River City Ransom/Gangs

Every time you enter a new screen you'll see the message "*  * The 's turf!" In most areas of the game, the gangs you face are chosen somewhat at random (earlier areas have easier gangs patrolling, later areas have tougher ones). There is also a small chance that no gang will be patrolling when you enter a screen (in which case you won't see the "turf" line). This means that you can go back and forth between screens until the current gang is one you want to face. The gangs are listed below along with their colors, members, money dropped, and fighting style.

Some gangs (and bosses) love weapons, and will often head straight for any they see. You can use this to your advantage by standing near a fallen weapon and then attacking them when they try to grab it.

The Generic Dudes
The Generic Dudes are the gang you'll see the most in the starting areas. They should be fairly easy to take on. They are the most likely to run from a battle.
 * Money: $.50 (total: $4.50)
 * Colors: Light Blue
 * Members: Barry, Cary, Gary, Harry, Jerry, Larry, Perry, Ralph, Terry

The Frat Guys
The Frat Guys usually start with weapons. They also like doing running attacks.
 * Money: $.55 (total: $4.95)
 * Colors: Pink
 * Members: Biff, Clark, Drake, Grant, Skip, Trent, Trip, Tyler, Logan

The Jocks
Stronger than The Home Boys, The Jocks love using weapons and will often head for any they see.
 * Money: $.60 (total: $5.40)
 * Colors: Yellow Green
 * Members: Brad, Curt, Dirk, Jake, Lance, Matt, Mike, Nick, Rex

The Home Boys
The Home Boys are slightly faster and more powerful than The Generic Dudes but shouldn't be too much trouble. They also have a tendency to walk instead of run across long distances.
 * Money: $.75 (total: $6.75)
 * Colors: Yellow
 * Members: Bob, Brady, Chip, Doug, Ernie, Greg, Peter, Robby, Steve

The Mob
The Mob are another weapon-loving gang.
 * Money: $.90 (total: $8.10)
 * Colors: Gray
 * Members: Lefty, Louie, Manny, Marco, Max, Mouse, Sid, Tony, Vinny

The Squids
The Squids are fast and strong, and love weapons. The money they drop is quite good, however.
 * Money: $1.00 (total: $9.00)
 * Colors: Brown
 * Members: Berni, Byron, Erwin, Felix, Herb, Howie, Linus, Monty, Waldo

The Internationals
The Internationals are fairly tough. You will want to increase your abilities before facing them.
 * Money: $1.50 (total: $10.50)
 * Colors: Green
 * Members: Akbar, Andre, Boris, Fuji, Hans, Juan, Lars, Wang, Yemi

The Cowboys
The Cowboys are very tough and very fast. You'll only see them once you reach River City High, by which time you should have all the techniques and skill upgrades you need to take them down.
 * Money: $1.20 (total: $10.80)
 * Colors: Dark Blue
 * Members: Bart, Bubba, Duke, Dusty, Jed, Luke, Merle, Shane, Slim

The Plague
The Plague are only seen inside or around River City High. They are quite powerful, but if you've increased your abilities enough you should be able to triumph.
 * Money: $1.25 (total: $11.25)
 * Colors: Red
 * Members: Blaze, Edge, Mooky, Slash, Snake, Stick, Sting, Tonto, Ziggy

Japanese version
In this version, all the male characters, including the enemies, wear gakurans (traditional Japanese school uniforms) instead of jeans and t-shirts. Each group of enemies is also enrolled at a particular High School, rather than being street gangs.

Senridai High School
You'll see Senridai High School the most in the starting areas. They should be fairly easy to take on. They are the most likely to run from a battle.
 * Money: ¥50 (total: ¥450)
 * Colors: Light Blue
 * Members: Mori, Itou, Ogura, Sakagami, Tsuchida, Oyama, Sonokawa, Kokubo, Kawakami

Sakajuku Commercial High School
Sakajuku Commercial High School usually start with weapons. They also like doing running attacks.
 * Money: ¥60 (total: ¥540)
 * Colors: Pink
 * Members: Sekimoto, Nakajima, Yamane, Andou, Ikeyama, Takigawa, Yoshimura, Katagiri, Imura

Numaoka Industrial High School
Stronger than Hoshikusa Agricultural High School, Numaoka Industrial High School loves using weapons and will often head for any they see.
 * Money: ¥70 (total: ¥630)
 * Colors: Yellow Green
 * Members: Inoue, Chiba, Matsumoto, Asaka, Saitou (younger brother), Shiroto, Hanya, Minakami, Ootsuka

Hoshikusa Agricultural High School
Hoshikusa Agricultural High School is slightly faster and more powerful than Senridai High School but shouldn't be too much trouble. They also have a tendency to walk instead of run across long distances.
 * Money: ¥90 (total: ¥810)
 * Colors: Yellow
 * Members: Ikegami, Iwamoto, Sawada, Fukuhara, Kido, Hirasawa, Kanakubo, Ogawa, Machida

Hakutaka Industrial High School
Another weapon-loving High School.
 * Money: ¥100 (total: ¥900)
 * Colors: Gray
 * Enemies: Gotou, Sawa, Yamaguchi, Oota, Saitou (older brother), Takasugi, Nanba, Nishikawa, Mihara

Matagawa Industrial High School
Matagawa Industrial High School is fast and strong, and love weapons. The money they drop is quite good, however.
 * Money: ¥110 (total: ¥990)
 * Colors: Brown
 * Enemies: Kashiwaya, Iwanaga, Nakazawa, Tanimoto, Kondou, Hirono, Mochida, Oonishi, Kai

Houryou High School
Houryou High School is fairly tough. You will want to increase your abilities before facing them.
 * Money: ¥120 (total: ¥1080)
 * Colors: Green
 * Enemies: Satou, Ogata, Iijima, Yazawa, Shouji, Momoyama, Oosawa, Sonoda, Yoshida

Tanibana High School
Tanibana High School is very tough and very fast. You'll only see them once you reach Reihou Academy, by which time you should have all the techniques and skill upgrades you need to take them down.
 * Money: ¥130 (total: ¥1170)
 * Colors: Dark Blue
 * Enemies: Suzuki, Takadera, Nomura, Kurozawa, Watanabe, Ono, Yanai, Kumagai, Tanaka

Reihou Academy
Reihou Academy is only seen inside or around their High School. They are quite powerful, but if you've increased your abilities enough you should be able to triumph.
 * Money: ¥140 (total: ¥1260)
 * Colors: Red
 * Enemies: Mutou, Tomiyama, Kawada, Irie, Aoki, Nakamura, Koga, Ichikawa, Kishimoto