Double Dragon. . . just the name alone fills many gamers mind and hearts with awe. Billy and Jimmy Lee also once known as Spike and Hammer-- the Double Dragons, street smarts masters of Martial Arts.
The Original Double Dragon
I could remember when Double Dragon first came out (around 1989 or 1990) in the arcades. I used to go to the Arcades just to watch the demoes on the screen with my brother or my cousins. It was considered ground breaking-- 2 player simultaneous action! Multiple enemies, cool boss fights, abilities to use weapons, bad ass fighting moves, and large detailed sprites for characters!
Many of us children of the 80s relived our arcade fantasies by buy arcade ports for home computers or home consoles. For many of us, the home computer was a Commodore 64 or Commodore 128 and our home console was a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES.)
When Double Dragon first came out on the Commodore 64 and the NES, I was awestruck! At last I could relive my Double Dragon aspirations at home and it won't be expensive like the arcades!
C64 Double Dragon
The Commodore 64 version was programmed by Binary Designs and published by Mastertronics. However it was a let down. The sprites were detailed but tiny and you can't do jump kicks or spin kick or hair pulls or full nelsons! Billy and Jimmy were just limited to basic punch, kick, elbow, head butt, and jump! And the gameplay and fighting was nothing like the arcade. The only redeeming quality was that it had 2 player simultaneous action. Another version of Double Dragon was released in the early 1990s by Ocean for the Commodore 64 on cartridge but that one was only 1 player but you could do jump kicks, however the sprite collusion hit system was off and the game was hard!
good points: 2 player action, semi decent graphics, great intro music
bad points: gameplay is terrible and is nothing like the arcade, can't do most arcade fighting moves
Commodore 64 version of Double Dragon by Ocean: D+
good points: good graphics, sprites comes in various sizes, good music and sound, Billy can do jump kicks
bad points: only 1 player, very difficult, not enough variety of enemies, sprite collusion hit detection is off
NES Double Dragon
The Nintendo version was the best version for 8 bit conversion for home consoles. The graphics were great, the game had large Sprites for certain characters like Abobo and the gameplay was fantastic! You could do almost all the moves from the arcade. On the downside you only start out with basic punch and kick and gain more moves as you level up. However it was only 1 player in the main game mode but there was a VS Mode with 2 player action. This game had the luxury of having the original programmers of the double dragon arcade program the NES version, so it had to be good.
NES version of Double Dragon by Technos Japan/Tradewest: B+
good points: best graphics, music, sound and gameplay of all the Double Dragon home releases, can do most of the arcade moves, include 2 player vs mode, easy gameplay
bad points: main game is only 1 player, game is different from the arcade
Nintendo 3DS Virtual Console/Gameboy Double Dragon
I currently also played an own Double Dragon for the Gameboy via Virtual Console on the Nintendo 3DS. The downside of the virtual console is that i can't do 2 player simultaneous mode. The game is ok, black and white graphics and plays very similar to the NES version but the levels are shorter and the NES version is better. On the good side, i can create save points anywhere in the game due to the virtual console.
good points: good graphics, easy gameplay, can create save points anywhere in the game
bad points: no 2 player action due to limitation of virtual console, short levels, black and white graphics
Double Dragon II: The Revenge
Double Dragon II for the Commodore 64 and the NES addressed most of the short comings of the original game.
C64 Double Dragon II
In the Commodore 64 version by Mastertronics, Billy and Jimmy can now do most of the arcade moves, such as: jump kicks, hurricane kick, jumping spin kick. The Commodore 64 version is very true to the arcade game with the exact same sound and music and level obstacles such as the wheat machine in level 3 in the outskirts of town. And the graphics improved and some boss sprites and mini boss sprites are larger sprites now.
Double Dragon II by Mastertronics for Commodore 64: B+
good points: 2 player simultaneous action, can do vary arcade moves like jump kick, hurricane kick and jumping spin kick, larger sprites, better graphics, has both sound and music close to the arcade, and level obstacles and gameplay is very similar to the arcade
bad points: almost all the fighting moves does the same amount of damage, unlike the arcade, in which power attacks does more damage than regular attack moves, and it is a hard game
NES Double Dragon II
Double Dragon II for the NES is the best Double Dragon game in the Double Dragon franchise for the NES. This game had simultaneous 2 player action, in one mode both players can hurt each other, in another mode they can't. Also you could do almost all the arcade moves plus more, such as the flying knee kick. The game is different from the arcade with different levels, and after you beat the double dragon spirits, you fight the shadow master who is very strong and has a powerful move-- the spinning hurricane fist attacks.
Double Dragon II by Technos Japan: A+
good points: 2 player simultaneous action, excellent graphics, excellent gameplay, lots of fighting moves, easy to play and is fun!
bad points: none
Double Dragon III
I never played the Double Dragon III for the Commodore 64 but i recently learned it was released around 1993 and it was a terrible port.
The NES version of Double Dragon III was pretty good and was done in-house again by Technos Japan and was better than the arcade version. It was a hard game though and you only get 1 life per character. You can have up to 4 characters with 2 players-- Billy, Jimmy, Chin, and a ninja. New moves include-- Double hurricane kick which jimmy and billy does it together, running and jump kicking off walls for extra damage, and a flipping hair grab. After you beat the China level, Chin, the Kung Fu guy you fight,joins you. After you beat the Japan level, the ninja boss joins you. Then it is off the Italy and finally Egypt, where you fight mummies and Marion!
Double Dragon III for NES by Technos Japan: A-
Good points: 2 player simultaneous action, excellent graphics, sound, music and gameplay
Bad points: you only get 1 life, the game is hard, and typo at the beginning of the game-- Bimmy and Jimmy Lee?
Super Double Dragon
This game was released for the Super Nintendo (SNES) in the 1990s. It is reboot of the Double Dragon Franchise. I loved playing this game with my brother back in the day. The game had excellent graphics, sound and music. Also the gameplay is excellent and you get continues. It is an excellent 16 bit successor to the NES Double Dragon series. In this game you also get a power meter and can do power shots and the hurricane kicks allows you to fly around the room!
Super Double Dragon for SNES by Technos Japan: A+
good points: 2 player simultaneous action, excellent graphics, sound, music and gameplay, easy, has option to continue when you die, fun, new moves and a power meter
bad points: none
Double Dragon V
This game was released for SNES and Sega Genesis but i am not going to talk about it because it is crap. It was based off the cartoon from the 1990s. It is a poor man's version of a Street Fighter 2 wannabe.
Double Dragon for iOS (iPhone)
This game is a reboot of the Double Dragon franchise for iOS (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad.)
Billy and Jimmy are 2 different sprites and they fight slightly different from each other. They can level up and learn new moves and use weapons. You get to unlock enemy characters each time you beat the game. The graphics are good and there is an option for Double Dragon 2 player mode via bluetooth but an extra iOS device is require. The game is easy and has bonus rounds and you get to set the difficulty level.
Double Dragon for iOS: A
good points: great graphics, sound, music and gameplay, easy
bad points: 2 players requires extra iOS device via bluetooth, wish iOS device supported gamepads so player can use 2 wireless gamepads to play on 1 iOS device
I am glad the Double Dragon franchise is alive and well despite Technos Japan going out of business years ago. Long live the legend of the Double Dragon!
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