Surprise! Nekketsu New Records! The Distant Gold Medal[1] (びっくり熱血新記録！はるかなる金メダル Bikkuri Nekketsu Shin Kiroku! Harukanaru Kin Medal) is an action sports game released on June 26, 1992 for the Famicom, developed and published by Technōs Japan Corp.. It is the eighth game in the Kunio-kun series released for the system. The game acts as direct sequel to Downtown Nekketsu March Super-Awesome Field Day!.
The game was ported to the Game Boy on July 16, 1993, titled Bikkuri Nekketsu Shin Kiroku! Dokodemo Kin Medal (びっくり熱血新記録! どこでも金メダル, "Astonishing Hot-Blood New Records! Portable Gold Medal"). This version switched one of the events and made balance changes to many of the game's characters.
In October 1992, the game was released in North America under the title of Crash 'N' the Boys: Street Challenge. This was the fifth localized game in the Kunio-kun series and the second published by American Technōs, Inc. (the other one was River City Ransom). Technōs had intentions to localize many Kunio-kun games under the Crash 'N' the Boys banner, but this plans were canceled.
Development[]
When the game was being planned, many video game companies had received the rights to create licensed games for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. It became imperative to the development team that the game be completely different from those released of the Olympic games.[2]
Story[]
Mamoru begging his father for money.
Mamoru Tōdō's plan to crush all other high schools in the athletic meet was unsuccessful, as he did not take into consideration the extraordinary powers and skills of the participating students, most of all Kunio. Although he was not disappointed by the event, Mamoru hated the fact that he had failed and decided to make plans for a new athletic meet to succeed a second time. However, for the plan to be set in motion, Mamoru needed more money than what was available in his savings. Mamoru begs his father, the president of the Tōdō Group, Kōnosuke, for additional funds so that he can hold the new athletic meet.
Gameplay[]
The mode select screen.
The game has three different games modes: Normal, Short and Practice mode. In Normal Mode, up to four players can play together against a fifth team controlled by the computer in all of the game's events. Short Mode allows up to four players to play any three events. Practice Mode is single player only, with the play going against CPU teams. Although up to four players can play together only two of them play simultaneously, so a four player adapter is not required.
Unlike Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai, the player will not get a Game Over in Normal Mode in single player mode if they have a lower score than the opposing teams. Just like in that game, there are no passwords or saves, but the game does have an ending that requires the player to complete the Normal Mode with the Nekketsu High School Team.
Controls[]
Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai had a control scheme that was similar to both, Nekketsu Renegade Kunio-kun and Downtown Nekketsu Story. The controls in this game vary by event and gameplay is very different from previous games as a result. The only slight exceptions are 400m hurdles and Building Long Jump, which share similar controls.
400m hurdles[]
The player must press Right on the directional pad repeatedly to Run Forward. The B button is used to Jump at any time. The A button does the following actions:
- Tackle: Pressing the A button at any time while on the ground or while running will have the character perform a tackle. This will break middle and long length hurdles (the latter hurdles cannot be jumped over).
- Pick Up: When a hurdle is broken, the top piece of it will fall in front of the player on the track. Pressing the A button on top of it will have the character pick it up. While holding the piece of the hurdle, the player can Throw it to the opposing player by pressing A during a jump. The directional pad can be used to direct the hurdle left or right, depending on the location of the opponent. Pressing the A button while holding the hurdle piece allows the character to use a Spinning Attack.
- Whirlwind Kick: While at the top height of a jump and not holding a piece of the hurdle, pressing the A button will initiate a spinning kick attack. This will hit the opponent multiple times and break long length hurdles.
Pressing the directional pad Down while running will make the character Slide. This allows characters to slide under hurdles. Some hurdles are too low and close to the ground, which will cause a character to get stuck if they slide into them.
Hammer Throwing Golf[]
Pressing the B button repeatedly will have the character Spin around, filling his strength to throw the hammer. The player must press A button while spinning to Throw the hammer.
Moving the directional pad Left or Right while the hammer is falling in the air allows the player to slightly control the hammer's descent. This can also be done as soon as the hammer hits the ground, which can be used to move it away from any hazards or bunkers.
Swimming Battle Royal[]
Once players hit the water and gain control, pressing the A button allows them to Jump. Players can use the directional pad to control the direction of their jump. If one character lands on top of another while they are on the surface of the water, they will be in a horseback position, greatly reducing their oxygen. Pressing the B button while on the surface of the water will have the character Breath Air In to regain oxygen. Holding Down on the directional pad while on the surface of the water allows the character to Dive underwater.
While underwater, players can move in 8 directions using the directional pad. Pressing A allows the character to Speed Up their movement. The B button is used to Kick opposing players. If characters collide underwater, they will Grab one another. The character can Punch the opponent during this by pressing the B button.
High Contention for the Umbrella[]
Building Long Jump[]
The controls in this event are identical to 400m hurdles. Players move with the directional pad to the right (with an item, they are able to move left as well). The B button is used to Jump and to Pick Up an item when standing right next to them. Pressing the A button while holding an item will have the character Drop the item. These controls remain the same when the character is riding the unicycle.
To perform a Jump while holding the Stick, the player must press and hold the B button while running and holding the stick. Holding down the button allows players to measure their jump. Releasing the button will have the characters perform the jump and drop the stick.
Pressing the directional pad left or right while in midair allows players to control the direction of the jump slightly.
Judo Fighting[]
The directional pad is used to Move in eight directions. Characters can dash by pressing Left or Right twice on the directional pad.
The B button has the character throw a Punch while the A button will have them perform a Kick.
Pressing A during a dash will have a character perform a Shoulder Tackle, while B makes them use a Jump Kick.
If characters collide with one another, they will initiate a Grab. Rapidly pressing the B button during a grab will decrease the Power Meter of the opposing player. Once it is empty, the player will be able to select a Throw Technique by using the directional pad. The character performs the technique by pressing the B button. If a player has enough power while they are being grabbed, pressing the directional pad in the opposite direction of their opponent rapidly will allow them to escape the grab.
Events[]
Mami giving a description of the 400m hurdles event.
Both the console versions and the handheld version of the game have five events, but one event is replaced with a different event. Before each event, the player takes control of the team's manager and can go shopping for items. The game's five events are split into two types: Hammer Throwing Golf and Building Long Jump are individual events, while the remaining events are head-to-head events.
Players take turns in individual events and ranking is determined by which player has the most points. In head-to-head events, players face one another in a series of heats using single-elimination tournament rules. The player who defeats two of his opponents will face off against the CPU controlled Oklahoma High School team to determine who earns first place.
While playing an event, medals can be found and collected. The winning team is the one that has the highest amount of medals, so players can decide if they want to win an event or grab as many medals as possible during one.
400m hurdles[]
Two players go head-to-head in a course 400 meters long with 24 hurdles on the way. The player to reach the goal first wins. During this event, players can fight each other using kicks and pieces of broken hurdles. If a character falls too far behind, he will be thrown into the center position of the screen while losing some health.
If a player loses all of their health and is knocked out, they will be eliminated from the event and the remaining player will win. Medals randomly appear on the track or from broken hurdles. This event is known as 400 meter hurdles in the localized version.
Hammer Throwing Golf[]
Players take turns in a golf course of 820 yards, which has hazards such as roughs, bunkers, and water hazards. There is no out-of-bounds. The rules are identical to golf, the player with the lowest number of throws will win. There are many medals in midair which players can catch with their thrown hammer. The event is renamed Hammer Throw in the localized version.
The Game Boy version of the game has three different courses.
Swimming Battle Royal[]
Although the event is named "battle royal", it is a one-on-one battle using single-elimination rules. The fight takes place in a swimming pool. During this event, there is a separate Air meter (Oxygen in the localized version) along with the health meter. This meter gradually decreases while underwater and recovers when breathing on the surface of the water. Medals randomly appear underwater.
When a character takes damage, their air decreases faster than their health. If their air is empty, they will lie unconscious underwater and lose health rapidly. To win, players need to drown their opponent by completely decreasing their health meter and knocking them out. This event is simply named Swimming in the localized version.
High Contention for the Umbrella[]
This event is only available in the Game Boy version of the game and replaces Swimming Battle Royal. Players go head-to-head in a midair battle 300 meters above ground. Players fight for an umbrella, which can be used as a weapon and will be used as a parachute to land once the characters are 10 meters close to the ground.
The player holding the umbrella at this time will win, while the loser sinks below the ground and completely loses all of their health. Players can also win by knocking the other player out while they have no health remaining. Medals are scattered around the area of descent.
Building Long Jump[]
In this event, players take turns jumping from the top of one building to the next one in a fixed course. The player must use long jumps, jumps with a stick, and unicycles to run across ropes connected between buildings. Should players miss a jump and fall off a building, a trampoline will lift them back up, but this will happen a limited number of times before they are disqualified. If a character does not have enough health when he falls off a building he will be knocked out and eliminated.
If the trampoline throws a player near the edge of a building, the can grab the ledge at the cost of their health. The player with the highest number of buildings jumped over will win, time is not important when trying to clear this event. In the event that two or more players manage to jump past the same number of buildings, the character who made the highest jump will win. The event was renamed Roof Top Jumping in the localized version.
Like Hammer Throwing Golf, the Game Boy version of this event has three courses.
Judo Fighting[]
A one-on-one fighting competition in which players fight until they decrease their opponents health completely. Characters can grab their opponent and decrease their Energy meter (shown just below the health meter) and once empty, they are able to perform various throw techniques.
Although the main sport is Judo and characters also use throws from that martial art, there are striking moves, fighting moves and professional wrestling moves as well that are illegal for the sport. Medals are placed at the edges of the arena. When a character is knocked down, he might accidentally drop medals from his inventory as well.
In the Game Boy version of the game, it is possible to counter throws. The event is renamed Fighting Scene in the localized version.
Shops[]
Before starting an event, the player will be given the option to go shopping. If they agree, they take control of the team's manager while the selected character follows them around. The player can enter various shops to purchase items and hints for the upcoming event. The game's currency are medals, the very medals that are awarded for winning events and can also be collected while playing them.
- Drug Store: Drugs that improve a player's strength and decrease the opponents health are sold here.
| Item | Comments | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Gingin X | Recovers half HP | 20 Gold Medals |
| Gingin Z | Fully recovers HP | 25 Gold Medals |
| Poison | HP of a randomly selected character is dropped to single digits | 2 Silver Medals |
| Dangerous Medicine | Power, Agility and Defense increases by 10 at the cost of 40 HP | 2 Gold Medals |
- Item Shop: Items that improve a character's status are sold here.
| Item | Comments | Medals |
|---|---|---|
| Speed Shoes | Increases Agility by 20 | 1 Gold Medal |
| Armored Shirt | Increases Defense by 20 | 5 Silver Medals |
| Brass Knuckles | Increases Power by 20 | 2 Gold Medals |
| 3-Piece Set | Power, Agility and Defense increases by 20 | 3 Gold Medals |
- Sports Shop: Sells items useful for the current event.
| 400m hurdles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Item | Comments | Medals |
| Auto Whirlwind | Character performs a Whirlwind Kick immediately upon jumping | 2 Gold Medals |
| Oil | Oil is placed on the opponent's side of the track | 9 Silver Medals |
| Makibishi | Caltrops are placed on the opponent's track to hinder them | 5 Silver Medals |
| Screw | Allows the character to use the Screw technique to easily destroy hurdles. Can only be used 3 times | 7 Bronze Medals |
| Hammer Throwing Golf | ||
| Item | Comments | Medals |
| Rocket Hammer | For the first three throws, the flight distance of the hammer greatly increases | 4 Gold Medals |
| Spike Shoes | The character can spin longer without falling, useful when in rough and bunker | 7 Silver Medals |
| Rolling Hammer | The hammer rolls a little farther after landing. This can be an hindrance if the hammer lands near a hazard | 1 Bronze Medal |
| Spin | The character spins faster without much difficulty (less button mashing is required) | 10 Gold Medals |
| Swimming Battle Royal | ||
| Item | Comments | Medals |
| Piranha | Piranhas appear and randomly attack the opponent | 15 Gold Medals |
| Oxygen Gum | The character's Air Meter decreases slower than normal | 5 Silver Medals |
| Kappa Webbing | Character's swimming speed increases | 4 Bronze Medals |
| Building Long Jump | ||
| Item | Comments | Medals |
| Back Scroll | Allows the character to walk backward, useful if the player makes a mistake | 2 Bronze Medals |
| Trampoline 1 | Increases the number of times the character can fall of a building by 1 | 4 Gold Medals |
| Trampoline 3 | Increases the number of times the character can fall of a building by 3 | 10 Gold Medals |
| Judo Fighting | ||
| Item | Comments | Medals |
| Power Up | Energy increases faster | 15 Gold Medals |
| Hadoken | When Energy is full, the character can fire a projectile at the cost of all their energy | 15 Gold Medals |
| Auto Blaze | Increases a character's power | 25 Gold Medals |
| Screw | Characters can perform a Screw Attack while running | 2 Gold Medals |
- Information Store: Players can learn information about the current event here.
Additionally, the player can find a Billboard that displays the current rankings of each team, listing how many medals they possess.
Awards[]
There are three types of medals: Gold, Silver and Bronze. 10 Bronze Medals turn into a Silver Medal and 10 Silver Medals turn into a Gold Medal. Medals are awarded upon completing events as well:
- 1st Place: 15 Gold Medals
- 2nd Place: 5 Gold Medals
- 3rd Place: 1 Gold Medal
- 4th Place: 5 Silver Medals
- 5th Place: 5 Bronze Medals
Each event also has its own Special Award, which grants 5 Gold Medals.
When all events are completed an Award Ceremony is held before announcing the winning teams. All awards grant or deduct gold medals to the team of the player awarded.
- Fighting Spirit Award (かんとうしょう): 10 Gold Medals. Mr. Versatility in the localized version.
- Best Player Award (さいゆうしゅうせんしゅしょ): 10 Gold Medals. Tourney MVP in the localized version.
- Most Carried Player (なめてるやつでしょう): Deducts 15 Gold Medals. Best of the Worst in the localized version.
- Astonishing New Record Award (びっくりしんきろくしょう): 5 Gold Medals. Record Wrecker in the localized version.
- Tōdō Group Special Award (とうどうグループとくべつしょう): 15 Gold Medals. Oklahoma High School will always win this award regardless of player performance. True Sportsman in the localized version.
In the Game Boy version, there are only Gold Medals.
Teams[]
The game has the same four teams from Downtown Nekketsu Kōshinkyoku: Soreyuke Daiundōkai, but each team only has five characters instead of six. There is also an additional team in the game, the Oklahoma High School, which is controlled only by the computer. In the Game Boy version, it is possible to use this team using a code.
Most characters are addressed by surname in the game, though in this game the managers are addressed by their first names. Captains are listed in bold. Below the stats table is a table with all of the judo throws each character can perform.
The stats of some of the characters were improved in the Game Boy version.
Nekketsu High School[]
The Nekketsu High School team.
Kunio's one-man team. Kunio carries this team to victory as the other members are not as powerful. The manager is Satomi.
| Character | HP | Power | Agility | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunio | 240 | 121 | 112 | 118 |
| Sugata | 200 | 100 | 98 | 84 |
| Morimoto | 160 | 72 | 70 | 94 |
| Nanase | 200 | 99 | 76 | 86 |
| Ichijō | 140 | 90 | 100 | 61 |
| Judo Throws | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Kunio | Human Stomp | Neck Throw | Giant Swing | Fireball Spike | Sonic Speed Throw |
| Sugata | Backdrop | Neck Throw | Atomic Drop | Fingertip Rotation Throw | Rotating Suffocation |
| Morimoto | Rotating Suffocation | Backdrop | Back Flip Throw | Neck Grip | Deadly Chop |
| Nanase | Neck Grab | Atomic Drop | Pile Driver | Ultimate Drop | Sonic Speed Throw |
| Ichijō | Tomoe Nage | Atomic Drop | Fingertip Rotation Throw | Deadly Head Crush | Deadly Chop |
Hanazono High School[]
The Hanazono High School team.
Led by Kunio's rival Riki, his girlfriend Mami acts as the manager. The team is composed of suitable fighters, but they can struggle at 400m hurdles. Their defensive power in the Famicom version is below average, but their stats are improved in the Game Boy version.
| Character | HP | Power | Agility | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riki | 250 | 124 | 88 | 117 |
| Saotome | 210 | 114 | 108 | 77 |
| Yoshino | 180 | 98 | 112 | 79 |
| Shimizu | 180 | 72 | 71 | 73 |
| Washio | 220 | 96 | 71 | 74 |
| Judo Throws | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Riki | Giant Swing | Deadly Head Crush | Neck Hanging Drop | Gorgeous Punch | Backdrop |
| Saotome | Back Flip Throw | Atomic Drop | Fingertip Rotation Throw | Ultimate Drop | Neck Throw |
| Yoshino | Neck Grip | Super Fistbone | Double Screw | Around The World Drop | Deadly Chop |
| Shimizu | Rotating Suffocation | Human Stomp | Ippon seoi nage | Giant Swing | Sonic Speed Throw |
| Washio | Neck Grip | Atomic Drop | Double Screw | Rotating Throw | Backdrop |
Reihō Academy[]
The Reihō Academy team.
Captain is Ryūichi, the eldest of the Double Dragon Twins. Their average power is the strongest of the Japanese teams in the game, but they are equal in level to opposing captains. Shizuka is the team's manager.
| Character | HP | Power | Agility | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryūichi | 240 | 123 | 97 | 101 |
| Ryūji | 230 | 123 | 98 | 100 |
| Mochizuki | 200 | 89 | 127 | 71 |
| Hayasaka | 200 | 85 | 116 | 59 |
| Kobayashi | 230 | 114 | 98 | 100 |
| Judo Throws | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Ryūichi | Rotating Throw | Breaker Drop | Deadly Head Crush | Deadly Hell Wheel | Double Screw |
| Ryūji | Rotating Throw | Breaker Drop | Deadly Head Crush | Gorgeus Punch | Double Screw |
| Mochizuki | Backdrop | Back Breaker | Breaker Drop | Ultimate Drop | Deadly Chop |
| Hayasaka | Human Stomp | Neck Throw | Deadly Brain Strike | Ippon seoi nage | Sonic Speed Throw |
| Kobayashi | Fingertip Rotation Throw | Breaker Drop | Deadly Head Crush | Long Rotating Attack | Giant Swing |
School Union[]
The School Union.
Led by Gōda from Hōryu High School, each member excels individually. All members in this team have powerful judo techniques. The manager is Yūko, a friend and classmate of Gōda.
| Character | HP | Power | Agility | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gōda | 230 | 120 | 112 | 122 |
| Godai | 240 | 126 | 102 | 104 |
| Kumada | 210 | 86 | 65 | 70 |
| Nishimura | 255 | 119 | 59 | 61 |
| Hayami | 140 | 54 | 94 | 70 |
| Judo Throws | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Character | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
| Gōda | Double Screw | Breaker Drop | Neck Hanging Drop | Deadly Hell Wheel | Back Flip Throw |
| Godai | Pile Driver | Giant Swing | Around the World Drop | Small Round Rolling | Human Stomp |
| Kumada | Tomoe Nage | Deadly Hell Wheel | Around The World Drop | Long Rotating Attack | Ippon seoi nage |
| Nishimura | Backdrop | Rotating Suffocation | Deadly Brain Strike | Gorgeous Punch | Deadly Chop |
| Hayami | Neck Grip | Atomic Drop | Pile Driver | Super Fistbone | Small Round Rolling |
Oklahoma High School Team[]
A special team that Konosuke called from the United States. Their abilities are the strongest, and they are always seeded in the finals in tournament-style competitions. The FC version is a CPU-only team, so players cannot use in that version of the game. But they are selectable in the Game Boy version through cheat codes.
| Character | HP | Power | Agility | Defense |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Raphael | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Steve | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Alex | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Jimmy | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Codes and secrets[]
The following codes are exclusive to the Game Boy version of the game.
Play as the Oklahoma State High School Team[]
When selecting a team, hold down the Select button, then select a team with either the A or Start button. At the character select screen, the player will have access to the Oklahoma High School team.
Skip CPU Head-to-Head Events[]
Should the player be eliminated early, they can skip CPU gameplay by pausing the game and A, Select and Down on the directional pad at the same time.
Localization[]
Regional differences[]
- The opening plot is changed slightly. Having suffered defeat at the hands of Crash and the Southsiders, Todd is in jeopardy of being disowned by his father, who has no tolerance for failure. Todd begs his father to give him one more chance, and comes up with the plan to challenge Crash and the Southsiders to an unsanctioned sports event where there are no rules. As a back-up plan, Mr. Thornley's assistant creates a team of the best athletes in their company to participate (replacing the Oklahoma State Team from the Japanese version).
- Some of the character sprites are switched around from the various teams.
- Ichijō uses Raphael's (Sting) sprites.
- Tōdō (Todd) takes Riki's (Crush) spot in Washington High (Hanazono). Resulting in Riki going to Team Thornley (Oklahoma).
- Ryūichi and Ryūji's slots get taken by Artie and Yamada (Skip).
Re-releases[]
The Famicom, NES and Game Boy versions of the game have been re-released on Nintendo systems, starting with the Wii Virtual Console. The NES version was released first, on September 14, 2009 by Aksys Games. The Famicom version was released on October 18, 2011 by Arc System Works.
All three versions of the game were also released on the 3DS Virtual Console The Game Boy version was released on November 9, 2011. The Famicom version was released on January 23, 2013. The NES versions were released on November 28, 2013 in Europe and Australia and on December 19, 2013 in North America. All these releases were done by Arc System Works.
The Famicom and NES versions of the game were re-released once again by Arc System Works, this time on the WiiU Virtual Console. The Famicom version was released first on November 12, 2014. The NES version was released on Europe and Australia on December 4, 2014 then in North America on December 11, 2014.
The game is part of a compilation released for the Nintendo 3DS: Kunio-kun Nekketsu Complete: Famicom Hen, which includes the other Famicom Kunio-kun games as well. It was released on December 8, 2016 exclusively in Japan.
Both the Famicom and NES versions of the game were released in a second compilation: Kunio-kun: The World Classics Collection, released in December 20, 2018 on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows.
Trivia[]
- The instruction manual for Crash 'N' the Boys: Street Challenge gives different names to the events. Hammer Throw is named Hammer Throw Golf, just like in the Japanese version. Swimming is named Water Slaughter. Roof Top Jumping is renamed Skyline Scramble, and Fighting Scene is renamed Judo.
- The instruction manual for Crash 'N' the Boys: Street Challenge mentions a Penelope Worthington in Todd Thornley's bio. Penelope is in love with Crash Cooney, while Todd has feelings for Penelope. However, Penelope is not identified or named within the game, so her identity is unclear. The game does not bring up this love triangle either.
- Sting in the Crash N Boys version is the only localization exclusive character to have entirely unique face graphics.
- A band using the name Crash and the Boys is featured in the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel. The name is also used for the band in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (the film adaption) and its video game adaption (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game).
Gallery[]
External links[]
- Kunio Dojo (Japanese)
- 920kun blog (Japanese)
- Afric Acid (Japanese)
- Famicom Hen wiki (Japanese)
- The Cutting Room Floor