River City Ransom EX: Out in Japan!

[ManekiNeko]

Are you ready to rumble with this update of Technos' classic NES fighting game? I know I am!

I'll give you my impressions of the game tomorrow, after I play it.

JR

[spoon]

I can't wait to hear. I have been waiting for this game. Maybe I should import it?

[Sph1nx]

Game is really nice. Although I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I could either speak japenese or had an english version.

Some of the nice new features are:
- Two player via Computer
- New weapons pylons, rollers, LADDERS!
- Can pick up an enemy body and swing it around.
- Can hit people behind you with backhand.
-Can power up your punches for more dmage.

The graphics are GREATLY improved. As are the animations.
The fighting has also changed to something more interesting and varried.

All in all it's a great game you should play.

Here's a bunch of... ahh... screenshots.. I grabbed.
http://newfiemail.com/dp/rcr/
(whistles innocently)

[jaydubnb]

Are there any screens of the USA version yet? I -praying- that Technos localizes it like they did with the NES version by giving the kids different clothing besides the rather lame lookiing Japanese school unis.

[hydr0x]

i played it today and i think they did well, didn't play it too long though, i'll have to play a little more to see if it's really good

[suppafly]

hows the game music? I still whistle everyday the music from the first RCR.....the music inside the shops was very catchy, also the bosses song!!

[kainemaxwell]

Got any pics yet Jess?

[SoulBlazer]

When is the US version coming out?

[Mayhem]

Next month I believe.

[Happy_Dude]

Cool First I'v heard about this.

Is Info-Atari involved ? RCR was their best game and it would be cool if the
new Fuji could be slaped on somthing that isn't utter shit

[Mayhem]

Were they? It was a Technos (of Double Dragon fame) game in Japan and this GBA version is being released by Atlus.

[ManekiNeko]

I've offered my opinion of the game on my web site, but what the heck, it won't hurt to do it again.

It's important to note that this isn't just a straight port of River City Ransom, but an update, with the same level designs but improved graphics, jazzed up music, and more attacks for each character. Holding down the punch or kick button results in a more powerful strike... the longer you hold the button, the stronger it will be. If you hold the punch button, then press kick or vice versa, you'll perform a special move.

In the original River City Ransom, you could purchase books which taught you devastating new martial arts moves, like Javelin Man and Acro Circus. River City Ransom EX offers all these and more, including an enhanced version of Acro Circus which lets you roll around the screen, bowling over enemies, and a spinning attack which knocks away all enemies dumb enough to get near you. The problem with these new attacks is that they're TOO strong... once you purchase them, none of the enemies in the game stand a chance. You can literally roll right over the most powerful bosses and kill standard enemies with a single hit. My advice to you is if you ever make enough money to buy these attacks, resist the temptation to use them. You'll enjoy the game a lot more without them.

The graphics are better than in the NES game... the backgrounds are much more detailed and far less repetitive. Also, the animation has improved slightly... hit a foe with an especially powerful attack and they'll spin away before dropping to the floor. However, the Japanese school uniforms the characters wear are, as someone mentioned earlier, kind of dull and drab. I too hope they'll be changed in the US release, although I'm pretty sure I've seen pictures of the game with English text but the same attire for Kunio and his friends.

The level designs are about the same as they were on the NES... if you're expecting the extra rounds from the X68000 computer game, you're going to be disappointed. However, the game does have a bit more depth than it once had, thanks to the new attacks given to both the players and the bosses. The bosses aren't just headswaps of the other characters... they have devastating holds and attacks which make them unique. Just wait until you see what the last boss, Simon, has in store for you!

Overall, River City Ransom EX is a satisfactory update of the NES game, but to be perfectly honest, I think I would have been a lot happier with this:

http://www.lostlevels.org/200402/200402-rcr.shtml

JR

[Happy_Dude]

Were they? It was a Technos (of Double Dragon fame) game in Japan and this GBA version is being released by Atlus.

Indeed it is a Technos game.
This is what my box looks like, I'v always just assumed it was an Infrogrames game.
Must have been a distribution deal or somthing.

[Mayhem]

Yeah you're right, Infogrames just distributed the game in PAL territories.

[kainemaxwell]

Hey, least we're getting an update over here, think of it that way.

[MarioAllStar2600]

Is there alot or reading? Will I be good to import it?

[digitalpress]

*an ominous voice bellows*

"Rise from your grave, abandoned beat'em-up topic!"

[Azazel]

Actually the company is known as Million now and not Technos. Look at Double Dragon Advance and you'll see Million mentioned on it as well. Technos went out business some years ago I believe. I'm not sure on the whole story on this.

There's not a whole lot of reading. Generally a lot of swearing and such when you attack people. If you've played previous version this shouldn't be too hard except for some of the newer items and such. I haven't compared the dialogue so I'm not certain on that. You do you have to beat the bosses in a certain order and generally most of the bosses tell you who you have to beat next but not always. I know the game backwards and forwards so it's pretty easy for me.

Here's a semi review/summary I did of the game recently.

Anyone else tried the GBA Downtown Nekketsu Monotagari? Anyone know
what the deal is with Technos Japan/Million? I thought Technos went
out a business a few years back and haven't released much of anything
past the 16 bit era. This is great news as there one of my favorite
companies. They've already released Double Dragon Advance, and the
Dodgeball one which I forgot the Japanese name for and hopefully
they'll release more games on the GBA. Hopefully this one will get
released in the US as well?

The graphics are slighty improved over the 3 previous versions.
They added some new moves as well as techniques that you
learn from buying books from the bookstore. It looks some
of the techniques that were only in the X68000 didn't make it
into this version for whatever reason. I'm not sure how many there are
as I never finished that game and got all the techniques.
The game is still basically the same compared to the Famicom
and PC Engine cds so if you've played those versions or the US River
City Ransom you should be able to play this pretty easily. And why in
the hell was the US NES version called River City Ransom?
Unlike previous versions there can be up to 4 enemies on screen,
it was only 3 in the other version so there can be up to 5 people
on the screen if your playing with a friend. They also added a
mode where you can have a CPU controlled teammate. So far
this teammate so to speak hinders me as much as he helps me.
They also added a few new weapons. The only one I've seen so
far are the cones in the construction areas. Some of the area are
changed a little bit like there isn't that wall in the warehouse
that kind of split the area in helf. They also changed that
park area and got rid of the middle part of the area that you can jump
on. Also if you jump on the walls or higher areas the enemies will follow
you up there unlike previous versions were they just stood still till you jumped down.
So I can't abuse some of my techniques like jump on
the wall hit guy and repeat. You can still use the technique to a certain degree.

As for the bad things or stuff I didn't like about.

The game is still written entirely in Hiragana. In this day and age
see no reason why they can't do the game in Kanji. At least the PC
Engine version had the items, shops and that stuff in Katakana which
made it a little easier to play.

Difficulty seem a little easier comparing the default skill level
with previous versions. Bosses so far have taken the biggest nose
dive in difficulty.

They didn't include the new areas and techniques that were in the X
68000 version.

Sometime you can get gang up on cause there are more people on
screen. It's no where near as bad as it is for Double Dragon Advance.
That level in DDA that your on a Train/Truck or whatever still gives me
nightmares and I die about 3 times there. Although I die less in this
version of DNM compared to the other versions.

[lionforce]

This is one release that I am definitely waiting for, has anyone been able to find the original RCR for the NES, that game is hard to find, but with this rerelease I won't have to hunt down the original

[suppafly]

is RCR for NEs a rare game? i really didnt know that...!