Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio‑tachi no Banka - SFC (新・熱血硬派くにおたちの挽歌)

On April 29, 1994, Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio‑tachi no Banka—developed by Almanic Corporation under the Technōs Japan brand and published by Technōs Japan—was released exclusively for the Super Famicom as a belt‑scroll action game. It is distinguished by its departure from the series’ comedic presentation, instead adopting realistic character proportions and dramatic dialogue sequences.

1. Basic Overview and Release Information

• Title: Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio‑tachi no Banka
• Platform: Super Famicom (SFC)
• Genre: Belt‑Scroll Action (Beat ’em up)
• Release Date: April 29, 1994 (Japan)
• Developer: Almanic Corporation
• Publisher: Technōs Japan

2. Development and Production Background

This entry was directed by series creator Yoshihisa Kishimoto, with producer Noriyuki Tomiyama, sound programmer Michiya Hirasa, composer Kazunaka Yamane, and scenario writer Hiro Yokokura as core staff.
By outsourcing development to Almanic instead of in‑house Technōs Japan, the game’s engine and level design concepts later influenced Super Mad Champ. An early PlayStation sequel was planned but never released.

3. Game System and Features

3.1 Game System

• Playable Characters: Kunio, Riki, and unlockable Misako and Kyoko (4 total)
• Party System: Up to two players simultaneously; characters share a single health gauge instead of individual lives, with on‑the‑fly swapping
• Combat Actions: Punch, kick, jump, block, back attack; limited moves in prison uniform, with grapples and special moves unlocked when wearing school uniform
• Motorcycle Stage: Kunio (P1) and Riki (P2) ride bikes; notable for unique design and high difficulty
• Story Emphasis: Original dialogue scenes and cutscenes before and after stages set it apart from typical beat‑’em‑ups
• Continue & Passwords
  • Continue restores all HP at the last checkpoint
  • Pause screen displays a four‑digit “Prison Dial” password → enter at the title screen to resume
  • Save data records only stage progression (one‐way) and difficulty

3.2 Controls

A. Main Game Section

B. Character‑Specific Moves

• Grab: Y + ←/→ when close
• Running Grab: ←→ rapidly + B+Y

C. Motorcycle Section

4. Detailed Level Composition and Strategy

Note: Play on Normal difficulty or higher to experience the full story. Easy mode ends prematurely.

4.0 Synopsis

Late‑night Tokyo: a hit‑and‑run involving high school students occurs, and witnesses report seeing Kunio (Nekketsu High School) and Riki (Hanazono High School) fleeing the scene. Both are soon incarcerated in Senerima Juvenile Detention Center with no memory. In prison garb, limited to basic punches and kicks, they spend the night. The next morning, a visit from Hiroshi reveals rumors of simultaneous sightings at their schools. Suspicious, they plan an escape with cellmate Goji. That night, Kunio, Riki, Goji, and Hiroshi storm the guard station, break out, and set off to clear their names.

4.1 Juvenile Detention Center

• Content:
  Kunio and Riki are framed and placed in cell 218. They fight boss‑level inmate Goji to prove their strength, then learn from Hiroshi’s visit about strange sightings at their schools.
  • 3:26 – Tutorial battle vs. Goji’s group; vertical movement and spacing are key.
    • Stomping downed foes is very advantageous.
  • 9:10 – Fight guards during jailbreak; lights have no special effect—proceed steadily.
  • 10:06 – Hiroshi anticipated their escape and prepared accordingly. (???)
  • 10:56 – Boss: Warden Takayama. Early stage boss with forgiving difficulty due to high player HP.

4.2 Nekketsu High School

• Content:
  At 12:19, they escape the detention center and infiltrate Nekketsu High School by scaling the pool fence. There they meet Misako, who warns of an imposter in white uniform.
  • 14:31 – Climb to the third floor to confront Daiki; no health pickups—manage HP carefully.
  • 17:11 – Boss: Daiki, stronger than regular foes and invincible briefly when rising; control spacing and clear adds quickly.
• Result: Misako joins the party, and with Mamoru’s help they evade capture and move on.

4.3 Hanazono High School

• Content:
  At 23:02, they reach the ruined Hanazono High School. While Riki was absent, Ryuta seized control and forced students into labor at a local amusement park. Kunio and Riki enter to stop him.
  • 24:12 – Climb to the third floor; enemies are tougher, and floors collapse intermittently (25:01 & 25:53).
  • 27:38 – Boss: Ryuta. Defeat his cronies first; Ryuta has invincibility frames when getting up. The building collapses eight times; well-timed jumps mitigate damage.
  • 31:25 – Kyoko joins the team.
  • 31:49 – Fight through to the amusement park entrance.

4.4 Amusement Park

• Content:
  At 33:09, they enter the park; Ryusaku reports that Shinji contacted Ken and was last seen in the Ferris wheel area.
  • 34:27 – The Ferris wheel zone frustrates players with obstructed views and dispersed enemies, especially in two‑player mode without split‑screen.
  • 37:46 – Move to the roller coaster area for combat.
  • 38:51–41:29 – Ride the coaster to recover health.
  • 41:51 – Boss: Shinji. He uses a punch combo (42:40) that deals one‑third HP and a roundhouse kick (43:09).

4.5 Highway Run 1

• Content:
  At 44:48, Shinji flees to Pier 13 by motorcycle; Kunio and party pursue on the highway.
  • Slow down before turns or you’ll miss corners.
  • 45:30 – Timing-based kick can knock bikers off (requires luck).
  • 45:43 – Ramming enemies works if you have enough HP; too strong a ram may hurt yourself.

4.6 Pier 13 Dock

• Content:
  47:28 – Battle Karate Fighters in the warehouse, then use hooks to close distance and face Shinji again.
  • 47:42 – Fight bikers at the dock; no health refills until stage end.
  • 48:53 – Inside the warehouse; 49:15 – ceiling hooks allow hanging but offer no special advantage.
  • 50:40 – Side‑scroll segment without vertical movement; climb boxes to ascend (50:57 bikers interfere).
  • 52:56 – Another side‑scroll segment; manage spacing.
  • 54:07 – Boss: Shinji—defeat his minions first for an easier fight.
  • 55:45 – Outside, Warden Takayama reveals Ken may be his lost brother and requests his arrest. Ken was adopted by Sabu two years prior with a grudge against Kunio.

4.7 Highway Run 2

• Content:
  58:00 – Travel to Roppongi by motorcycle; standard highway run—drive safely.

4.8 Roppongi Disco Club

• Content:
  59:53 – They arrive at the disco and meet Lisa and Joe.
  • 59:53 – Boss: Lisa & Joe. Joe has invincibility frames when rising; manage spacing.
  • 1:02:10 – Boss: Kinji & Lisa. Kinji uses powerful uppercuts and double kicks; he guards frequently—be patient.
  • Lisa is weaker but fights alongside Kinji. After defeating them, Kinji reveals Ken’s location at the Shinjuku pachinko office.

4.9 Highway Run 3

• Content:
  1:05:19 – Travel to Shinjuku; typical motorcycle run.

4.10 Shinjuku Pachinko Office

• Content:
  1:06:58 – Yakuzas ambush them immediately.
  • 1:07:14 – Stomps and mount attacks are highly effective.
  • 1:07:56 – Boss: Misuzu, a recurring powerful antagonist who uses swift closing moves.
  • 1:08:53 – Misuzu’s “Tessango” instantly deals ~¼ HP damage.
  • 1:10:26 – Quickly dispatch two Yakuzas.
  • 1:10:56 – Sabu draws a gun and shoots Misako and Kyoko unconscious.
  • 1:13:15 – Takayama and Mamoru arrive, arrange police escort and ambulance.
  • Misako and Kyoko become unplayable from this point.

4.11 Highway Run 4

• Content:
  1:14:06 – Auto‑drive pursuit to Sabu’s villa in Izu.

4.12 Izu, Sabu’s Villa

• Content:
  1:14:35 – Kunio and Riki meet Takayama near a wooden bridge; their names are cleared and Sabu has fled.
  • 1:15:02 – Battle villa guards.
  • 1:15:44 – Bridge is set ablaze by Ken; they fall into the river but survive.
  • 1:16:13 – Fight guards in the river and escape through a factory-like cave.
  • 1:18:05 – Confront bodyguards at the villa.
  • 1:19:30 – Trapdoor drops them into an underground crypt.
  • 1:19:48 – Face a boxer adversary; time the collapsing floor to drop him.
  • 1:20:24 – Fight female fighters similar to Lisa but stronger.
  • 1:23:16 – Boss: Misuzu—warns of a bomb; beating her restores HP.
  • 1:25:42 – Battle another bodyguard.
  • 1:26:14 – Boss: Ken. Similar to Kunio but without Rapid Punch; highest HP and aggressive, comparable to Misuzu.
    • 1:28:04 – After defeat, Ken reveals he is not Kunio’s brother but was adopted by Sabu for revenge, activates the bomb, and calls Kunio “brother” before dying.
  • 1:29:17 – Boss: Sabu—wields a gun that deals ~4/5 HP (instant‑kill); a side‑scroll fight without vertical movement—stay close.

4.13 Ending

Kunio and Riki watch the villa explode. Takayama arrives, reports all henchmen arrested and confirms Misako and Kyoko’s survival. The opening scene replays, but this time Kunio stops his bike to warn a girl crossing the street to be careful! (This moment is not in the video.)

4.14 Password List 🔑

※ Passwords below apply to Normal mode, recorded at stage start or end.

5. Reception and Reviews

Upon release, Famitsu rated it 24/40 (60%), yielding mixed reactions.
English outlet Super Console gave it 85/100, praising its originality and drama but criticizing the motorcycle stages’ difficulty.
MobyGames hailed it as “worthy of sitting alongside SNES genre‑defining titles,” with an average score of 66%.
The 2022 remaster, River City Girls Zero, holds a Metascore of 68 (Mixed/Average).

6. Additional Information and Sequels

• 2019: WayForward released River City Girls (full 2D spinoff), continuing Misako and Kyoko’s story.
• 2022 (February 14): River City Girls Zero was officially localized and remastered for Switch, PS4, PS5, Windows, and Xbox platforms.

7. Conclusion and Summary

Shin Nekketsu Kōha: Kunio‑tachi no Banka stood out in 1994 for elevating storytelling and party mechanics beyond typical belt‑scroll action games. While initially divisive, its subsequent remasters and spinoffs have cemented its legacy, making it an essential reference for both tradition and innovation within the Kunio series.