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Double Dragon

by Curtis Bonds - December 19, 2013, 6:00 pm EST
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Double the Dragon, Double the Fun!

Having your love interest punched in the gut and subsequently kidnapped is one hell of a way to start a game. That’s how Double Dragon gets the ball rolling, and despite its tough-but-fair difficulty, it stays in motion.

Double Dragon is the grand-daddy of all beat-’em-ups. While it wasn’t the first game in the genre, it laid down the foundation for years to come. You play as thug Billy Lee as you fight your way through waves of gang members to rescue Marian, the aforementioned love interest. The game is a fairly simple affair, as all you do is move forward, and defeat everyone on screen by kicking, punching, jumping, or any combination of the three. While I haven’t noticed much of a difference in damage dealt between the different attacks, they all serve their own purpose in terms of properly taking down certain enemies, and make the gameplay feel more varied and fun. Some enemies will also drop weapons like baseball bats and whips, making your attacks even more effective, even if they only last for a single wave of foes.

There are no continues in this game, so once you run out of your three lives, it’s game over. Thankfully the game never feels as if it was an unfair punishment. Billy can take quite a lot of damage before his health fully depletes, so the game offers you a fighting chance of getting through a stage without losing a life.

There’s no 2-player co-op like in the Arcade version, but it allow alternating play, as well as a clunky, nearly unplayable Vs. Mode. If you’re looking for a good beat-’em-up to play solo, it’s hard to not double-down on Double Dragon.

Summary

Pros
  • Catchy music
  • Challenging gameplay
  • Each attack feels useful
Cons
  • Awful Vs. Mode
  • No simultaneous co-op

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Genre Action
Developer Technos Japan
Players1 - 2

Worldwide Releases

na: Double Dragon
Release Dec 12, 2013
PublisherArc System Works
RatingEveryone 10+
jpn: Double Dragon
Release Jan 22, 2014
PublisherArc System Works
Rating12+
eu: Double Dragon
Release Mar 13, 2014
PublisherArc System Works
Rating12+
aus: Double Dragon
Release Mar 13, 2014
PublisherArc System Works
RatingParental Guidance

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