River City Girls Zero

River City Girls Zero is a spin-off of the Japanese beat'em up series titled Kunio-kun, known as River City in the West, and a prequel to the River City Girls sub-cycle. The first version of the game debuted in 1994 on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System and was available only in Japan, as Shin Nekketsu Kouha: Kunio-tachi no Banka. It was developed for new platforms by the WayForward Technologies team, while Arc System Works was responsible for its release.

Plot

River City Girls Zero tells the story of the first meeting between Misako and Kyoko, known from the River City Girls sub-cycle, and Kunio and Riki, the protagonists of the main parts of the series. Convicted of a crime they did not commit, Kunio and Riki are sent to a juvenile prison. However, they quickly escape from the prison to investigate what is going on at Nekketsu School, find the person who tricked them, and try to clear their names.

Game mechanics

In River City Girls Zero, we watch the action from the side. We take on the role of a chosen character and, following the right path through the stages, we eliminate hordes of opponents. Fights are dynamic and we have to show dexterity and reflexes to avoid enemy attacks and make quick counterattacks. Each character has an individual fighting style and a unique set of special attacks. All of them use their arms and legs equally well, punching enemies with their fists or kicking them.

Game modes

River City Girls Zero can be played solo or in local co-op mode.

Technical aspects

As befits a beat'em up from 1994, River City Girls Zero graphics utilize the pixel art technique. Compared to the Nintendo Entertainment System version, the later release on other platforms is distinguished by the presence of new cutscenes (led by the intro) and a new music track.