Article Index :: Front Page
VIRTUAL FOOL’S OBLIGATORY
TREATMENT OF RIVER CITY RANSOM
By Kevin - 09.08.03
Ye Olde River City Ransome
In accordance with the specified procedures, and owing to the fact that this site focuses excessively on video games, I hereby dictate that this site shall have a portion of its 0’s and 1’s devoted entirely to one of the most beautiful results of the human creative spirit, River City Ransom.
Throw that tire!
The Nintendo Entertainment System, which was largely fleshed out in 1984, and which debuted in 1985, would undergo a steady maturing as a unit of hardware. The initial outpouring of games were in Nintendo’s own “Series” series, each bearing a familiarly structured label and group with other similar games. These ranged widely, from golden gems like Super Mario Bros. to atomic stinkers like Gyromite. The next full year, 1986, introduced many milestone games into the Nintendo lexicon, including underrated titles like Capcom’s Commando and Nintendo’s own Metroid. Immediately following, 1987 introduced the ground-breaking, battery-backed The Legend of Zelda, which to this day remains one of the top adventure games for any system. Nintendo Power, a publication of some merit, was fully introduced in 1988, and lauded such sound titles as Super Mario Bros. II and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest. But, these years merely set the stage for the beauty that was to be 1989, perhaps the crown jewel in Nintendo’s heady crown: in terms of the volume of titles released, the quality of development, and the Nintendo-centric socio-economic climate, this year would never quite me topped. Forget, for a minute: instead, focus your energies on the epicenter of videogamedom of the year of out Lord, 1989: American-Technos’ very own, River City Ransom.
I LOOOOVVVEEE PLOT!
Slick, that is, a generically pissed off/violent teenager, has kidnapped your girlfriend, and is holding her captive in River City High School. Every gang (additionally, every “boss”) is out to prevent you from rescuing her, and every area of the city belongs to one gang or another….except the ever iconic malls, which have remained free by virtue of their ass-kicking-ness. Essentially, rescuing the innocent students of River City High means that Alex and Ryan (who “fortunately weren’t in school that day,”) must plow through Slick’s evil denizens in order to bring sanity/normality back to River City. Tally ho!
”He Probably Dropped Alcohol Before I Hit Him”
The game consists of several formal elements that drastically affect strategy, game play and approach. It is constructed on a linear series of “screens,” each with predetermined spatial possibilities and a definite order: however, the gang whose turf each screen is very random. Each time the player(s) enter or exit a screen, the gang changes. Since some gangs (see below) are more difficult to deal with then others, a successful player will strategically retreat until a beatable situation arises. In the vein of previous Technos games such as Renegade and Double Dragon, River City Ransom has a quasi-3D perspective, allowing sprites to move both up/down and left/right. Certain screens are easier if the environment is utilized: beating up gang members next to a pit or wall is more effective then being totally in the open. Rather then go into battle naked, many of the baddies prefer to wield all manner of strange weaponry, from Stick to Tire to Chain. The best skills, however, come from the purchase and study of tomes from the bookshops which grace every mall (this game seems to have been made by William and Mary faculty, who, much to my dismay, would rather assign reading then martial arts development.) Much like other “modern” games, the purchase/consumption of food is extremely important, not only as a skill-builder, but as a means of regaining health. Variety is the spice of life, and the PC can purchase anything from Tea to Sushi.
What cultural text about gangs and urban decay would be complete without a rundown of said gangs? Here, in brief, is a quick description of the different clicks that rule the town.
GENERIC DUDES SUCK
Generic Dudes - One has to wonder whether or not this name is the result of material lost in translation or merely an exercise in the sort of sense of humor the video game community can adopt. Either way, in game terms, these guys are ridiculously lame. With names like Perry and Cary, one would imagine that they’d suck. Probably the safest way to build up money early in the game is to kick throngs of these guys.
The Frat Guys - The developers of this game, I’m convinced, must have attended UVA, because their depiction of fraternities fits the perfect stereotypes. THEY WEAR PINK SHIRTS! THEY HAVE NAMES LIKE BIFF AND SKIP! THEY CRY “AHHH MOMMA” WHEN THEY ARE HIT! Another fairly easy group to give the once over, The Frat Guys are mainly to be laughed at.
The Jocks - If ever a group was suited to perpetuating the takeover of River City High School, it was the Jocks. With names like Brad and Nick, it even begins to sound like the starting line up of your high school’s football team.
The Home Boys - I must confess, I don’t get it. Why are they white? Anyway, they kind of suck but can pull some weight if provoked. I wonder if their Ernie is like that bro from Sesame Street.
The MOB - New Jersey written all over them. Best names in the game! I’d love to hang out with Vinny, Lefty, Manny or even Mouse. Not Marco, though – he sucks.
The Squids - Undersea dwellers, or something more sinister? Waldo, Morty and Berni are destined to be big stars. Not be confused with anyone who matters.
The Internationals - They are either exchange students or mercenaries, I can’t tell which: they are pretty tough though. I HEART AKBAR, FIJI, WANG AND YEMI!
The Cowboys - No horses, but they are rough (and give you lots of dough.) Bubba and Merle are the funniest sounding of their ranks.
The Plague - These guys are the richest gang in the game, and the toughest. But with names like Ziggy, Mooky and Tonto, it is hard not to laugh to death.
….dmbfrat420beers after a good night….
The game’s greatest strength, as I see it, is in combining the notions of “the quest” and of character development with the beat ‘em up genre. A player can actually invest emotional interest in a character that can be customized, someone who can buy food and save it for later, heck, a dude that can read books and learn how to defy physics. Since it is technically never the same game twice, River City Ransom has damn near limitless replay value. Fun is further facilitated by responsive controls and creative art direction. Watching the city change as the game progresses, and focusing on the wincing pain of an injured foe’s face are but two of the pleasures provided by the graphics engine. The amount of muscle mass on what, I guess, are supposed to be high-schoolers truly astounds me. If I’ve learned anything from this game, it has to be that a steady and diverse diet can help germinate a strong body. Education and entertainment…edutainment!
Dude, I love that band!
Provided here are the ROM (however, this game is certainly worth owning,) links to other River City Ransom sites, and another noteworthy endeavor into the realm of River City. The boys at X-Strike Studios have done the seemingly impossible: they have adapted River City Ransom into a film! They will at MAGfest in some form (hopefully with the finished film,) so be sure and check them out. Oh, and while you are there, seek out the Virtual Fools and chat away about all of your favorite Technos-developed games!
Links:
River City Ransom Rom
River City High School Class Reunion
The Definitive Guide to River City Ransom
Game FAQ’s River City Ransom Page
X-Strike Studios
Related Virtual Fools articles:
The Warriors
Urban Champion
We know it is a Chinese restaurant cause it is red and says “Mao’s”
Enjoy!
Article Index :: Front Page
|
|
