River City: Rival Showdown

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River City: Rival Showdown is a single player and multiplayer role playing game. It was developed by Arc System Works and was released on October 11, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

The 1989 retro classic River City Ransom has muscled up and doubled down on modern innovation! Tightened controls, improved backgrounds, and even online play -- this version has it all and more! Throw in a 2D fighting game mode to the mix, and River City has never been more action-packed! ■ Craft your own story and unlock various endings in single player mode! Brand new story events awa…

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews

story4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game is a well-executed remake of the classic NES title, expanding on the original's story and world-building.
The input issues have been fixed, making the controls responsive and enjoyable to use.
The game features multiple endings and a free-roaming system that enhances replayability and player choice.

Some players experienced persistent controller issues, leading to frustration and refunds.
The game feels smaller in scope compared to previous titles in the series, with fewer shop options and areas to explore.
The timer mechanic can be restrictive for players who prefer to grind and explore at their own pace.

story
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
84%
7%
The story of "River City: Rival Showdown" is praised as a significant improvement over the original NES "Downtown Nekketsu Story," featuring a more fleshed-out narrative and humor that enhances the experience. Players appreciate the free-roam system over a three-day period, allowing for quest exploration, though some find the time-sensitive elements and the need to replay for harder difficulties frustrating. Overall, the game is recommended for both fans of the franchise and newcomers seeking a deeper story.
- “Story-wise, it's the best beat 'em up game.”
- “I love the fact that the story is better fleshed out and has even more humor than the NES version.”
- “This game is a re-telling of Downtown Nekketsu Story (the Japanese version of River City Ransom) that drastically changes the gameplay when compared, but has a far more involved story that kept me pretty invested on my first playthrough.”
- “Queen Hasebe is still unplayable in the story mode.”
- “Since quests are time sensitive, you can miss certain events, so this drags the 3 days out as you spend almost every hour searching for events.”
- “Also, the difficulty and focusing on timed story elements can be frustrating.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics in the game have received high praise for their quality and the successful overhaul that brings the world of River City (Yumemicho) to life, enhanced by the inclusion of NPCs and a day/night cycle absent in the NES version. Players have noted that the game runs smoothly even on mid-range hardware, such as a Ryzen 7 CPU with AMD Radeon graphics.
- “The graphics overhaul with NPCs brings River City, aka Yumemicho, to life.”
- “Good graphics, great controls, and it has a day/night feature not present in the NES version.”
- “Even my laptop runs it just fine (Ryzen 7 CPU with AMD Radeon graphics).”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay retains much of the classic feel from the original 1989 title while introducing quality of life improvements, new ultra moves, and updated sprites. Players appreciate the balance between nostalgia and innovation, with enhanced combat mechanics and a more engaging story that enriches the overall experience.
- “The gameplay, the music, the quality of life improvements, the new ultra moves, new sprites, and the overall refreshing retelling of the classic 1989 original.”
- “This game is a retelling of Downtown Nekketsu Story (the Japanese version of River City Ransom) that drastically changes the gameplay when compared, but has a far more involved story that kept me pretty invested on my first playthrough.”
- “Everything with the gameplay I've seen so far has for the most part been kept the same, with a few positive changes being made to things like the combat and other general quality of life changes that were made in Three Kingdoms.”
- “This game is a re-telling of Downtown Nekketsu Story (the Japanese version of River City Ransom) that drastically changes the gameplay when compared, but has a far more involved story that kept me pretty invested on my first playthrough.”
- “The gameplay, the music, the quality of life improvements, the new ultra moves, new sprites, the overall refreshing retelling of the classic 1989 original.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the enhanced humor in the game, noting that it is more developed compared to the NES version, contributing positively to the overall storytelling experience.
- “I love the fact that the story is better fleshed out and has even more humor than the NES version.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users consistently report that the game runs smoothly and performs well, particularly highlighting its impressive visuals on OLED displays.
- “It runs great and looks fantastic on an OLED.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is praised for its quality and contribution to the overall experience, complementing the refreshed gameplay and visuals that pay homage to the classic 1989 original. Players appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the nostalgic feel while integrating well with the new features.
- “The gameplay, the music, the quality of life improvements, the new ultra moves, new sprites, and the overall refreshing retelling of the classic 1989 original.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game boasts high replayability due to its five distinct endings, encouraging players to explore different choices and outcomes.
- “With its offerings of 5 different endings, this game is tailor-made for replayability!”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the product has been criticized for poor performance, particularly related to frame rate issues, with users suggesting that the problems are not resolved by adjusting Steam input settings.
- “On the boards, they say it's an FPS issue regarding this problem, so let's stop pretending the fix is the Steam inputs; the optimization on this product isn't good.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

River City: Rival Showdown is a role playing game.

River City: Rival Showdown is available on PC, Steam Deck and Windows.

River City: Rival Showdown was released on October 11, 2023.

River City: Rival Showdown was developed by Arc System Works.

River City: Rival Showdown has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

River City: Rival Showdown is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include River City Ransom: Underground, River City Girls, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, River City Girls 2, One Piece Pirate Warriors 3 and others.

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