WayForward has been pretty busy in the last few years. On top of carrying on with the belovedShantaefranchise and working on a variety of games based on outside IPs,WayForwardfound significant success with its beat ‘em upRiver City Girls. Technically,River City Girlsisn’t a WayForward original; it’s a spinoff of theKunio-kunfranchise, and its development was overseen byKunio-kunowner Arc System Works. Nonetheless, WayForward has really madeRiver City Girlsand theKunio-kuncharacters its own, earning high praise for the game’s writing, combat, art, and more. It’s no surprise, then, thatRiver City Girls 2has already been confirmed by WayForward.
However,WayForward recently told fansthat it has another project in the works that it’s referring to asRiver City Girls Zero.As the title suggests, the game could be interpreted as a prequel to 2019’sRiver City Girls,but it’s actually not a new game at all. Rather, it’s an upgraded and newly translated version of theKunio-kungame in whichRiver City Girlsstars Misako and Kyoko first fight alongside their respective boyfriends, Kunio and Riki.River City Girls Zerowill offer a lot of fans the first opportunity to experience Misako and Kyoko’s origins.
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River City Girls Zero Explained
River City Girls Zero’s original name isShin Nekketsu Koha: Kunio-tachi no Banka.Released in 1994 for the Super Famicomas a Japan exclusive,Kunio-tachi no Bankasees Nekketsu High School students Kunio and Riki sent to prison for a hit-and-run that they swear they didn’t commit. When they catch word that a Kunio lookalike has been spotted around Nekketsu High, Kunio and Riki break out of prison to find the lookalike who they believe framed them. Along the way, they reunite with Misako and Kyoko, who join them in their quest to clear their names.
Kunio-tachi no Bankaisa beat ‘em up similar toRiver City Girls,although all four protagonists form a party that players switch between, rather than encouraging players to focus on one character.Kunio-tachi no Bankaalso features two-player co-op, meaning fans can hand a controller to a friend just like inRiver City Girls.Overall, the game’s story is certainly all about Kunio and Riki’s plight, but Misako and Kyoko are still central to their journey. In fact, considering the upgrades and story tweaks that WayForward has teased forRiver City Girls Zero,they may have an even more prominent role than before.
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River City Girls Zero’s Changes
While WayForward has remained faithful tothe 16-bit look of the Super Famicom,River City Girls Zerohas polished up some ofKunio-tachi no Banka’s presentation. WayForward promises an anime intro with a new theme song for the game, as well as cutscenes presented as manga panels. As a result,River City Girls Zerolooks like it’ll be a charming blend of old and new content. It probably won’t have much of an impact on the currentRiver City Girlsstoryline, since it’s just a translated port of an older title in the franchise, but it’s a valuable piece of history.
River City Girls Zerocould serve as a great appetizer forRiver City Girls 2if it releases before the sequel.River City Girls 2is aiming for a summer 2022 release, butRiver City Girls Zerowill start preorders forphysical copies through Limited Run Gameson January 28. That could mean thatRiver City Girls Zero’s early 2022 release date is right around the corner. The next installation in theRiver City Girlssubseries looks promising, introducing new playable characters Marian and Provie as well as broad upgrades to combat, butRiver City Girlsfans might enjoy experiencing the franchise’s past before focusing on the future.
River City Girls Zeroreleases in early 2022 for PS4, PS5, and Switch.
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