rudis (@BannonRudis) May 2, 2017

The good news is, Steam is eternal. With frequent updates and continued fan word of mouth, River City Ransom: Underground may still find its full audience. That may take a while though, at least when it comes to the game's many secrets. After all, people can't talk about things they don't know. YouTuber ObsidianDraconis has found a lot of the smaller Easter Eggs and bonuses in the game, like the flying robot, Merlin's Shop, and the cats' giant yarn sword, but we're still a long way to go from seeing everything. For instance, it took the community about a month to find all of the game'?s hidden books, and they practically aren't even secrets.

On top of the hidden vomit combat system, the game has at least one secret boss, some playable characters, and a totally bizarre, hilarious event that no one has uncovered yet. They're all really cool, potentially game-selling features, but I can't tell you much more than that. River City Ransom: Underground's lead artist and combat system designer Bannon Rudis showed them t??o me last month in exchange for the promise that I wouldn't ??talk. In fact, as one of the few people who've seen these features first hand, I may have already said too much. 

Personally, I think if he were to go public with these secrets, it would do a lot to draw people into picking up his game, but that's not his goal here. Not unlike Seth Killian's Mega Man 9 secret tease, all Bannon wants is to give players the sense of mystery and discovery that he experienced with the original River City Ransom on the ?NES for the first time, all those years ago. I just hope that he hasn't done so at the expense of people knowing about, and then later enjoying, all the great stuff he made.

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Knights of the Round Table

It is crazy, to me, how River City Ransom was an overlooked title its in day, but has now spawned this huge collection of sequels that keep releasing year after year. While I was initially delighted to see a sequel with Underground and even happily welcomed Tokyo Rumble, ar??e we going into oversaturation on t??he Kunio-Kun series?

Even if we are, yet another River City game will be coming to the 3DS this year. Titled Knights of Justice, Natsume Inc confirmed via Twitter that the title will be an eShop rele?ase for this summer. There won't be a physical release for the game as it was an eShop only title in Japan. The game will also be present at E3, so at least we'll get some footage of the title before it comes out.

From the description, this sounds more like Natsume is just using the River City name to help sales. I know that I never would have guessed that Super Dodge Ball was a part of the same series by its name alone. Also, that game is damn amazing, despite?? its really crappy perf??ormance.

RIVER CITY: KNIGHTS OF JUSTICE announced for the Nintendo 3D?S eShop, coming this ??Summer [Go Nintendo]

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Punch, kick, it's all in the BARF!

It has been 28 years since the original River City Ransom released, and it finally has a proper sequel in Underground. I know, I know, some of you purists are saying, "But Jed, RCR had a ton of sequels and spinoff sports titles, they just didn't come to the USA other than River City: Tokyo Rumble."

While this is true, none of those games are true sequels to the game we know and loved growing up. The English version of River City Ransom was heavily localized to cater to?? a Western audience, meaning most everything dealing with Japan was removed and replaced with something a bit more American. The characters names were also ??changed from Kunio and Riki to Alex and Ryan. Essentially the game was whitewashed for the sake of sales.

River City Ransom: Underground is not only the sequel RCR fans have been waiting for but one of the greatest b?eat 'em ups ??of all time.

River City Ransom: Underground (PC)
Developer: Conatus Creative
Publisher: Conatus Creative
Release: February 27, 2017 
MSRP: $19.99

"My save says I'm 51 percent done with this game, but mentally I'm 100 percent done with this game," I exclaimed to my boyfriend in frustration after sinking well over 15 hours (realistically it should take around 8 to 10 hours to complete) in River City Ransom: Underground. I'd been dying constantly, getting killed by bosses in one or two hits, and the game had crashed losing? over three hours of grinding I'd done to try to make it a bit ?easier, thanks to the developers not implementing autosaves in 2017.

After venting my frustrations on Twitter with the game one of the developers reach out to me and guess what? I'd been playing the entire game up to that point with the amount of health you start with instead of it gradually leveling as it was supposed to. So what I'm saying is don't you ever tell me I'm bad at video games or not dedicated, because I'm a god damned trooper. Also, I've helped the developers find and fix numerous bugs with Underground that possi?bly wouldn't have been fixed by laun?ch. You're welcome.

That aside, the version of the game you'll be able to purchase day one will surely have a few bugs here and there (I know of at least two minor ones that haven't been fixed yet) thanks to the developers clearly working ?down to the wire, but otherwise will be a far smoother and pleasant experience than my first half of the game.

If you've never played the original RCR, don't fret, as Underground starts with a tutorial that is essentially the original game consolidated into a few short minutes to catch you up to speed. Underground's story isn't all that interesting or original, but you aren't here for the story, you're here to beat the hell out of endless amounts of enemies, which is where this game excels unlike any other game in ?the genre.

You can play as one of ten characters in story mode, each with unique move sets that can be unlocked via dojos scattered around the city. Unlike most beat 'em-ups that just feature a few basic moves, Underground gets quite deep to the point that it feels nearly like a fighting game more so than a button masher as you effortlessly pull off long and impress?ive combos that send multiple enemies flying through the air.

I played as one of the new female characters named Provie, a badass break dancer in a hoodie. She also isn't white, hurray! Most of Provie's moves are kick based, as you'd imagine, which means lots of moves juggling enemies with your feet, impressive kicks, and blasting them with a boombox. Underground has kept the campy charm of the original game and upped the ante to Scott Pilgrim levels of ridiculousness with at least one boss having one nearly identical move to a character from the game. Weird how Scott Pilgrim took influence from RCR and now Underground?? takes some influence from it. The circle of beat 'em up life?

Not only can you bash through the story mode with up to four players online or locally, but you can also challenge them to battles in an arena fighting mode that has its own stages? and seemingly every character including enemies and bosses as unl?ockable characters. While I didn't get to play online with anyone, playing with bots was an option, however, you play as your character with leveled stats so it isn't a fair fight versus their basic characters. 

Speaking of leveling, Underground has an XP-based system where your maximum stats increase based on your level. But wait, there's more! Just like in the original game, you'll have to buy and eat food from shops to actually increase your stats up to that max??imum level. The problem being the items don't tell you upfront what stats they increase until you buy and use them. 

Underground has a lot of instances where it seemingly does things like that for nostalgia and authenticity reasons, for better or for worse. Another such example is there is little to no indication at times where or when a boss specifically a b?oss will spawn thanks to the new (and pointless) day-night cycle that does little more than artificially extend gameplay. That said, it wasn't too hard to suss out what to do with a little trial and error. Also, as mentioned before, there is no autosave feature to be found (though devs told me they may be adding one soon) meaning you'??ll have to remember to save anytime you visit a safe house, though you probably won't experience any crashes like I did.

The good bits of nostalgia you'd expect to find are here too, like beautiful pixel art with characters and locations that feel like they belong in the RCR world, and a soundtrack by one of my favorite sometimes chiptune based artists, Disasterpeace. ??While I don't think the tunes here are quite as memorable as the original, I also haven't played this game over and over for the past 28 years, so it isn't a fair comparison.

River City Ransom: Underground was worth the wait, and hopefully we don't have to wait nearly three decades for the next one. The look, feel, and humor of the original is here with a new in-depth fighting system that feels fresh yet familiar while being deeper than basically every other game in the genre. I can't say for sure that Underground is the best beat 'em up of all time, but it deserves its place at the table with RCR, Golden Axe, Final Fight, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. May the year 19xx live on forever!

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

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