Yesterday, on both Twitter and Tumblr, Natsume posted a comment alluding to the localization of some sort of Kunio-kun (River City Ransom) game. A picture of three question marks was shown with the caption, “Punch! Kick! BARF!” As anyone who as played a River City Ransom game may remember, it’s a beat’em up where protagonists kick and punch opponents, with vanquished foes sometimes yelling, “BARF!” before they disappear.
The two most recent games in the Kunio-kun series are The PlayStation 3 and Windows PC’s River City Super Sports Challenge ~All Stars Special~, and the forthcoming River City Ransom SP, for the Nintendo 3DS. The former was already released in English on both the PlayStation Store and Steam. The latter is a reimagining of the original Nintendo game that will be released in Japan on June 2, 2016. Though, there hasn’t been an update on River City Ransom: Underground, the officially licensed Windows PC game from Conatus Creative that was crowdfunded back in October 2013, since March 30, 2016.
Two other candidates are additional Kunio-kun Nintendo 3DS games. Nekketsu Mahou Monogatari is a fantasy version of River City Ransom, with Kunio using swords and magic to vanquish villains, monsters, and dragons in a more medieval, fantasy setting. There’s also Downtown Nekketsu Jidaigeki, which is a historical take on River City Ransom with a Sword Action mechanic involving katanas and a Tokugawa period setting.
Update: Natsume has announced River City: Tokyo Rumble. Originally released on the Nintendo 3DS in Japan in 2013 as Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun SP: Rantou Kyousoukyoku, players get to go through Tokyo, enjoying new stories with Kunio, Riki, and his friends. (And beating up more people.) It has 4-man Rumble and dodgeball modes, available outside the main story, and you can play with up to four friends using local and download play.
More River City: Tokyo Rumble details will be available at E3 2016.
