The excellent River City Ransom
The North American Virtual Console is in for a treat over the next three Mondays as our pals at IGN have revealed that River City Ransom, Double Dragon and Renegade will be punching their way to the Virtual Console in successive weeks.
Much to the annoyance of North American VC fans the rather excellent River City Ransom came out in February in Europe (aka Street Gangs) and had the nerve to not make an appearance on the US Wii Shop the following Monday. All this is rectified now however so you can breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy this tasty beat ‘em up with some clever RPGish elements to it.
Who can discuss beat ‘em ups without fond memories of Double Dragon? OK so the NES version is not much like the arcade and lacks the 2 player option. It isn’t half bad and there will be a few interested parties we are sure.
On the last of the 3 Mondays the US VC will get Renegade. This beat ‘em up predates even Double Dragon in the arcades! We’re going to be honest and say we are not big fans of this game. It was OK for its time but the gameplay is a bit uninspiring by today’s standards unlike stable mate River City Ransom which is a bit more timeless than this.
These games may not float everyone's boat by at least it is nice to know what’s coming soon on the Virtual Console for the next few weeks!
Source: IGN
1. Link79
16 Apr 2008, 23:09 BST
I'll download Double Dragon for sure. It's probably the game that started the beat em up craze. The other two don't look to thrilling. It's too bad the series died after Super double dragon. I'd love to see a remake on Wii ware. Here's hoping anyway.
2. maka
16 Apr 2008, 23:19 BST
I downloaded Street Gangs when it came out and it's really great. I recomend it too.
3. Atlantis1982
16 Apr 2008, 23:23 BST
Not a fan with all three.
4. Knuckles-san
16 Apr 2008, 23:36 BST
Hopefully we get Double Dragon shortfully after the U.S
That and Streets of rage got me in to the genre. Ive never played River city ransom so i'll check out the review
5. Jogurt the Yogurt
16 Apr 2008, 23:41 BST
I'll be downloading River City Ransom at least three times. Great game. One of the best (if not the best) on the NES.
6. ReZon
16 Apr 2008, 23:42 BST
RCR! Will download!
NES Double Dragon? No thank you...
7. TheLuigiDude
16 Apr 2008, 23:47 BST
Thank you Askys, man I'm loving those guys; quickly becoming my new favorite dev...at least Atlus style dev! But I think this is to hype up the release of Super Dodgeball Brawlers, which is looking great.
But honestly I'll only be getting River City Ransom as Double Dragon without Co-op makes my heart bleed and Renegade...well the port sucked and I've never played the original.
8. Clayfrd
17 Apr 2008, 00:10 BST
Nice. I really haven't gotten into the beat 'em up genre, but I've seen a few that look interesting. Maybe RCR will be worth checking out. I only have about 13 cells left in my Wii Menu... 60 blocks of hard disc memory.
9. DJ Triforce
17 Apr 2008, 00:17 BST
YES!!! Thank you, God! I haven't posted on here in a long time (but I check it everyday), and I was waiting for a post to comment to... and this is it.
You guys have brought me good news. Now... Megaman. 
10. Genroh
17 Apr 2008, 00:26 BST
RCR?! HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY!!!
11. Tony
17 Apr 2008, 00:27 BST
THis is good news as I love beat em ups. I love the NES Double Dragon.I will pick it up for sure. I hope they don't forget Double Dragon 2
12. Angelic Lapras King
17 Apr 2008, 00:29 BST
Waah, I want Pro Wrestling T.T
13. Estrada
17 Apr 2008, 00:30 BST
Awesome. Now I just have to get my wife into RCR like I did with my kid brother oh so many years ago...
14. Stratos
17 Apr 2008, 00:40 BST
I hope that this doesn't mean we are only getting these three games in the next three weeks. One a week for three weeks is too much of a slowdown.
15. Sharecrow
17 Apr 2008, 00:42 BST
I would like to have all three, but would definitely pick RCR first. I wish the Double Dragon was two player....I would prefer the Sega Master System version, but I may still download it. Great news!
16. ARK1
17 Apr 2008, 00:44 BST
River City Ransom I'm interested in. Double Dragon? Not so much. Now if Nintendo instead did Double Dragon II, then that would be something!
17. lordbowser
17 Apr 2008, 01:04 BST
This just made my day (now all i'll need is Double Dragon 2). I can't stop grinning... it hurts.
18. v404
17 Apr 2008, 01:16 BST
YEEEES!!
This is the best NA VC news in a while.
RCR is one of my alltime NES favs. And while the Master System port of DD was far superior, I may buckle & pick it up to hold me over until that eventually happens... which I see as inevitable seeing as how Technos is clearly all aboard w/ the VC.
Renegade.... "meh."
19. JJ
17 Apr 2008, 01:24 BST
I'll get Double Dragon for sure, my favorite game when I was a kid.
20. Spills
17 Apr 2008, 01:33 BST
Just when I spend my 900 Wii points on Milon's secret dooky fantasy....I'll still be downloading RCR for sure. Loved that game and Renegade was hard to beat - not sure that I ever did. DD could still hold a nostalgia factor for some. Yes, finally some good games to be excited about.
21. Tim
17 Apr 2008, 01:49 BST
LOL. In the beginning of time I would be disappointed by the list of vc releases for the US on Mondays. Then the disappointment date got pushed ahead to Friday or Saturday with early tips. Now it got pushed ahead even further to Wednesday.
There is just no pleasing me. Nintendo doesn't like to release the games I want. I have just about given up on the vc at this point. Time to hunt down the carts.
22. Jolted85
17 Apr 2008, 02:39 BST
Glad to see we're getting a game that Europe has had for awhile, I don't think I'll get Renegade considering I still own the NES cart, and I have never played River City Ransom at all (you're probably wondering why); I'd get that if I had some Wii points on me though, it'll be awhile before I get some more.
23. Master K
17 Apr 2008, 02:40 BST
Finally, I love River City Ransom and Double Dragon. My favorite beat em' ups ever!
24. ICEknight
17 Apr 2008, 02:46 BST
I could have been buying Double Dragon if the SMS version was released... but not this. =(
25. ChocoDK
17 Apr 2008, 02:54 BST
Another week of me not buying a VC game. I really hate the fact that I have got Wii Points stuck in the Wii Shop Channel forever. I guess they will be saved until Wii Ware comes out in May.
26. 2hip2beskware
17 Apr 2008, 02:57 BST
And... Chrono Trigger is not announced. Laym!
27. MasterMario
17 Apr 2008, 03:02 BST
Awesome, this is great news!
28. Steven
17 Apr 2008, 03:30 BST
Lame, wake me up on May 12th.
29. Tides of Chaos
17 Apr 2008, 03:50 BST
I'm going to be checking out River City Ransom when it comes out but the others.....pass. Plus, the only reason I'm really interested in RCR at all is for the classic "Barf!" that I have yet to experience first-hand. (that IS this game, right?)
30. olvido
17 Apr 2008, 06:53 BST
River City Ransom is great
31. Kelvin
17 Apr 2008, 12:57 BST
RCR is great, but there are much better versions of Double Dragon than the NES port. Boo.
32. Tony
17 Apr 2008, 13:16 BST
@ Kelvin the Sega Genesis port was really close to the arcade. I hope some how it makes it to the VC because it was published by Accolade.
When the NES version of Double Dragon was released it was as hard to find as the Wii systems are today.
Also in regards to the person who wants the NES Pro wrestling to be released just know I feel your pain brother:( I love that game too.
33. Kelvin
17 Apr 2008, 14:20 BST
Tony, I'm not sure we'll see the MD version if the NES one is coming to VC, because they won't want to double-up. We've seen "repeats" with the Wonder Boy series, but those are sufficiently different in most cases for it to be worth releasing multiple versions. I don't know how different the NES and MD Double Dragon titles are (I never played the latter), but I'd guess not very.
34. Tony
17 Apr 2008, 15:12 BST
@ Kelvin
I actually would not mind if they did double up on Double Dragon.
I used to own the Sega Genesis version and it was pretty much a direct port of the arcade ( and a very good one too). The NES version has some different levels and characters.( such as the cave). The NES version has the player level up to aquire new moves where as the Gen. version has all the moves at the beginning. Who knows the way Nintendo is trying to strech the VC it could happen:)
35. Rapadash6
17 Apr 2008, 15:35 BST
Sheesh! It's about damn time! I love River City Ransom and Double Dragon, so both instant downloads for me. Now, NOA, how about after this we have three consecutive weeks of Mega Man releases, hmm?
36. Thomas
17 Apr 2008, 15:45 BST
lol, barf!!!
Infantile comment aside, Double Dragon and River City Ransom are great games from way back when.
37. MrPoo6321
17 Apr 2008, 16:06 BST
I guess it's good that we're finally getting River City Ransom.... but why haven't we got Vectorman yet???? Or any of the Mega Man games??? WHY NINTENDO!!??!?!? WHYYYY!????
38. That Guy from Faxanadu
17 Apr 2008, 16:22 BST
When it comes to Double Dragon, I´ve had a hard time finding out which verson to buy. The NES version is said to play well, but looks nothing like the arcade and lacks 2 player. The Megadrive version looks excellent but I´ve read that hit detection is real bad. Master System checks in somewere in between with good graphics, 2 player and pretty loose controls. I love DD2 for NES, so I´d like to get part 1 someday.
39. Radretrogamer
17 Apr 2008, 17:39 BST
River City Ransom and Double Dragon, i will be downloading for sure. dont know anything about Renegade.
40. Kelvin
17 Apr 2008, 17:44 BST
Tony, I wouldn't mind them doubling up on some games either, but I'm just not sure they will, that's all.
41. ShoRyuKen
17 Apr 2008, 17:57 BST
I will be getting River City Ransom for sure! My dad will be thrilled, it was his favorite game. It will be a blast to play this with him again.
42. ICEknight
17 Apr 2008, 18:24 BST
By the way, Renegade for the Master System was awesome, and not just a graphics hack of a not-too-good NES port.
43. Ryu-mithril
17 Apr 2008, 20:00 BST
Double Dragon Double Dragon Double Dragon!!!!!!!!!
44. Objection_Blaster
17 Apr 2008, 20:57 BST
River City Ransom, Double Dragon and Renegade...not bad. Some possiblities at least,w hich is more than I expected. I've heard a lot about RCR. How good is it by today's standards to aperson who grew up with N64, not NES?
45. That Guy from Faxanadu
17 Apr 2008, 22:03 BST
Objection_Blaster: If you can live with NES graphics, River City is a whole lot more fun than most modern games. It´s a bizarre combination of cute characters, simple but varied violence, improving abilities & gaining special moves by shopping magazines & candy, and finally co-op. The game is fairly tough but if you buy the right stuff it can be finished in 1-2 hours. That´s pretty good for a brawler anyway.
46. Kelvin
17 Apr 2008, 23:00 BST
RCR has pretty good graphics for the NES, I reckon. I know I was pleasantly surprised at how well it holds up, even on a widescreen HD telly.
47. BJ
18 Apr 2008, 15:52 BST
What about Ninja Turtles 2 and Battletoads?
48. arobo21
18 Apr 2008, 16:19 BST
never was a fan of beat em ups : /
49. rbtransformed
19 Apr 2008, 01:01 BST
Arobo21, I completely agree with you. All I need is Zelda, Mario, and a few others to keep me happy. Speaking of which, I still really Majora's Mask. I hope we get it this Summer at the latest.
Leave A Comment
Please login to post a comment.