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River City Ransom probably needs no introduction in this subforum. It's an open world side scrolling brawler with RPG elements, released in 1989 for NES by Technos. I have to be honest with you though: I have never played this game beyond two minutes before starting this series. I never had an NES when I was growing up, and the times when I've tried this game very, very briefly in the late 90s I honestly just couldn't understand why it was so critically acclaimed. My name is Blint, and my co-host Dvid and I have been running a channel called #BADATGAMES since August. One of our subscribers recommended that we try this game out for our channel, and I went along with it hoping I'd have a more mature approach to it this time around. Decades have passed since I've last played it, and I have grown as a person, grown to become one that plays games and shouts at them, and records all of it. I gave this game a chance. And I have to say I probably needed to make the commitment of recording for me to truly learn to enjoy this game. You see, since I didn't have any consoles in the 80s or 90s, I never had the chance to learn how to approach and appreciate games that are hard as balls. The fighting mechanics are deceptively simple. Walk, run, punch, kick, jump, pick up, throw...that's it. Simple on the surface, but it allows for so much emergence that I only realized during recording. I was sincerely surprised. It took me 4 or 5 episodes of gameplay until it actually hit me how much I love this game. The Advanced difficulty is hard as heck (excellent choice for a first playthrough, I have to say...) but it gives you a profound sense of growth, of learning, as you learn how the mechanics interact, how you can use them to your advantage. It grew on me so much that I honestly just can't wait for our next recording session. God drat you, real life, for getting in the way of our gaming. We publish new episodes twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. River City Ransom is our first LP on this subforum, and we're a very, very young YouTube channel, so any and all feedback is welcome, especially criticism! Thank you, and enjoy! Videos: Playlist Part 1: CUT ME SOME SLICK Part 2: TAKE THE CRATE TO THE FACE Part 3: INEXISTENT STRATEGY Part 4: YOU DIED?! WHY Part 5: OOP- I KILLED YOU Part 6: I AM HERE TO PUNCH Part 7: KILL ME! AAH YES!! Part 8: THANKS FOR THE BAT, IDIOT Part 9: REFINING OUR STRATEGY Part 10: A NEW LOW Part 11: DEATH BY TRASHCAN Part 12: NOT EVEN ASHAMED ANYMORE Part 13: MONEY WELL SPENT Part 14: LOOK AT THE PIXEL BUTT Part 15: BRASS FUCKLE Part 16: GETTING IMPATIENT Part 17: I NEED A BREAK Part 18: COMPELLING GAMEPLAY Part 19: IVANA FIGHT THIS GUY Part 20: CHECK THAT FLANK Part 21: OMELETTE DU TURQUOISE Part 22: EAT MY FLIP Part 23: PERSONAL BODYGUARD Part 24: HIGH SCHOOL Part 25: FINALE Playlist Hilarious highlight GIFs of our expertise from our #1 fan, Niggurath. Thank you!! Niggurath posted:
Niggurath posted:
Niggurath posted:The most dangerous mosh pits occur in the warehouse: Niggurath posted:https://zippy.gfycat.com/IndolentPerkyHeterodontosaurus.webm Niggurath posted:https://zippy.gfycat.com/CloudyImaginaryBlackfootedferret.webm crab avatar fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Mar 16, 2016 |
# ? Nov 6, 2015 11:31 |
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# ? Mar 29, 2024 05:39 |
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Very cool, this game takes me back! I'm curious to see how you'll approach it... maybe make a bonus video on the stat system? I remember looking up gamefaqs and realizing how complex things get. Never bother with Acro Circus.
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# ? Nov 6, 2015 17:59 |
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Why is everything so glitchy?
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# ? Nov 6, 2015 18:55 |
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Xander77 posted:Why is everything so glitchy? Espresso Steampunk posted:Very cool, this game takes me back! I'm curious to see how you'll approach it... maybe make a bonus video on the stat system? I remember looking up gamefaqs and realizing how complex things get. Never bother with Acro Circus.
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# ? Nov 6, 2015 20:20 |
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If you're having fun with RCR, take a break and check out a translated Riki Kunio sometime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yd14C6WMqwM
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# ? Nov 6, 2015 21:24 |
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armoredgorilla posted:If you're having fun with RCR, take a break and check out a translated Riki Kunio sometime. That's the second time someone recommended that game since we've started this series so it has to be good. Thanks! We've also got a rec for Nintendo World Cup which also seems super fun.
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# ? Nov 7, 2015 15:54 |
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Part 3: INEXISTENT STRATEGY crab avatar fucked around with this message at 10:26 on Nov 9, 2015 |
# ? Nov 7, 2015 20:27 |
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Espresso Steampunk posted:Never bother with Acro Circus. Look at this wrong rear end post. Just look at it. Human Javelin is probably the least useful but also leads to the most hilarious moments.
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# ? Nov 8, 2015 02:51 |
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Espresso Steampunk posted:Never bother with Acro Circus.
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# ? Nov 8, 2015 02:53 |
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Haha, this is everything I hoped it would be when you said in the sandbox you were playing blind. Some mild tips to help you without being really spoilers. First off, you can check your money by hitting the select button, it replaces your lifebars with your wallets. Also, yes when you die your money gets cut in half. And also, I think the real problem you guys are having is going in on advanced difficulty. It's absurdly higher than novice, giving you the end-tier gangs right from the start. Like, the Frat Boys are the easiest you're seeing, and they've stopped by the second town, and they're normally mid-tier difficulty. I'm not going to tell you how to play the game, but I foresee this being a LONG LP if you stick to the hard mode. Next tip--you kinda have to find and beat all the bosses to get to the last boss. It's a bitch, I know. But you gotta do it. (there's a third exit on the area with the long bridge that leads to one encounter for example). Finally, yeah this is an odd duck in that it's a beat em up where you want to grind. There's lots and LOTS of items. This is one of my top five or so favorite NES games, having played it like crazy back in the day, and I'm still not sure how the stat system works, other than knowing it does. Also, I don't think it's a spoiler that there are items that give you new abilities. These are almost all MUST HAVES, but are not cheap. Also, it might be news to the thread that they're not all items of the same type. There's a few others that do unique moves as well besides the standard ability gaining type of item. I love this game SO much. It's so refreshing to see someone playing it blind. I would love to see someone exploring like, the whole dang Kunio Kun series of games (there's a LOT of them), though this and Renegade are the only ones that are beat em ups that made it to the US. The rest are the weird sports games in the series. There's one from Japan that I'd love to see someone more knowledgeable play where it's a side-story game where the characters are now all in the Edo period of Japan instead of modern day. It works pretty similarly though.
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# ? Nov 8, 2015 08:59 |
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Acro Circus isn't the first book I'd get, but it's a god drat destroyer later on. Acro Circus with 99 AG or running full speed and throwing a weapon at someone with Throw 99 are my two favorite things in the game. (its been a while, these all might cap out at 60 or something i dont' know)
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# ? Nov 8, 2015 09:21 |
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And the jumping went on forever and ever into the night... Also do they have cheap Chinese take out food in Hungary? I was momentarily perplexed by your confusion about what Chow Mein was.
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# ? Nov 8, 2015 11:22 |
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Niggurath posted:
To be fair, even after years of playing the game as a kid, that room is still tricky to get the jumps right for.
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# ? Nov 8, 2015 19:09 |
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All right, guys, I've got a few tips. - First off, the enemies blocking like hell is definitely a result of playing on Advanced. But you don't have to start over! For the sake of everyone's sanity, pause, go to the "LEVEL" menu, and turn the difficulty down. - Max Power (which as you may have gathered is maximum health) is both very important and very easy to raise. Basically when you eat food to recover your stamina (health) and it fills your stamina entirely, anything beyond that will go into your max power. It's not at a 1-to-1 ratio as far as I'm aware, though. Still, grinding for money on the first two screens and heading to the cafe for binge eating sessions is definitely a valid strategy. - Go back to the first town and buy Stone Fists. Be sure to use it from your inventory! Beyond that, try different kinds of food so you can dick around with stats! Scaly Haylie fucked around with this message at 00:34 on Nov 9, 2015 |
# ? Nov 8, 2015 23:57 |
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Really happy you guys/gals are having fun watching us bleed through our eyes while we struggle with the most basic of things! I'm sure there are many people who start watching, roll their eyes, and then leave, but who am I to tell anyone to stick around watching legal torture. We might just have to dial that difficulty back depending on how utterly stuck we will get in later episodes.Choco1980 posted:Beat all bosses. Grind. Get items. Espresso Steampunk posted:Never bother with Acro Circus. Chokes McGee posted:Look at this wrong rear end post. Just look at it. armoredgorilla posted:Acro Circus isn't the first book I'd get, but it's a god drat destroyer later on. Niggurath posted:
Lizard Wizard posted:Max Power. Stone Fists. Choco1980 posted:To be fair, even after years of playing the game as a kid, that room is still tricky to get the jumps right for.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 02:46 |
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Oh! And most importantly: what you call boxers, we call brass knuckles.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 02:50 |
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Lizard Wizard posted:Oh! And most importantly: what you call boxers, we call brass knuckles.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 02:53 |
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The worst part about the box factory is that it's one of only two areas in the whole game that expects you to platform, and the game's engine really isn't built around precision platforming AT ALL. (you'll know the second area when you get to it) I didn't want to spoil things but yeah, you definitely want to go back to the first town and get special moves. They'll help A LOT. I try to save up and buy every special move in the game. Speaking of, as I said, there's one part way through the game gotten by a method different than the rest. The Texas Boots, when worn, allow you to trample on enemies on the ground, literally kicking them when they're down for cheap damage Also, both because you'll never figure it out on your own, and because it's next to useless to you, there's a secret in the tunnel area. For fun, try to find it!
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 02:58 |
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Choco1980 posted:Also, both because you'll never figure it out on your own, and because it's next to useless to you For now, anyway.
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# ? Nov 9, 2015 03:00 |
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Part 4: YOU DIED?! WHY Summary of this LP so far:
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 22:22 |
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Oh my god, 3m31s, I'm dying.
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 22:36 |
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You guys hit peak two player RCR at one point there POW! "Oh poo poo, sorry man, haha!" BIFF! "you deserved that rear end in a top hat!"
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# ? Nov 11, 2015 23:45 |
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Frankly I'm offended. If you would've actually bothered to watch the episode it would be clear to you that punching eachother into bloody piles of pulp is part of a well thought out strategy. If you can't see our playthrough for the carefully sculpted pure tactical beauty that it is, I don't want you in this thread. E: case in point: armoredgorilla posted:Oh my god, 3m31s, I'm dying. crab avatar fucked around with this message at 00:04 on Nov 12, 2015 |
# ? Nov 12, 2015 00:00 |
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Oh I'm not denying the time honored strategy of "poo poo I died, leave the area, quick!" I'm just saying the retribution friendly fire is definitely just as much a part of RCR.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 01:38 |
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Choco1980 posted:poo poo I died, leave the area, quick!
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 02:02 |
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crab avatar posted:I want to go back in time to the meeting where Technos decided that leaving the screen while the other player is dead, and killing the other player are both rewarding mechanics. Just brilliant. Dying halves your money, so one of those is the exact opposite of rewarding. Sorry to burst your bubble.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 02:09 |
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Lizard Wizard posted:Dying halves your money, so one of those is the exact opposite of rewarding. Sorry to burst your bubble.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 02:14 |
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crab avatar posted:I think someone on Reddit said that the surviving player gets some of that money. Confirm/deny? I'm not utterly sure, but try pressing select next time you're playing. Something good will happen.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 02:26 |
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I'm like 95% sure that's not how that works, but it's been a long time since I played two player RCR...
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 03:22 |
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Choco1980 posted:I'm like 95% sure that's not how that works, but it's been a long time since I played two player RCR... Yeah, please make less of a point of killing each other and more of a point of retreating to town to spend money.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 03:56 |
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To be fair, they did say they've got about 6 episodes in the can before we showed up to browbeat them about how terrible they are at this game and should be playing it the way we want them to.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 04:33 |
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crab avatar posted:We've also got a rec for Nintendo World Cup which also seems super fun.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 06:37 |
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Defeat DOES halve your money, but fallen players leave behind a coin that contains that very same value. If the other player is around, he can scoop it up.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 09:42 |
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Jeedy Jay posted:Defeat DOES halve your money, but fallen players leave behind a coin that contains that very same value. If the other player is around, he can scoop it up. You'd think we would have seen that happen a billion times by now if that were the case, though.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 16:35 |
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By the time the next set of videos comes out, they'll be dragon kicking boxes into enemies across the screen, rebounding off the walls with Acro Circus and one shotting enemies with a thrown weapon like pros.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 17:06 |
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Imagine Luke and the floating light saber training bot but it's me sitting alone on the couch with a controller, pressing buttons frantically with the TV off and while blindfolded.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 17:08 |
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Fun fact: The different gang member sprites all have different stats that raise accordingly in power depending the gang they're in. Like there's one guy who kicks the hardest, one with the highest defense, one who punches hardest, etc. There's generally no noticeable in game effect, but one exception. One guy in each gang has almost twice the stamina of the other members. So he'll almost NEVER go down the first time you KO him. This guy is an rear end in a top hat.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 17:21 |
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Jeedy Jay posted:Defeat DOES halve your money, but fallen players leave behind a coin that contains that very same value. If the other player is around, he can scoop it up. In the original, this is true, but if you're playing the Wii or Wii U download version, they changed this for whatever reason. Makes the game "harder" I guess, but not in the right way. Also, are you (Choco1980) mixing up Fatal Steps with the Texas Boots, or do the boots give you Fatal Steps Edit: While I'm at it, mechanics chat/opinions: Stone Hands is fine, but I like to avoid Dragon Kick because it disables some of the fancy footwork you can do with Acro Circus bounces and other sweet jump kick moves. Gotta love having a high kick stat to slide boxes and trash cans into enemies, and I also love maxing out throw first because it's generally cheaper, and a fun way to kill people as well. And yourself, of course. Killing yourself and your friends is all part of the fun. This game's level of random chaos and weird physics made it pretty great, especially back in the day. Actually, do mechanics even need to be spoiled? There's not really much to spoil on a game this old and simple. Namingway fucked around with this message at 20:52 on Nov 12, 2015 |
# ? Nov 12, 2015 20:31 |
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I recall playing a translated Kunio-kun game that was basically River City Ransom, but in medieval Japan, with the justification being that they were performing a period piece. Any chance you guys could take a look at that in the future?
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 21:01 |
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# ? Mar 29, 2024 05:39 |
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Namingway posted:In the original, this is true, but if you're playing the Wii or Wii U download version, they changed this for whatever reason. Makes the game "harder" I guess, but not in the right way. Also, are you (Choco1980) mixing up Fatal Steps with the Texas Boots, or do the boots give you Fatal Steps I'm like 95% certain it's the second option of your spoilered question to me. As well as added stat boosting. Also, the guys have stated they're preferring to be blind and sucky so spoilers is for the best. Lizard Wizard posted:I recall playing a translated Kunio-kun game that was basically River City Ransom, but in medieval Japan, with the justification being that they were performing a period piece. Any chance you guys could take a look at that in the future? I've recently discovered it myself, it's called Downtown Special for whatever reasons. It's basically a main sequel mechanically to this game. There's a LOT more platforming in it, but it works basically the same.
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# ? Nov 12, 2015 22:55 |