Two Kunio-Kun classics are finally being localized for NES by Retro-Bit

Oh, this is right up my alley. Retro-Bit has announced the next in their line-up of retro reproductions. This time, they’re bringing over two games that are near and dear to me from the expansive Nekketsu/Kunio-Kun/Downtown/River City series. The games in question are Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu and Nekketsu Street Basket: Ganbare Dunk Heroes, which are being localized as River City Fighting Legend and River City Basketball, respectively.

We only got a few of the over here in North America, which includes the certified NES classic, River City Ransom. In Japan, the series was expansive. It’s an impressive corner of the Famicom library.

Of the games left on the Famicom, Ganbare Dunk Heroes is one of the best. Don’t get me wrong, Nekketsu Kakutō Densetsu is great, too. But in the hierarchy, Dunk Heroes is pretty near tops.

RIVER CITY FIGHTING LEGEND

So, let’s take a look at River City Fighting Legend. It’s an arena brawler starring the characters. They have movesets that are a bit more expansive than their Ransom counterparts, but it’s still just a brutal slugfest. The main storyline is always 2v2, so it’s a pretty great co-op game. But if you have a multi-tap, you could get four players to duke it out. Just, you know, not everyone on the same team.

It’s decent. It’s a bit thin, but it’s great to pick up with friends. There weren’t many straight-up fighting games on the NES, so it stands out.

The NES cartridge comes in “Zanshin,” which is grey. It comes with a manual, acrylic stand, and a box. The box is cardboard, but it’s sturdy cardboard, like a hardcover book. There’s also a magnetic flap on them, so it’s nicer than I can make “cardboard” sound.

RIVER CITY BASKETBALL

River City Basketball, though. Oh, gosh. It’s a great game. It’s 2v2 basketball, and true to the series, there’s a lot of fisticuffs. Like most, Nekketsu/Kunio-Kun/Downtown/River City games, it can also be played with four players. It also only sort of follows the rules of basketball.

Okay, get this: There’s no two or three point system. Instead, each side has three hoops stacked on top of each other on a pole that towers into the sky. If you land the ball through the top hoop – whether by shooting or dunking – there’s a chance that it will drain through the other two hoops on the way down, and you get a point for each hoop you clear.

But it gets better: After a hoop takes enough abuse, it can fall off the backboard. If your opponent’s comes off, you can pick it up, carry it back to your side, and stick it to one of your own backboard. Then, you can get points by draining it through that hoop, as well. It’s so ridiculous, it’s so innovative, it’s amazing.

River City Basketball also comes with a manual, stand, and box. This time, the cartridge is “Street Chalk,” which is also grey. It might be a smidge lighter in shade, but still grey. And I don’t think this is the same shade as a stock NES cartridge.

D-D-D-DUUUUNK!

It’s worth noting that you can get these games and more, fully translated, as part of the Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle. This release is more unique in the fact that you can play it in your NES. Also, because they’re fab looking special editions. Retro-Bit isn’t using the same localization as that release, instead they have brand-new English words from Nathan Deren and Jonathan Antonioli.

Oh, hey, I was quoted in the Media Deck (which I don’t think I’m supposed to link you to) from back when I wrote about Ganbare Dunk Heroes for Destructoid.

In any case, regardless of how you do it, you should play these games. If you want to do so on your NES (and don’t have a flash cart or Famicom adapter and copy of the game), then you can pre-order one or both of them starting today. It’s available from Limited Run Games, Castlemania Games, Rondo Products, or, if you’re a fellow Canuck, PNP Games.

Retro-Bit has previously provided the author with “production samples” of the games they publish.