The very first Kunio-kun game, better known as Renegade outside of Japan, is being remade for Nintendo 3DS. While Hot-blooded Tough Guy Kunio-kun Special makes use of the hardware’s glasses-free 3D screen, the characters are 2D sprites. The backgrounds are 3D models, which gives Kunio-kun a paper cutout feel to it. You see in to the world as if you were staring into a bancho diorama.

Renegade Special is about as old-school as you can get gameplay wise. Arc System Works retained the classic Kunio-kun two button controls where A is punch and B is kick. Players have to press A+B at the same to jump. Once in the air you can cyclone kick enemies, which I did first in story mode. New for Renegade Special, this is like a River City Ransom take on Renegade. Story mode has light RPG elements where you can develop your character.

For quick play, Arc System Works re-created arcade mode and made scenarios for mission mode. Usually missions have players pummeling a certain type of enemy a number of times with only one life bar. I spent most of my time in arcade mode back kicking and tossing thugs at each other.

Renegade Special is a throwback to games 25 years ago when games didn’t have tutorials. Actually, this specific title is a celebration of the series’ 25th anniversary and there are a number of pieces of Kunio-kun art to collect. I wonder how gallery mode will be handled if Hot-blooded Kunio-kun Special gets localized since the series was handled by many different publishers (at one time even Nintendo of America!) in the West. Right now Renegade Special is just for Japan and slated for release on December 15.