Classic Brawler River City Ransom Finally Gets a Sequel

John Funk

U.N. Owen Was Him?
Dec 20, 2005
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Classic Brawler River City Ransom Finally Gets a Sequel

More than two decades after the original release, NES cult classic beat-em-up River City Ransom is coming back. BARF!

Japanese developer Miracle Kidz said today that it was working on a sequel to Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari - the game that was released in the West in 1989 as River City Ransom. One of the first wave of beat-em-ups in the vein of games like Double Dragon, RCR chronicled the exploits of two high schoolers, Alex and Ryan, as they battled teenage gangs and tried to save River City High and Ryan's girlfriend Cyndi from the evil "Slick."

As in all self-respecting beat-em-ups, this was accomplished by walking right across a screen and punching anyone who got in the way. Sure, it might not look like much these days, but in 1989? It was pretty mind-blowing - not only was it a very competent beat-em-up, but it was the first to really flirt with what we'd call "RPG elements" today: Enemies dropped money, which you could use to upgrade stats, equipment, and even train new moves.

It also had a rather silly sense of humor. The nine enemy gangs included "The Generic Guys," "The Frat Guys," and "The Jocks" (particularly satisfying for young gamers to defeat), and they all yelled a phrase upon defeat - the most memorable of which being the immortal "BARF!"

While it never sold all that well upon its original release, it's since become a rather beloved cult classic. Somehow, over the years the rights came to Miracle Kidz, a studio which supposedly includes many of the original developers of River City Ransom, which is why they're making the sequel.

According to Andriasang [http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/03/18/river_city_ransom_2/], the game is scheduled for a home console release - no console specified - this summer in Japan, and an online PC version is expected to follow in 2012.

The original RCR was noted for its surprisingly thorough localization - Japanese school uniforms on the punks became jeans and T-Shirts, for instance - and one can only hope that someone has the prescience to bring the newfound sequel over as well.

(Andriasang [http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/03/18/river_city_ransom_2/])

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VanityGirl

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Apr 29, 2009
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Excellent news! :)
I was always a sucker for these old fighters and hearing that it will get a sequel just tickles my funny bone.
 

Quiet Stranger

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Feb 4, 2006
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i know it was Nintendo but I want them to re release it onto PSN and XBLA, I'd love to play this with my girlfriend
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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Scott Pilgrim wasn't the sequel?

Anyway, this is awesome. I love retro brawlers, even if nothing comes close to the greatness of Streets of Rage 2.
 

vxicepickxv

Slayer of Bothan Spies
Sep 28, 2008
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Onyx Oblivion said:
Scott Pilgrim wasn't the sequel?

Anyway, this is awesome. I love retro brawlers, even if nothing comes close to the greatness of Streets of Rage 2.
I'm more of a fan of River City Ransom than Streets of Rage 2. They're both great games, but the sheer customization of River City Ransom makes it more of a draw for me.

Quiet Stranger said:
i know it was Nintendo but I want them to re release it onto PSN and XBLA, I'd love to play this with my girlfriend
Nintendo didn't make it. It's not their IP. It could end up going to every system, should the makers so desire.
 

Kross

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Sep 27, 2004
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I probably played River City Ransom, both single player and co-op, more then any other NES game I owned. Even seeing the tribute in the Castle Crashers intro credits and hearing their coin noise made me excessively happy. This is amazing news.

*runs into the stage wall*

*falls over*

I tried the Scott Pilgrim demo and the controls weren't nearly responsive enough for me, I was getting frustrated with trying to deal with multiple enemies before I even finished the first stage. :(
 

Quiet Stranger

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Feb 4, 2006
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vxicepickxv said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
Scott Pilgrim wasn't the sequel?

Anyway, this is awesome. I love retro brawlers, even if nothing comes close to the greatness of Streets of Rage 2.
I'm more of a fan of River City Ransom than Streets of Rage 2. They're both great games, but the sheer customization of River City Ransom makes it more of a draw for me.

Quiet Stranger said:
i know it was Nintendo but I want them to re release it onto PSN and XBLA, I'd love to play this with my girlfriend
Nintendo didn't make it. It's not their IP. It could end up going to every system, should the makers so desire.

Good to knows, thanks for telling me, I just thought since it was on the NES, it was Nintendo's
 

StriderShinryu

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Dec 8, 2009
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ShaggyEdiddy214 said:
DARNIT!
How come every game is a beat-um-up back in the olden days but last night when I have the urge to play a game that involves punching dudes I have to settle for MvC3 and Fight Night Champion!?
Because you don't have Scott Pilgrim VS The World: The Game?
 

fulano

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Oct 14, 2007
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Remember the Nintendo World Cup for the original NES? That game was part of the same Kunio Kun franchise. Damn, that game probably ate a good chunk of my early childhood, back when I was clueless as to what 'W.Germany' actually was.

This is good news.
 

tarislan

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Jan 25, 2010
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Sweet! RCR was easily one of my favorite NES games. Here's hoping they bring over the sequel.
 

FogHornG36

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Jan 29, 2011
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i don't know how well this will translate into a new game.

Also, sort of off topic, but has anyone else played the rom hack of this call pussy city pimps?

http://www.i-mockery.com/romhacks/pussycitypimps/
 

Chamale

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Sep 9, 2009
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Hell yeah!

I made the record-setting tool-assisted speedrun of this game, the time of 6:53.42 to beat the game still stands. I'm very excited for this sequel.

<youtube=laJpui8m6yw>

Note that the time is from power-on to final input, not the moment the credits start to roll.

I should work on an improvement for that TAS before this sequel comes out.
 

GonzoGamer

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Apr 9, 2008
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FogHornG36 said:
i don't know how well this will translate into a new game.

Also, sort of off topic, but has anyone else played the rom hack of this call pussy city pimps?

http://www.i-mockery.com/romhacks/pussycitypimps/
I believe the term is "ninjaed."
Pussy City Pimps is the first thing I thought of when I saw this news. I have it on my GBAMP and will now be playing it on the way home today.
 

Lt. Vinciti

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Nov 5, 2009
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RCR

One of the best NES games on the market...mix of Fighter + Adventure...a timeless classic and the last time we saw it was on the GBA.. -sniff- never knew revival could sound so good
 

Onyx Oblivion

Borderlands Addict. Again.
Sep 9, 2008
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vxicepickxv said:
Onyx Oblivion said:
Scott Pilgrim wasn't the sequel?

Anyway, this is awesome. I love retro brawlers, even if nothing comes close to the greatness of Streets of Rage 2.
I'm more of a fan of River City Ransom than Streets of Rage 2. They're both great games, but the sheer customization of River City Ransom makes it more of a draw for me.
BUT THE MUSIC...

Also, the fact that SoR2 has an XBLA re-release with ONLINE CO-OP propels it to the top instantly for me. Final Fight had that too, but has always been an inferior series. Despite the mustache.
 

The Random One

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May 29, 2008
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I, for one, welcome a brawler that doesn't involve a muscular emo guy stabbing dudes on environments based on that one time a dev skimmed a mythology book.