River City Ransom

by Atlus

Product Features

• Game Boy Advance remake of the 1989 NES classic
• Two players can team up (via link cable) and fight their way through sidescrolling levels using punches and kicks.
• Action only uses two buttons, but players can also pull off special moves and upgrade their characters RPG-style

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009YXDR
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 5.2 x 1 inches ; 2.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: May 25, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,452 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Game Informer Review

I have very fond memories of playing the original River City Ransom with my younger brother back in the NES days, and it remains one of my favorite games of all time. This update of the Technos classic is every bit as good as the original, and even makes a few improvements. If, like me, you loved this game back in the day, stop reading this now and just go buy it. You'll still love it as much as I do.

On a basic level, everything is unchanged. The side-scrolling brawling, stat-boosting shopping, deformed characters, and bizarre dialogue are all still here. The animations are better, and there are even a few new moves. A few modernizations were also added (like being able to buy emo music from the record store), but nothing ruins the retro vibe. It's also funnier than I remembered: I had forgotten that the theme from Double Dragon plays during the fight with the Twins near the end of the game.

Those who didn't grow up with this title may not be quite as charmed with it as old fans, but many of them will still enjoy it. The RPG-infused brawling may seem a little thin today, meaning River City Ransom will probably become a cult classic for the second time.

Concept:
The NES classic makes a long-awaited return on GBA with a few technical upgrades

Graphics:
Much like the Mario Advance titles, EX looks better than the NES original without losing the flavor

Sound:
Pure 8-bit goodness

Playability:
For better or for worse, EX plays exactly the same as the original. A jump button would have been nice

Entertainment:
This new port proves that River City Ransom is still one of the best cult classic games of all time

Replay:
Moderately High

Rated: 8 out of 10
Editor: Jeremy Zoss
Issue: June 2004

2nd Opinion:
River City Ransom has always boasted a healthy cult following for its endearingly stumpy character designs, solid brawler action, and strange English-as-a-second-language plot and dialogue (dying enemies often exclaim "BARF!" for no apparent reason and there is even a street gang called the Generic Dudes). All nostalgia aside, this is a fun, if fairly repetitive beat ‘em up that will likely seem a bit dated to younger fans.

Rated: 7.5 out of 10
Editor: Matt Helgeson


Subscribe to Game Informer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good game, June 4, 2004

By 

TwistaG "Quoth the Raven 'Nevermore" (Moncks Corner,SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: River City Ransom (Video Game)

River City Ransom Ex is a radically enhanced version of the cult classic NES side-scrolling fighter that tries to be faithful to its progenitor roots. In River City Ransom Ex, you can still play as Ryan or Alex, but the game's real allure is customizing your own characters and recruiting a three-deep hoodlum posse of your own. Players can customize everything from characters' physical appearances to NPC A.I. to in-game physics.
Unfortunately, the original formula of super-deformed deviant tiny boppers and gameplay variety loses its charm amiss all the new enhancements and customizations. Many of the new techniques look cool, but they're way too powerful. Once you've earned enough money to buy a few techniques the game is essentially over. There isn't any incentive to build up and customize your characters at all. Despite the flaw, River City Ransom Ex is a decent addition to the handheld fighter genre, and if players can discipline themselves not to buy many of the all-powerful techniques, River City Ransom Ex can be a cool gaming experience.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Overworked, February 18, 2009

By 

Joseph A. Ottoson (Lafayette, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: River City Ransom (Video Game)

The NES version of River City Ransom was an amazing variation on Double Dragon. RPG elements, the ability to block, a strange cast of characters, hardcore nudity (not really) and free smiles all worked to make this into a memorable title.

The GBA version has all that, but it stumbles in the RPG styled character customization. Atlus tweaked a bunch of the moves, which work together to destroy any challenge and balance the original game had. For example, Acro Cirrus in the NES version was just a flip that damaged enemies. You could beef up your stats, and it could be fairly strong. In the GBA version, it became the somersault of doom. You character will keep rocketing along damaging anything in their path. Once you get this ability, the game effectively ends since no enemy or boss can shut it down once you start pinballing around the stages.

The new purely cosmetic character customization features are interesting, losing the password system in favor of a save file is nice. The graphics are improved over the NES version and the music is faithful to the source material. If they hadn't messed around with the special attacks you can buy with no consideration to game balance, this game would've gotten a much better rating from me.

13 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Poor Port to the GBA, June 10, 2004

By 

K. Winke (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: River City Ransom (Video Game)

River City Ransom for the NES was a classic game. However, the port to GBA brought no effort into making this game better or functional for a handheld. Atlus Software looked to cash in on a popular title and spent the minimal effort necessary to create this cartridge.

I'm not going to criticize what RCR is as a game. But here's what I think you should be aware of before purchasing the GBA version.

- Poor menus. The game immediately begins with two choices, "Story" and "Manage Data." The Manage Data option doesn't even allow you to load a game...you first need to begin a new game and then load. I'd think this could have been improved.

- Screen errors. The game plays in sort of a letterbox mode, but your computer partner and opponents are able to appear below this black bar, and run around offscreen. I believe I remember this bug from the original, but it shouldn't have made it into this updated version.

- Dual-button jump. The GBA has 4 buttons A,B,L,R like the SNES...so I can't understand why I still need to push AB at the same time to jump. L and R aren't even used during actual gameplay. The GBA form makes dual-button moves trickier than a NES controller, and I wish Atlus would have considered that.

I do enjoy River City Ransom as a game, but the presentation and delivery makes me reconsider this purchase. It's sad to see developers offering no effort in the delivery of a title like this, instead choosing to sell the name and hope to cash in with fans.