This year happens to be the 30th anniversary of the Kunio-kun franchise. While the franchise had a popular run in Japan for much of the 1980s and 1990s, the West had a very spotty affair with the series. For instance, we only received a fraction of the games that were made and few had any continuity with each other due to different companies localizing different games. For instance, games like Renegade, Super Dodge Ball and River City Ransom were originally all Kunio-kun games. River City Ransom is the most well-known Kunio-kun game among gamers, so it's fitting that Arc System Works and Natsume's 30th-anniversary offering is titled River City Tokyo Rumble.

River City Tokyo Rumble is a 2D beat 'em up reminiscent of the 8 bit original Nintendo game. Like with River City Ransom, this game lets you beat up all kinds of super-deformed punks in the streets. You play as Kunio, a hot-blooded high school delinquent who fights for justice, and in this game, Kunio and his posse face off against the Tokyo Lion Alliance, a federation of five gangs who plan to expand their turf throughout Tokyo. You can choose to play alone or have one of Kunio's AI-controlled pals tag along with you. Unfortunately, it's a single player affair so there isn't any two player co-op like with River City Ransom. There is multiplayer, but it's only in the Rumble and Dodgeball modes.

Just like River City Ransom, Tokyo Rumble has you running from street to street punching and kicking down mobs of gangs and taking their lunch money when they're down. You can use that money to hit up shopping arcades where you can buy takeout and cheeseburgers that can increase your stamina, clothing to increase your power, and books that teach you new moves so you can kick more butt. If you end up getting your butt kicked, you'll lose half your cash. Eat foods that increase your willpower so you can avoid instant defeat! And be careful when moving around in shopping arcades and train stations. Hit an innocent bystander and you might just summon unwanted attention, like the Yakuza!

Gameplay is simple. Move with the circle pad or d-pad, A button to punch, B button to kick, hold both A and B to jump (Y is also acceptable) and press X to change your partner's tactics. The shoulder buttons change the camera of the game's screen. Special moves can be triggered with various combinations of punching and kicking, like a regular fighting game. Those moves are really effective for clearing out mobs quickly like the Dragon Feet technique or dealing massive damage towards bosses. Unlike River City Ransom's passwords, Tokyo Rumble uses a save system and won't have you start all the way at the beginning of the adventure when resuming your save. It's a short game, but you can pad out your adventure by taking on jobs, which act like quests. It's a welcome addition, although most jobs are basically beating up more people and earning money and items when you fulfill your task. In spite of these modern touches, Tokyo Rumble still plays like a classic.

The character graphics are lifted from the 8-bit games and the contrast between the 2D sprites and the 3D rendered backgrounds are stark. Each character has their hilarious reactions when being hit and it's especially funny when you're tossing one dude towards other dudes. The music is fine, with most tracks basically being modern arrangements of classic Kunio-kun tunes. The character cameos are a reminder of Kunio-kun's legacy, with some of the characters being bonus bosses you can meet and defeat. Speaking of cameos, I won't spoil anything but for you old school gamers, but you'll love a certain stage in the final part of the game. It's nothing but double trouble!

Although I love beating up a lot of dudes, I can see it being repetitive for anyone who isn't a fan of the original games. That's all you pretty much do. Beat dudes up. Beat dudes up until you win the game. The partner AI is kind of dumb, but they'll help in a pinch when facing tough bosses. Going at it alone is the most fun, in my opinion. It's me versus the world, with the world being a bunch of super-deformed 8-bit Warriors rejects. It would be more fun playing with a friend, though.

River City Tokyo Rumble is a great game for old school gamers but it's fun enough for casual gamers to give it a chance if they don't mind a short campaign and 8-bit character graphics. The controls are simple and tight, the story is basic yet compelling at times, and the overall presentation is easy to understand. And if that isn't enough to inspire you to try it out, there are even cute girls who will smile for you at the local Tech Burger, absolutely free!

Hint: Try to find all of the mystery shops! Each district in Tokyo contains one mystery shop and they sell things you won't be able to find in normal shops. Check everything and anything in the background that seems off!

by Ray n.