Old School Review: Double Dragon

[Saint_Michael 3]

I think I did mention that Spring is in the air right? Well, if I did mention it in my last review you get to hear it again. Since I have a couple of weeks or rather May 7th before I head into my next semester of school, I thought I would bust out another old school review of one of my favorite fighting games, Double Dragon. Now I will admit I did see the horrible movie with a young Robert Patrick , and Mark Dacascos and to date I think Super Mario Brothers was a better movie than this one but I digress, both those movies did suck. Makes me wish someone would have done the sequel to Mario Brothers or maybe try to reinvent the movie again and give it a second chance since the technology is a lot better this time around.

 

The one thing about this game is that its one giant pattern that can easily be exploited, such as making Abobo come out one at a time on mission three and of course making Chin appearing one at a time. The reason for that is they can tag team quite quickly and Abobo and Chin are quite strong and fast for low-level thugs. Of course, I talk more about the game later on so lets continue on with my thoughts; even though Double Dragon 3 pretty much killed the series, it was the first one that set the pace for other NES and even Arcade fighting games, such as weapons, combos and what not. Still, if you played this game, you realize that is all about memorizing everything, especially since your running against a clock and you got mazes to do with as well, on top of that a hard-*bottom* boss to deal with at the end.

 

Well let's get going or I just end up telling the whole game up here.

 

 

Double Dragon

 

Some Screen Shots

 

 

 

Game Maker: Technos

 

Year: 1987

 

Price: $40-$50 a game

 

Levels: 4

 

Sound: 7

 

Graphics: 6

 

Mini-Games: Vs Mode

 

Difficulty: Back then: 10 Now: 10

 

Replay Value: 10

 

Game play:

 

Side-scrolling fighting game with weapons, hit combos with a small story.

 

 

Plot:

 

You know what is interesting, when I first heard about this game I remember one of the plots that Jimmy Lee went evil and so took his Twin brother Billy Lee's girlfriend. That is how I always remembered it but once again I digress about that simple plot. The real plot involves Willy and his Black Warriors Gang, kidnap Billy's girl Marian and thus you have to rescue her, now here is where it gets interesting after you beat Willy you take on Jimmy for the love of Marian, I think that is where I confused the plot. Of course, if you are in two player mode you fight each other and so that is the plot.

 

First Impressions:

 

Though i wished I realized the patterns and how predictable this game was and still is, I might have done a lot better and made it towards the end with my two lives intact. Although, I did figure out the mission 3 glitching and that did help a lot, but I only figured out the Cave entrance quite late as the clock was running down, but even then the falling rocks do hurt you as well. Of course, the level 1 boss, Abobo was easy to figure out once you time him on that escalator and watch him fall to the pit of death. So what was the challenge? Simple making those 2 lives last and that takes skill, or a game genie with the code that prevents them from attacking you . As for the fighting itself, basically you had to come at everyone at an angle, especially Abobo, if you could get them with the angle trick then it is an easy take down, as when taking two at a time, a well-timed jump kick to separate and try to punch and kick your way to victory (really important when facing the two Abobo's in level 3).

 

23 Years Later:

 

Well, I had beaten the game some years ago, game genie emulation obviously, but still it was a good accomplishment for a game that is quite difficult since you had to stretch two lives in this game. Like I mention in my previous comments this game stands the test of time as a great fighting game for its generation. So I would get yourself a copy of this game and see what it was like to play a really fighting game. Although, Final Fight would definitely blow this game out of the water a couple of years later, but read my review on that arcade classic in the forums here.

 

Overall Ranking:

 

I give it a big ten as I rank it a very difficult game to beat unless you got the skill to beat this game.

 

 

Now for that Catchy slogan--

 

"Games don't get old, just people!"

 

 

 

--Now for some copyright info--

Images and of course games are copyrighted to its perspective owners blah blah blah. Roms are illegal and so do not get caught blah blah blah or else blah blah blah. Reviews and opinions are my own so don't argue with me unless you can prove otherwise why this game sucks and 100% of the time you are wrong because one your either a new school gamer and don't know a good game when you see it or two, well there is no two so HA!!. All slogans, trademarks and names excluded the games I review are copyrighted to me blah blah and blah. 2007-2010 SM Old School Legend.

[kleong 0]

I remember this game. It was one of my favourite back then. In fact, I will choose it over Mario brothers anytime.

[mandla 0]

hahahha its worth getting caught with the roms this game. I love the game but i never realised the giants name was abobo i always refered to him as the giant. I also remember how it had a the boring sound all the way through till the final red carpet and the song would go into mix down and be all nice lol. obviously compared to mp3 sound now its probably sh*t. I remember how my best friend and i were the best in our town at this game. Mind you it took lots of 10p pieces and going hungry at school to save up the tuck money for a few games to achive this. but we got to a point were we were so good as a team, people who couldnt get past stage 3 i think, you know the bit where you have to climb up and there are the fightrs who look like you but wear green instead and they pull the same moves as you. THe elbow hmmm hmm was always effective on abobo and these guys too. Double dragon was the game and i bet it still is if they could make it with todays technology and mentality of gaming. PM me a link to the ROM Someone

Edited April 24, 2010 by mandla (see edit history)