Renegade/Gameplay

Controls

 * / : Press the joystick left or right to walk in either direction. Double tap the joystick left or right to initiate running in either direction (you do not need to hold it down).
 * / : Press the joystick up or down to advance into the foreground or recede into the background.
 * / : The left and right buttons are for attacking. Each button will allow perform an attack that is relative to the direction you are currently facing.
 * If you are facing left, will punch to the left, and  will perform a back kick to the right.
 * If you are facing right, will perform a back kick to the left, and  will punch to the right.
 * : Press the middle button to perform a jump.

Player
In Renegade, you control the fighter depicted on the left. He is only ever referred to as "punk" and as "Mr. K" in the NES version. His one and only mission is to defeat the turf gangs in his rough neighborhood to find out who kidnapped his girlfriend, and rescue her.

In Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun, you control the titular Kunio-Kun, depicted on the right. Kunio's mission is one of revenge for the senseless beating of his friend Hiroshi. At the start of each round, a different high school gang beats up Kunio's friend, sending him into a rage. Kunio is determined to teach those punks not to mess with his friends.

Regardless of who you are, both players have the same abilities. They have a life bar which is visible at the top of the screen. Every time the player is punched or kicked by a gang member, he loses health, and the life bar depletes. If the player gets knocked down when the bar is empty, they will lose a life. He will also lose a life immediately if he falls off the platform in round 1, falls in the water in round 2, or gets stabbed or shot in round 4.

The most commonly found settings in the arcade do not provide the player with an extra life at the start of the game, although one extra life can be obtained at 30,000 points. When all of the players lives are gone, the game is over, and the arcade does not provide an opportunity for the player to continue his game.

Rescue
In Renegade, your girlfriend is the motivation for your venture into rival gang turf. She has been kidnapped, and is being held hostage by a corrupt car salesman who runs one of the most ruthless gangs in town. Should you manage to defeat this salesman, she will be happy to see you and run gratefully into your arms.

In Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun, it is Kunio-Kun's good friend Hiroshi who inspires him to go after the various gangs and teach them a lesson. At the beginning of every round, there is a little cinematic that shows Hiroshi getting pounded on in an unfair fight, by a gang who runs off when they see Kunio coming. It is then up to Kunio to survive the ordeal and send the entire a gang a very strong message. If he manages to defeat all four gangs, his fellow classmates will throw him a victory celebration for his outstanding achievement and dedication to the protection of his school.