"Think Super Smash Bros or Power Stone in 8-bit glory"

This is one of those games that I can't fathom as to why it never came out in the US. I guess it's because River City Ransom wasn't a huge seller in the states but a game like Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu could have been revolutionary if marketed right. I think it has even more appeal now because we've all played the awesome four player fighting games like Power Stone and Super Smash Bros as well as the classic River City Ransom. One more thing is that this isn't an easy game to make a long and detailed review for because it is a rather simplistic slug fest and it is all in Japanese.

Graphics: 9/10

It's looks just like River City Ransom and the character sprites have enough variety to stand out. The stages look nice and it's easy to tell what's what like land mines look like they should and all the hazards are perfectly easy to spot. There really isn't anything to complain about aside from the occasional graphics issues of the 8-bit era. What I also like is that they really put in plenty of different attack animations from punch and kick combos to elbow dropping a guy "Macho Man" Randy Savage style. You really don't see that much detail to varying attack animations in brawler/beat 'em up games, even in the mid 90's quite a few games just had a basic combo and a regular strike. It is a small thing but it really does add more variety to how a fight looks.

Gameplay: 10/10

Just two buttons and a lot of hidden depth to it. It does control like River City Ransom but there are some new moves in this game. You have the standard combos, jumping, jumping strikes, as well as ground attacks like the elbow drop, you can lift a grounded opponent over your head and toss him into a hazard, and there's the Irish Whip (for those who don't know wrestling moves, that's when you send your opponent running to the ropes or in the case of this game an electric fence or other hazard.) One great thing is that even though it's a simple combat system but it doesn't feel really primitive or that out of date. There are different stages to pick from and each one has different features like there's one with some icy floor, a conveyor belt, spiked walls, electric fences, landmines, and so on. You can just get right into the action by picking your guy, a partner, and two opponents like any exhibition mode. It also has a type of "career mode" where you pick your two guys and run a tournament which gets harder as it goes on. I also like that even though all the text is in Japanese, it's very easy to navigate and set up your game without much guess work.

Audio 9/10

Once again, it doesn't stray too far from River City Ransom and other games in the series and that isn't a bad thing. The music is well made and fits the pace of the action and the sound effects are just what you would expect.

Overall: 10/10

I really don't see how this game could be any better aside from an English translation and being ported to Wiiware, Xbox Live Arcade, and PSN. This game is the definition of a gem and if you can find it then you owe it to yourself to get it. This is one of those games that never gets boring no matter how many times you play it and it does have enough challenge so that it doesn't feel too easy but it sure isn't impossible. How something this great could have went so far under the radar will always be a mystery to me.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 10/26/10

Game Release: Nekketsu Kakutou Densetsu (JP, 12/23/92)