River City Ransom

River City Ransom is a beat 'em up game with action role-playing elements. The game is non-linear , allowing players to explore an open world in a sandbox manner. The fighting style is similar to Double Dragon , in that the player can move freely around the screen while pressing buttons to punch, kick, or jump. The player can also use items such as brass knuckles, steel pipes, and trash cans as melee weapons or throw them at enemies.

The plot follows high school students Alex and Ryan as they cross River City in an attempt to reach River City High and rescue Ryan's girlfriend Cyndi from the clutches of a villain called "Slick". Along the way, they battle gangs of students and their gang leaders, latter of which act as bosses . In the original NES version there are nine gangs in total, with names such as "The Generic Dudes", "The Frat Guys", "The Jocks" or "The Squids". Gang members are distinguished by the color of their t-shirt; each gang has unique characteristics and attacking patterns.

The characters' effectiveness in battle is determined by their stats in combination with unlockable fighting techniques such as Grand Slam, Stone Hands, and Dragon Feet. These techniques are purchasable as books in shops throughout the city. Players can collect loot from defeated gang members, and these funds may be spent on various food items and spa treatments which serve to not only revitalize the player's stats, but may also permanently increase attributes like "Punch" and "Kick". The game has a password system for saving and loading of the player’s character stats, skills, possessions, money, and defeated bosses.