Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari EX (ダウンタウン熱血物語ex, which roughly translates to "Downtown Hot-Blooded Story EX") is a beat 'em up role-playing game in the Kunio-kun franchise. The game was released on March 5, 2004.
Also known as River City Ransom EX in North America, it is a Game Boy Advance version of Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari released for the Family Computer. It is the first Kunio-kun game developed by Million Co., Ltd., which is comprised of former staff from Technōs Japan Crop..
Early Japanese orders included a Kunio strap.
Development[]
Plot[]
- Main article: Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari#Plot
Gameplay[]
- Main article: Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari#Gameplay
The most notable change is the loss of a true cooperative mode. Instead, the game can be played with an AI-controlled partner, and players may exchange the data of their own characters to fight alongside each other.
In addition, the game includes a vast amount of configurable options that can adjust game play on the fly, such as changing AI behavior, the amount of enemies in 1 map area, and shop item reshuffling frequency.
The password system is replaced by battery backup, which allows saving up to 12 characters. Character's appearances, keystrokes for learned techniques, even enemy characters can be customized and saved using secret shop items. A saved game does not store story progress or reputation, but it does store the player's statistics, techniques, current items and money, player's name, and customized appearances.
Although this game does not have a password system, using certain names can change the player's techniques, statistics, items, cash, or delete all saved characters.
Diagonal walls featured in the Famicom/NES game no longer exist. As a result, in the GBA version map 9, it is no longer possible to throw enemies into water.
This version can display up to 8 characters (the player, his 3 allies and 4 enemy characters) on-screen at once. The number can be adjusted in game.
Pause Menu[]
Pressing Start at any time during gameplay pauses the game and brings up the pause menu. There are eight options to choose from.
Item[]
View, use, or discard any items in the character's inventory.
Status[]
View your main character's current stats. The character can also be renamed here.
Strategy[]
Determine the way your posse members fight. By default, their fighting styles are chosen at random. The available options are:
- Action: How your posse members fight. Options are Joint, Random, Alone, or Wait.
- Target: Who your posse members fight. Options are Apart, Close, Same, or Backup.
- Range: Where your posse tries to stay relative to enemies. Options are Far, Mid, Close, or Varied.
- Attack: How they engage enemies. Options are Mean, Timid, Rash, or Annoy.
- Weapon: Whether your posse uses weapons, and how. Options are Not Use, Ideal, Use, or Throw.
- Behave: How honorably your posse fights. Options are good, mature, so-so, or bad.
File[]
Save, load, and delete character data.
Technique[]
View your currently learned techniques and how to use them. They can also be toggled on and off, or discarded.
Log[]
A running fight log keeps track of combat statistics. This can be turned off/on or reset at any time.
Options[]
A series of options to tune the game.
Mode[]
The same options from the beginning of the game. The Game Mode (Alex, Ryan, or Both) and the number of allies cannot be changed, but the number of enemies, their difficulty, friendly fire rules, and the game's text speed can.
Money[]
Status[]
Controls and moves[]
Techniques[]
8 extra store-bought techniques are added, up to total of 12 available techniques. Each player can learn up to 12 techniques. In addition, each boss character (including Kunio and Riki) includes a unique set of techniques, which can be saved into a character slot by using a secret shop item.
Some secret shop items, such as magic pants, consume 1 technique slot per item.
Weapons[]
Recruit System[]
The player can gain additional computer-controlled allies and form a "posse" who helps the player-controlled character on his adventure. Some of these are boss characters from the original NES version, while others are taken from later Downtown Nekketsu games. The player's character can be accompanied by up to 3 AI-controlled partners.
The allies that can be hired depends on the story progress, player's existing allies, and player's reputation. Once an ally is recruited, the ally cannot be dismissed throughout the game.
Player's reputation is invisible, but it decreases when:
- Defeating less than 4 minor enemies within a map
- Attacking boss before they complete their speech (-16 rep)
- Attacking a fallen enemy(grabbing and throwing or hitting it does not affect but it does affect turning and throwing them against other enemies)
- Attacking an ally(only if friendly fire is activated)
- Death of an ally (including suicide)(sometimes the whole rep can go down)
Conversely, player's reputation increases when:
- Defeating 20 minor enemies within a map
- Defeating boss(+4 rep)
- Hiring an ally(+16 rep)
- Player is knocked down
- Crashing into walls(+1 rep)
- Player attacked at knock down phase(gives a bit of REP [not specified])
- Receive hits 4 times
- Player dies(+4 rep)
Unlockable Character's and Events[]
| Unlockable | How to Unlock |
|---|---|
| Get Sugata/Gary | Play in 1 player mode as Kunio/Alex then he will be either at the beginning place or at Sherman Park when Kinoshita/Blade appears there |
| Get Maeda/Rick | Start the game as Riki/Ryan in Solo Mode and go to Sherman Park, Rick will be waiting and say 'YES' to his offer |
| Get Sonokwa/Conan and the Senridai Bombers/Generic Dudes join your posse | Start the game in Solo mode as Kunio/Alex, and defeat the Senridai Bombers/Generic Dudes anywhere 3 times and then go to the second place in the game and beat everyone up there |
| Get Mochizuki/Turk | Have High Reputation |
| Get Hayasaka/Jesse | Beat Mochizuki/Turk 5 times and Hayasaka/Jesse will appear(requires high reputation for him to join you) |
| Get Taira/Mojo | Have High Reputation |
| Get Kobayashi/Thor on Your Team | Must have high reputation the 1st time you fight him |
| Get Himada/Rex | When you fight him at the place before RCH, he will either ask to join you, or
fight you, depending on your reputation. |
| Get Kumada/Ted | Decline Himada/Rex's offer to join you and come back and fight everyone and Kumada/Ted will be there |
| Get Gouda/Ivan | Talk to the girl before the spa, then the girl outside the fish store, then at the 1st place of the last shopping place |
| Get Godai/Tex | Have Gouda/Ivan in your team and a good reputation |
| Fight Kunio/Alex & Riki/Ryan | Start the game in 1 player mode only not 2 player mode and go outside the 2nd factory and you will fight your ally |
| Fight the Dragon Twins with Gouda/Ivan Joining You Without any Enemies in the Beginning | When Gouda/Ivan asks to join your posse, say 'NO' and go meet Godai/Tex and say 'YES' to his question, then go to Reihou High's last floor |
| Fight Yamada/Slick with the Dragon Twins & Onizuka/Otis | Must have 3 allies in your posse that are not Mochizuki/Turk, Taira/Mojo, Kinoshita/Blade |
| Meet Shōko/Jinny | Must defeat all members from the Shionzan Academy/The Gamers gang and Benny & Clyde at the Riverside Park. Then, must beat Benny & Clyde at the sauna 4 or 5 times. |
| Meet Todo/Titus | Must have a reputation of either equal or higher to getting Kobayashi/Thor unto your team, he is located at the 2nd shopping place in the game |
| Meet Todo/Titus Second Time | Must have meet him the first time and this time he appears at Reihou's gate after you beat Gouda/Ivan once |
Areas[]
- Main article: Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari#Areas
The areas in the game are the same from the original game.
- Hanazono High School: Cross Town High in the North American version.
- Hanazono Town: Sticksville in River City Ransom EX.
- Hanazono Shopping District: Grotto Mall in the North American version of the game.
- Hanazono Town / Hanazono Park 3: Sherman Park in the North American version of the game.
- Hanazono Town:
- Sakuramachi Shopping District: Waterfront Mall in the North American version.
- Shinba River / Hanazono Bridge: Capitol Ave. Bridge in River City Ransom EX.
- Midori Town: Downtown in the North American version of the game.
- Maruka Shipping Warehouse: W. S. L. Co. Warehouse in the North American version of the game.
- Maruka Shipping Building: Armstrong Thru-Way in River City Ransom EX.
- Midori Town: Downtown in the North American version of the game.
- Midori Town Shopping District: Flatirons Mall in River City Ransom EX
- Midori Town: Downtown in the North American version of the game.
- Kobayashi Industrial Factory Site: Vacant 3rd Wheel Factory in the North American version.
- Hoshigaoka Shopping District: Oak Hill Mall in the North American version of the game.
- Yumemi Town: Burb Village in the North American version of the game.
- Reihō Academy: River City High in the North American version.
Characters[]
- Main article: Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari#Characters
The same characters from the original game return and so do the same schools. Each school now has 10 additional students. In addition, more characters that debuted in later Downtown Nekketsu games make an appearance:
- Tōdō: Titus in the North American version of the game.
- Sugata: Gary in the North American version of the game.
- Maeda: Rick in the North American version of the game.
- Kumada: Ted in the North American version of the game.
- Hayasaka: Jesse in the North American version of the game.
- Kuniko: Shel in the North American version of the game.
- Saori: Saori was mentioned in Downtown Nekketsu Monogatari and later in Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun, but this game marks her first appearance in the franchise. Abby in the North American version of the game.
The game also introduces new characters:
- Himada: Rex in the North American version of the game.
- Shōko: Jinny in the North American version of the game.
Playable characters[]
- Kunio: In the North American version of the game, Kunio is renamed Alex.
- Riki: In the North American version of the game, Riki is renamed Ryan.
Supporting characters[]
- Hasebe: In the North American version, she is named Roxy.
- Mami: Mami is renamed Cyndi in the North American version of the game.
Opposing high schools[]
- Senridai High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Generic Dudes.
- Sakajuku Commercial High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Frat Guys.
- Tōgame Commercial High School: New school. The Dragons in River City Ransom EX.
- Numaoka Industrial High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Jocks.
- Hikariba University 3rd Attached High School: New school. The Rockers in River City Ransom EX.
- Hoshinookanishi High School: New school. The Rejects in River City Ransom EX.
- Hoshikusa Agricultural High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Home Boys.
- Kirisame Commercial High School: This school was first introduced in Downtown Nekketsu Baseball Monogatari: Yakyū de Shōbu da! Kunio-kun and was not in the original game. In the North American version, this gang is known as The Eagles.
- Hakutaka Industrial High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Mob.
- Matagawa Industrial High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Locals (in River City Ransom, they were named The Squids).
- Hōryō High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as The Internationals.
- Tanibana High School: In the North American version, this gang is known as the The Cowboys.
- Reihō Academy: In the North American version, this gang is known as the The Plague.
- Shionzan Academy: New school. The Gamers in River City Ransom EX.
- Koganeho Academy: New school. The Entrees in River City Ransom EX.
Bosses[]
- Sawaguchi: In the North American version of the game he is named Moose.
- Kamijō and Yamamoto: Kamijō is renamed Benny in the North American version of the game while Yamamoto is renamed Clyde.
- Nishimura: In the North American version of the game, he is named Rocko.
- Kinoshita: Named Blade in the North American version of the game.
- Mochizuki: In the North American version of the game, he is named Turk.
- Taira: In the North American version of the game, he is named Mojo.
- Kobayashi: Renamed Thor in the North American version of the game.
- Gōda: He is renamed Ivan in the North American version of the game.
- Onizuka: He is named Otis in the North American version of the game.
- Godai: He is named Tex in the North American version of the game.
- Ryūichi and Ryūji: Ryūichi is renamed Randy and Ryūji is renamed Andy in the North American version.
- Yamada: He is named Slick/Simon in the North American version of the game.
Codes and Secrets[]
Japanese Version[]
In the Status screen, renaming characters to any of the following will grant the player with special effects and items:
- らむくりあ: Clears save data.
- てんこもり: Sets all of the current character's stats to the maximum.
- どらむすこ: Grants the player with the maximum amount of yen.
- さーびす0: Places a scroll in the character's inventory. Using the scroll allows the player to save a new file with any of the game's available characters, non-playable characters, and bosses. For all characters to appear, the game must be completed at least once.
- さーびす1: A scroll is added to the character's inventory. Using the scroll allows the player to change the appearance of the character currently being used.
- さーびす2: A scroll is placed in the character's inventory. Using the scroll allows the player to modify the inputs of any special technique they currently have.
- わざむし0: Grants the current character Special Techniques 1 through 12: Mach Punch, Mach Kick, Screw, Mach Strike, Human Torpedo, Art of Yamada, Nitro Attack, Dragon Tail Kick, Deadly Shot, Human Drill, Human Helicopter, and Self Torpedo.
- わざむし1: Grants the current character Special Techniques 13 through 24.
- わざむし2: Grants the current character Special Techniques 25 through 36.
- こうかむし: Places items with special effects into the current character's inventory.
Localized Version[]
- You can get slick trick, mach punch, dragon kick, acro circus, grand slam and more with changing name as "FUZZY".
- You can get bat fang, killer kick, bike kick, charge it, boomerang, god fist, bomb blow with changing name as "WAZZA".
- TRY changing name as XTRA0, XTRA2, WUZZY, BEAR.
- You can make your own character look with changing name as "XTRA1".
Localization[]
Regional differences[]
Localization Staff Credits[]
- Product Management: Sonoko Saito
- Project Lead: Akibo Shieh
- Project Coordination: Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Marketing: Gail Salamanca
- Translation: James Kuroki
- Localization: Tomm Hulett
- Quality Assurance: Jonathan Wu, Angel Ramirez, and Eric Y. Kwan
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Four of the game's cheat names, FUZZY, WUZZY, WAZZA, and BEAR, are based on the "Fuzzy Wuzzy" Children's Poem.
- Unlike River City Ransom, all the characters in River City Ransom EX still wear their Japanese gakuran, instead of being changed to jeans and a t-shirt.