<s>
,	O
released	O
as	O
Renegade	B-Application
in	O
the	O
West	O
,	O
is	O
a	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Technōs	O
Japan	O
and	O
distributed	O
by	O
Taito	O
for	O
the	O
arcades	O
in	O
1986	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
original	O
Japanese	O
version	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
revolves	O
around	O
a	O
high-school	O
delinquent	O
named	O
Kunio-kun	O
(	O
or	O
just	O
Kunio	O
)	O
who	O
must	O
stand	O
up	O
against	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
rival	O
gangs	O
frequently	O
targeting	O
his	O
classmate	O
Hiroshi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
Western	O
version	O
Renegade	B-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
controls	O
a	O
street	O
brawler	B-Application
who	O
must	O
face	O
four	O
different	O
gangs	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
rescue	O
his	O
girlfriend	O
being	O
held	O
captive	O
by	O
a	O
mob	O
boss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
also	O
drew	O
inspiration	O
from	O
the	O
Bruce	B-Application
Lee	I-Application
martial	O
arts	O
film	O
Enter	O
the	O
Dragon	O
(	O
1973	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
inspired	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
"	O
knock-down-drag-out	O
"	O
fights	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
his	O
own	O
altercations	O
as	O
a	O
youth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
an	O
important	O
game	O
that	O
defined	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
,	O
establishing	O
the	O
standard	O
gameplay	O
format	O
adopted	O
by	O
later	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
earlier	O
side-scrolling	O
martial	O
arts	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Kung-Fu	B-Application
Master	I-Application
(	O
1984	O
)	O
,	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
introduced	O
key	O
elements	O
such	O
as	O
the	O
belt	O
scroll	O
format	O
where	O
players	O
can	O
move	O
horizontally	O
and	O
vertically	O
in	O
a	O
scrolling	O
arena-like	O
space	O
,	O
a	O
combat	O
system	O
incorporating	O
combo	O
attacks	O
,	O
the	O
standard	O
three-button	O
control	O
scheme	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
street	O
brawling	O
theme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
basis	O
for	O
Kishimoto	O
's	O
next	O
game	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
(	O
1987	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
further	O
advanced	O
and	O
popularized	O
its	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
format	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
was	O
the	O
first	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
long-running	O
Kunio-kun	O
series	O
in	O
Japan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
Western	O
localization	O
Renegade	B-Application
also	O
spawned	O
its	O
own	O
spin-off	O
series	O
from	O
British	O
company	O
Ocean	O
Software	O
on	O
home	O
computers	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
sequels	O
Target	B-Application
:	I-Application
Renegade	I-Application
(	O
1988	O
)	O
and	O
Renegade	B-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Chapter	I-Application
(	O
1989	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
is	O
presented	O
from	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
,	O
with	O
character	O
sprites	O
and	O
backgrounds	O
rendered	O
in	O
a	O
three-quarter	O
perspective	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
player	O
able	O
to	O
move	O
in	O
horizontal	O
and	O
vertical	O
directions	O
around	O
the	O
arena	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
introduced	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
combo	O
attacks	O
;	O
in	O
contrast	O
to	O
earlier	O
games	O
,	O
the	O
opponents	O
in	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
could	O
take	O
much	O
more	O
punishment	O
,	O
requiring	O
a	O
succession	O
of	O
punches	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
first	O
hit	O
temporarily	O
immobilizing	O
the	O
enemy	O
,	O
making	O
him	O
unable	O
to	O
defend	O
himself	O
against	O
successive	O
punches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
controls	O
a	O
fighter	O
(	O
in	O
the	O
NES	O
version	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
named	O
"	O
Mr.	O
K	O
"	O
in-game	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
Renegade	B-Application
"	O
in	O
the	O
instruction	O
manual	O
)	O
who	O
must	O
fight	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
street	B-Application
gangs	I-Application
on	O
the	O
way	O
to	O
save	O
his	O
girlfriend	O
from	O
the	O
gangsters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
previous	O
beat-	B-Application
'	I-Application
em-ups	I-Application
such	O
as	O
Kung-Fu	B-Application
Master	I-Application
(	O
1984	O
)	O
,	O
Shao-lin	B-Application
'	I-Application
s	I-Application
Road	I-Application
(	O
1985	B-Application
)	O
or	O
My	B-Application
Hero	I-Application
(	O
1985	B-Application
)	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
's	O
movement	O
was	O
limited	O
to	O
only	O
left	O
or	O
right	O
,	O
in	O
Renegade	B-Application
the	O
player	O
can	O
also	O
move	O
towards	O
or	O
away	O
from	O
the	O
background	O
by	O
pressing	O
up	O
or	O
down	O
in	O
a	O
matter	O
similar	O
to	O
Technos	O
Japan	O
's	O
1985	B-Application
wrestling	O
game	O
Mat	B-Application
Mania	I-Application
,	O
although	O
the	O
battle	O
system	O
is	O
still	O
limited	O
to	O
only	O
two	O
directions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
Technos	O
 '	O
subsequent	O
game	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
,	O
the	O
playing	O
field	O
is	O
limited	O
to	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
three-screen-wide	O
areas	O
and	O
does	O
not	O
scroll	O
continuously	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
previously	O
worked	O
at	O
Data	O
East	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
created	O
the	O
successful	O
laserdisc	O
games	O
Cobra	B-Application
Command	I-Application
(	O
1984	O
)	O
and	O
Road	B-Application
Blaster	I-Application
(	O
1985	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kishimito	O
was	O
also	O
a	O
fan	O
of	O
Bruce	B-Application
Lee	I-Application
's	O
Hong	O
Kong	O
martial	O
arts	O
films	O
,	O
particularly	O
Enter	O
the	O
Dragon	O
(	O
1973	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
combined	O
elements	O
from	O
Lee	O
's	O
Enter	O
the	O
Dragon	O
with	O
that	O
of	O
his	O
own	O
life	O
to	O
create	O
the	O
concept	O
for	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
contrast	O
to	O
earlier	O
side-scrolling	O
martial	O
arts	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
most	O
notably	O
Irem	O
's	O
Kung-Fu	B-Application
Master	I-Application
(	O
1984	O
)	O
,	O
Kunio-kun	O
greatly	O
increased	O
the	O
amount	O
of	O
health	O
available	O
to	O
the	O
player	O
and	O
the	O
enemies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
allowed	O
Kishimoto	O
to	O
create	O
gameplay	O
centered	O
around	O
the	O
"	O
knock-down-drag-out	O
"	O
fights	O
,	O
as	O
seen	O
in	O
Bruce	B-Application
Lee	I-Application
films	O
such	O
as	O
Enter	O
the	O
Dragon	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
altercations	O
Kishimoto	O
had	O
himself	O
experienced	O
in	O
his	O
youth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
use	O
of	O
an	O
isometric	B-Application
perspective	I-Application
,	O
combined	O
with	O
separate	O
buttons	O
for	O
punching	O
and	O
kicking	O
,	O
also	O
meant	O
that	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
could	O
no	O
longer	O
press	O
up	O
to	O
jump	O
like	O
in	O
Kung-Fu	B-Application
Master	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
compensate	O
,	O
an	O
additional	O
jump	O
button	O
was	O
added	O
instead	O
,	O
resulting	O
in	O
the	O
standard	O
three-button	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
control	O
scheme	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Renegade	B-Application
is	O
a	O
localization	O
of	O
the	O
Japanese	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
for	O
the	O
North	O
American	O
and	O
worldwide	O
markets	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
graphics	O
changed	O
in	O
an	O
attempt	O
to	O
adapt	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
setting	O
to	O
a	O
more	O
western	O
style	O
(	O
with	O
what	O
can	O
be	O
seen	O
as	O
thinly	O
veiled	O
'	O
inspiration	O
 '	O
from	O
the	O
film	O
The	O
Warriors	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
gangs	O
of	O
thugs	O
and	O
bikers	O
featured	O
in	O
Renegade	B-Application
were	O
originally	O
high	O
school	O
delinquents	O
,	O
bōsōzoku	O
members	O
,	O
a	O
sukeban	O
along	O
with	O
her	O
minions	O
,	O
and	O
finally	O
Yakuza	B-Application
members	O
in	O
Kunio-kun	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
title	O
of	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
was	O
influenced	O
by	O
Konami	O
's	O
arcade	O
game	O
,	O
Shinnyuushain	O
Tooru-Kun	O
(	O
known	O
outside	O
Japan	O
as	O
Mikie	B-Application
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
the	O
damsel-in-distress	O
plot	O
of	O
Renegade	B-Application
,	O
Kunio-kun	O
instead	O
featured	O
the	O
titular	O
high	O
school	O
student	O
,	O
,	O
standing	O
up	O
for	O
his	O
bullied	O
friend	O
Hiroshi	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Unlike	O
Renegade	B-Application
,	O
Kunio	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
bosses	O
are	O
identified	O
by	O
name	O
in-game	O
,	O
whereas	O
the	O
characters	O
in	O
Renegade	B-Application
are	O
simply	O
identified	O
by	O
the	O
generic	O
identifier	O
"	O
1P	O
"	O
or	O
"	O
2P	O
"	O
(	O
depending	O
on	O
who	O
is	O
playing	O
)	O
and	O
"	O
BOSS	O
"	O
(	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
until	O
the	O
NES	O
version	O
that	O
bosses	O
in	O
Renegade	B-Application
were	O
given	O
names	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
ends	O
with	O
Hiroshi	O
and	O
several	O
students	O
of	O
Nekketsu	O
High	O
School	O
greeting	O
Kunio	O
outside	O
Sabu	O
's	O
hideout	O
,	O
with	O
Hiroshi	O
giving	O
Kunio	O
a	O
firm	O
handshake	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
Renegade	B-Application
,	O
each	O
character	O
has	O
a	O
catch-phrase	O
said	O
by	O
them	O
in	O
digitized	O
voice	O
,	O
but	O
spoken	O
in	O
Japanese	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
,	O
Technos	O
Japan	O
reused	O
the	O
Kunio	O
character	O
for	O
several	O
more	O
games	O
,	O
beginning	O
with	O
Nekketsu	O
Kōkō	O
Dodgeball	O
Bu	O
(	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
of	O
Super	B-Application
Dodge	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
)	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
arcades	O
and	O
the	O
Famicom/NES	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
were	O
released	O
overseas	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
River	B-Application
City	I-Application
Ransom	I-Application
(	O
the	O
American	O
version	O
of	O
Downtown	B-Application
Nekketsu	I-Application
Monogatari	I-Application
)	O
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
World	I-Application
Cup	I-Application
(	O
Nekketsu	O
Kōkō	O
Dodgeball	O
Bu	O
:	O
Soccer	O
Hen	O
)	O
and	O
Crash	B-Application
'	I-Application
n	I-Application
the	I-Application
Boys	I-Application
:	I-Application
Street	I-Application
Challenge	I-Application
(	O
Bikkuri	O
Nekketsu	O
Shin	O
Kiroku	O
!	O
</s>
<s>
Home	O
computer	O
versions	O
were	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Amiga	B-Device
,	O
Apple	B-Device
II	I-Device
and	O
IBM	B-Device
PC	I-Device
in	O
North	O
America	O
and	O
for	O
the	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
,	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
,	O
Atari	B-Device
ST	I-Device
and	O
Commodore	O
64	O
in	O
Europe	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Apple	B-Device
IIGS	I-Device
port	O
was	O
developed	O
and	O
advertised	O
by	O
Taito	O
Software	O
in	O
1988	O
,	O
with	O
actual	O
screen-shots	O
shown	O
,	O
but	O
never	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
version	O
mimicked	O
the	O
three-button	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
original	O
by	O
combining	O
the	O
joystick	O
control	O
with	O
the	O
cursor	O
keys	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
the	O
top-grossing	O
title	O
on	O
the	O
Game	O
Machine	O
table	O
arcade	O
cabinet	O
charts	O
in	O
July	O
1986	B-Application
,	O
and	O
became	O
the	O
fifth	O
highest-grossing	O
table	O
arcade	O
game	O
during	O
the	O
latter	O
half	B-Application
of	I-Application
1986	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
United	O
Kingdom	O
,	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
version	O
was	O
the	O
top-selling	O
computer	O
game	O
on	O
the	O
monthly	O
all-formats	O
chart	O
in	O
September	O
1987	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
also	O
topped	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
charts	O
from	O
September	O
to	O
October	O
1987	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
it	O
was	O
number	O
three	O
the	O
following	O
month	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
voted	O
by	O
Your	O
Sinclair	O
readers	O
as	O
the	O
second	O
best	O
game	B-Application
of	I-Application
1987	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
David	O
M	O
.	O
Wilson	O
reviewed	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Computer	O
Gaming	O
World	O
,	O
saying	O
that	O
the	O
arcade	O
feel	O
was	O
carried	O
over	O
into	O
the	O
personal	O
computer	O
versions	O
of	O
Renegade	B-Application
,	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
players	O
feel	O
like	O
martial	O
arts	O
fighters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
NES	O
port	O
of	O
Renegade	B-Application
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Wii	I-Operating_System
's	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
in	O
North	O
America	O
on	O
May	O
5	O
,	O
2008	O
at	O
a	O
cost	O
of	O
500	O
Wii	B-Application
Points	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
re-released	O
on	O
February	O
27	O
,	O
2014	O
both	O
on	O
the	O
3DS	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
and	O
Wii	B-Operating_System
U	O
Virtual	B-Application
Console	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
port	O
includes	O
both	O
original	O
US	O
and	O
Japanese	O
arcade	O
game	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
the	O
first	O
time	O
the	O
original	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
being	O
released	O
in	O
the	O
west	O
commercially	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
is	O
considered	O
the	O
"	O
first	O
fully-developed	O
beat	B-Application
’	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
"	O
game	O
,	O
according	O
to	O
Andrew	O
Williams	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
elements	O
of	O
the	O
genre	O
were	O
previously	O
present	O
in	O
earlier	O
side-scrolling	O
martial	O
arts	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
most	O
notably	O
Kung-Fu	B-Application
Master	I-Application
,	O
Renegade	B-Application
introduced	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
key	O
elements	O
that	O
more	O
clearly	O
defined	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
and	O
established	O
the	O
standard	O
format	O
adopted	O
by	O
later	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
genre	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
set	O
the	O
standard	O
for	O
future	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
games	I-Application
as	O
it	O
introduced	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
move	O
both	O
horizontally	O
and	O
vertically	O
,	O
in	O
a	O
scrolling	O
arena-like	O
space	O
,	O
commonly	O
called	O
the	O
belt	O
scroll	O
action	B-Application
game	I-Application
format	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Its	O
combat	O
system	O
was	O
also	O
more	O
highly	O
developed	O
than	O
earlier	O
side-scrolling	O
action	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
such	O
as	O
its	O
introduction	O
of	O
combo	O
attacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
also	O
introduced	O
street	O
brawling	O
to	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
international	O
version	O
Renegade	B-Application
taking	O
it	O
further	O
by	O
adding	O
an	O
underworld	O
revenge	O
plot	O
,	O
proving	O
more	O
popular	O
with	O
gamers	O
than	O
the	O
principled	O
combat	O
sports	O
of	O
earlier	O
martial	O
arts	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
spawned	O
the	O
separate	O
Kunio-kun	O
franchise	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
also	O
the	O
basis	O
for	O
Yoshihisa	O
Kishimoto	O
's	O
next	O
game	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
(	O
1987	O
)	O
,	O
a	O
spiritual	O
successor	O
that	O
further	O
advanced	O
and	O
popularized	O
the	O
beat	B-Application
'	I-Application
em	I-Application
up	I-Application
genre	O
format	O
established	O
by	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
,	O
with	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
itself	O
originally	O
intended	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
sequel	O
before	O
becoming	O
a	O
separate	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ocean	O
Software	O
produced	O
two	O
sequels	O
to	O
Renegade	B-Application
:	O
Target	B-Application
:	I-Application
Renegade	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Renegade	B-Application
III	I-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Final	I-Application
Chapter	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
were	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
ZX	B-Operating_System
Spectrum	I-Operating_System
,	O
Commodore	O
64	O
,	O
Amstrad	B-Device
CPC	I-Device
and	O
MSX	B-Operating_System
,	O
but	O
never	O
had	O
corresponding	O
arcade	O
versions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Target	B-Application
:	I-Application
Renegade	I-Application
was	O
also	O
released	O
on	O
the	O
NES	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Technos	O
was	O
slated	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
Game	B-Device
Boy	I-Device
title	O
Nekketsu	B-Application
Kōha	I-Application
Kunio-kun	I-Application
:	I-Application
Bangai	I-Application
Rantō	I-Application
Hen	I-Application
as	O
a	O
follow-up	O
called	O
The	O
Renegades	B-Application
,	O
but	O
was	O
eventually	O
retooled	O
as	O
Double	B-Application
Dragon	I-Application
II	I-Application
and	O
published	O
by	O
Acclaim	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
of	O
these	O
were	O
localized	O
in	O
North	O
America	O
as	O
Super	B-Application
Dodge	I-Application
Ball	I-Application
,	O
River	B-Application
City	I-Application
Ransom	I-Application
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
World	I-Application
Cup	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Technos	O
had	O
no	O
involvement	O
with	O
the	O
Ocean-produced	O
Renegade	B-Application
sequels	O
.	O
</s>
