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Renegade

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Renegade (Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun in Japan) is the scrolling beat 'em up by Technos which started the Kunio / Nekketsu High series. The original takes takes place in a Japanese city, whereas its western version named Renegade is set on the mean streets of Brooklyn. This conversion later produced...

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Developer
Technōs Japan

Released on
1986

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Beat 'em Up

Publisher
Taito

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Renegade (Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-Kun in Japan) is the scrolling beat ’em up by Technos which started the Kunio / Nekketsu High series. The original takes takes place in a Japanese city, whereas its western version named Renegade is set on the mean streets of Brooklyn. This conversion later produced unofficial sequels Target: Renegade and Renegade III: The Final Chapter. You must venture through to meet your girlfriend, and then rescue her from her kidnappers. This is split into five levels, taking you through the subway and the docks as well as some inhospitable streets. A wide range of aggressive moves are on offer, including headbutts, kicks, punches and flying kicks. Much of the game’s violence is depicted in a fairly tongue-in-cheek style, with an element of attempted humour along the way.

Renegade first introduced several trademarks of the beat ’em up genre, including 4-directional control, punch-jump-kick play action, and enemies which can sustain multiple hits. It is considered to be one of the most influential titles of the video game industry.

Renegade

Overview & History

Developed by Technōs Japan and released in 1986, Renegade (known as *Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun* in Japan) fundamentally birthed the modern beat-'em-up genre. While Technōs localized the game for Western arcades by swapping the Japanese high-school delinquent protagonist for a trench-coated vigilante named Mr. K, the core grit remained intact. Players navigate hostile urban environments—ranging from subway platforms to murky parking lots—on a solitary mission to rescue the hero's kidnapped girlfriend from escalating gangs of street thugs, pimps, and motorcycle riders. Unlike its successors, Renegade introduced single-plane, multi-directional scrolling combat where positional awareness is just as vital as brute force, establishing the technical blueprint that would eventually be perfected in Double Dragon.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Unlike standard side-scrollers, Renegade utilizes a distinct three-button layout and fixed-depth stages that force players to anticipate enemy flanks. The combat loop relies heavily on environmental hazards—such as shoving enemies onto subway tracks or bouncing them off concrete walls—and a sophisticated momentum system. The protagonist possesses a diverse arsenal: standard rapid punches and kicks, a devastating reverse kick to handle flankers, a running dropkick to close distance quickly, and a brutal ground-pound maneuver used once an adversary is knocked flat on their back. The difficulty curve is notoriously unforgiving, as each stage introduces increasingly aggressive mobsters with unique weapons, from iron pipes to heavy chains, requiring precise timing and crowd-control strategy to survive without burning through endless credits.