Retro Game of the Week 150: River City Ransom (NES)

This game was always overshadowed by the Double Dragon series back in the NES era. Nowadays, we look back at it and think why we didn't paid more attention to it. River City Ransom is quite unique especially with so many memorable moments. One of the more interesting things about the game is the dialog. The word "barf" become well known because of this game among gamers everywhere especially retro gamers. There is no doubt that this game is a must have for any gamer especially fans of the old deceased beat 'em up genre. 

The game has some of the most memorable music in any beat 'em up ever! Not only that, but it also has a Double Dragon soundtrack somewhere in the game. I won't give it away but it's there somewhere. The sound effects are also quite good. Punching someone never felt so great especially when you hear it. Well done! 

The game plays great. The city and streets are unique so you'll never get lost. The character design is Kunio-perfect. The Kunio games were so great at the reaction of their characters especially when getting a beating from Kunio himself or aka Alex. The stages are also not blended into the background which means when you see a bench, you can climb on it. Same thing with certain buildings. It increases the replay value quite well. 

The gameplay is extremely fun. I don't think you'll get bored of this game. You should also try playing this game with a friend as there is a mode where you two can beat each other up. Make sure you don't get in each other's way. The game also does a great job difficulty-wise. The difficulty increases as you progress through the game. You can also go back to earlier stages and beat up weaker enemies in order to save money and buy techniques as well as eat food which help you level up yours stats. This is a big plus in this game, These elements proved to make the game more playable in a way that even RPGers can play through it and have a good time. 

The game is fun to pick up and play and can be beaten in one sitting. You can always come back to it over and over especially with a buddy. There are different ways to level up your character so don't hesitate to try new things in a second run of this game.

This is a cult classic by many. People always seem to remember Double Dragon more than this game but the Kunio franchise has never disappointed. Be sure to pick it up! Till next week!