Upcoming River City Ball & Brawl Bundle Includes Kunio-kun's Basketball & Tournament Fighting
The Californer/10326484

MONTCLAIR, Calif. - Californer -- Just ahead of his 40th anniversary, Retro-Bit® Publishing (https://retro-bit.com/retro-bit-publishing/) invites gamers to experience two of Kunio-kun's greatest four-player Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games. The publishing imprint of Retro-Bit® announced today that pre-orders are now open for the River City Ball & Brawl Bundle (https://retro-bit.com/river-city/), featuring River City Basketball and River City Fighting Legend, marking their first official cartridge release outside of Japan and newly localized by Nathan Deren and translations by Jonathan Antonioli.

This will be a one-time production run only available through a pre-order, which will run through October 19, 2025.  The two-game box set is priced at $109.99 in the United States, $154.99 in Canada, and €129,99 in Europe. The individual games are also available for pre-order, priced at $59.99 in the United States, $84.99 in Canada, and €69,99 in Europe.

River City Fighting Legend stars Kunio, who the Saber Tiger association challenges to a city-wide tournament to see which high school has the toughest students. First released in 1992 on the Famicom, this arena-based fighting game builds on River City's beat 'em up gameplay by rewarding players with over-the-top special moves and trapping them in complicated stages that aren't afraid to fight back. Featuring both 2-on-2 and free-for-all battles, River City Fighting Legend allows you to play with four distinct fighting styles and master techniques against your foes.

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Released one year later, under the name Nekketsu! Street Basketball: All-Out Dunk Heroes, River City Basketball sees Kunio and his friends win a trip to the United States, where the Dunk Heroes will take on a series of regional teams, including the New York Kids, Florida Espers, Texas Boys, Hawaii Fires, San Francisco Roses, and Las Vegas Gamblers. A fast-paced mix of beat 'em up combat and street ball excitement, River City Basketball is best-known for its over-the-top power plays and innovative stage designs, which feature secret passages and multiple hoops. This also marked the final Kunio-kun game released on the 8-bit Famicom.

The River City Ball & Brawl Bundle will be the first official cartridge release outside of Japan for River City Basketball and River City Fighting Legend. Each game will come with an individually-numbered deluxe hardcover package, an 8-bit cartridge for play on the Nintendo Entertainment System and compatible systems, a full-colored instruction manual, and an acrylic display stand featuring Kunio and his different opponents. Other enhancements include a brand-new localization by Nathan Deren and translation by Jonathan Antonioli.

"From street ball to a city-wide fighting tournament, the Ball & Brawl Bundle is the perfect reminder that Kunio-kun could do just about anything," explains Andres Ordonez, Product Marketing Specialist at Retro-Bit Publishing. "Late-generation 8-bit games like River City Basketball and River City Fighting Legend pushed the hardware to its limit, incorporating four-player simultaneous action and inventive levels that are full of secrets (and traps). Few games are better at mixing beat 'em up combat with sports, all while effortlessly inspiring a whole genre of tournament fighting games. Kunio-kun really could do it all."

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The River City Ball & Brawl Bundle comes just weeks after Retro-Bit revealed a limited-edition release of Undeadline on the Genesis/Mega Drive. Other 2025 announcements include R.C. Pro-Am II on the Nintendo Entertainment System, Battletoads Double Dragon on Game Boy, and the Toaplan Shooter Collection Volume 2, featuring Genesis/Mega Drive shoot 'em ups Grind Stormer and Slap Fight.

Pre-orders for the River City Ball & Brawl Bundle are available now and will run through October 19, 2025, at both Retro-Bit's website (https://retro-bit.com/river-city/) and participating retailers. The limited-edition box set is priced at $109.99 in the United States, $154.99 in Canada, and €129,99 in Europe. River City Basketball and River City Fighting Legend are also available individually for $59.99 in the United States, $84.99 in Canada, and €69,99 in Europe.

For more information and a list of retailers visit: https://retro-bit.com/river-city/

For Press Kit click HERE (https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qrr130aapfy1bte80wxdy/ACR1MkIZIUCMUUGgEcLEey8?rlkey=c13ol071hp20cxikzzyicslpp&st=p64xczgm&dl=0)

© ARC SYSTEM WORKS

About Arc System Works

Arc System Works is known for its 2D fighting games series like Guilty Gear and Blazblue, and is keeping the Double Dragon series alive since they acquired the IP in 2015.

About Retro-Bit

A leader in the retro-gaming community for more than a decade, Retro-Bit® brings new life to classic video game consoles with exciting accessories, controllers and games. From the Atari 2600® to the PlayStation 5® and almost everything in between, Retro-Bit offers the best new ways to play classic games.  Retro-Bit can be found online at retro-bit.com and across social media allmylinks.com/retro-bit.