Top 50 Video Games: Number 39

#39: River City Ransom
System: Nintendo Entertainment System
Publisher: Technos
Released: 1989
Players: 2


There's trouble in River City.


River City Ransom is another of many side scrolling NES games on this list. It's the most fun side scrolling fighting game I've ever played. Its cartoonish graphics and cheesy story give the game quirkiness and make it memorable. It's also one of those free roaming, move-at-your-own-pace games I enjoy so much. It can be played cooperatively with another player and it's all the better for it.

The story is that Slick has the students in River City High School held prisoner and Ryan's girlfriend is among the prisoners! Alex and Ryan must make their way across town to rescue her. To get there they'll have to fight their way through gang territories (gangs like The Generic Dudes, The Jocks and The Mob among others.) When you beat up a gang member, he'll say something like "I'm finished!" or "BARF!" and drop some coins on the ground. The money has an important purpose in the game: your character can improve his stats and learn new fighting techniques by purchasing things from shops and restaraunts along the way.


Grabbing a bite to eat will restore some health and sometimes improve your stats.


RCR is like Double Dragon with a sense of humor. You move about, encountering different bosses and often fighting with things like boxes and sticks - you can even pick up gang members and throw them at each other. The game world is not very large and can be finished pretty quickly. I can forgive it being short because it's so damn fun. River City Ransom was recently rereleased with updated graphics for the Gameboy Advance. The rerelease is not a 2 player game, however. I'd therefore reccomend digging up a copy for the old NES system or acquiring a ROM if you are legally able to do so (insert sinister laugh here.)