Double Dragon (video game)

Arcade version

The player takes control of martial artist Billy Lee, or his twin brother Jimmy (also known as Hammer and Spike in the supplementary materials for the American arcade release), as they fight their way into the turf of the Black Warriors gang in order to rescue Billy's love interest, Marian. The player character has a repertoire of martial arts techniques which they can perform by using the joystick and three action buttons (kick, jump, and punch) individually or in combination. Techniques range from basic punches and kicks to more elaborate attacks such as throws and elbow strikes. When playing with another player, one can grab an opponent from behind, allowing the other to attack unimpeded. Caution should be taken, though, as some enemies are able to do the same thing to the players. The player begins the game with a certain number of extra lives and a life gauge which depletes as the player takes hits, and must complete each stage within a time limit. One life is lost if either the life gauge or timer reaches zero, or if the player character falls off the bottom of the screen or into a hole, river, or bed of spikes.

Certain enemies carry melee weapons, which can be knocked out of their hands and picked up to use against them. Available weapons include baseball bats, whips, throwing knives, and dynamite; in addition, rocks, oil drums, and boxes can be found in certain places.

The players encounter seven different types of enemies during the game; with the exception of Linda and Willy, all have two different skin colors.

The game is divided into four different stages or "missions," which consist of a city slum, a factory, a forest, and the gang's hideout. The game normally ends if a single player defeats the final boss alone. However, if two players manage to complete the game together, they are then forced to fight each other in order to determine who will win Marian's affections. Both life gauges are refilled, any extra lives are taken away, and the timer is reset for this fight.

The original arcade version displayed 384 colors on the screen, out of a 4096 (12-bit) color palette. The hardware used several 8-bit microprocessors running in parallel; 16-bit processors were expensive at the time the game was first released. Along the multiple Hitachi HD6309 based processors, multiple processors were dedicated to sound, such as the Yamaha YM2151 FM synthesis sound chip.

Famicom/NES

Double Dragon was ported to the Family Computer by Technōs Japan in 1988. The game was published for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America by Tradewest , who was given the license to produce other home versions of the game as well, and by Nintendo in Europe. The NES version of Double Dragon was released for the Wii's Virtual Console service on April 25, 2008, in Europe and on April 28, 2008, in North America. It was also released in North America on December 12, 2013, for the Nintendo 3DS and the Wii U although in Europe, the former was released on December 5, 2013, while the latter was released on March 13, 2014.

The most notable difference the NES version has from the arcade game is the omission of the arcade's two players cooperative game mode in favor of alternating play. The plot was altered as a result of this change - instead of having both Lee brothers as protagonists, the NES version has players controlling Billy Lee as the lone protagonist, with Jimmy Lee serving as the antagonist and true leader of the Black Warriors.

Due to technical limitations of the NES that were not worked around, the game can only generate two enemies on-screen to confront the player and both enemies are the same character. Additionally, all weapons on the screen (including any carried by the player) disappear once a group of enemies has been defeated. A level-up system was also implemented. The player begins the game with only the basic punches and kicks available to their character, gaining the most powerful ones after acquiring the experience points needed to use them. The player has a total of seven skill levels that they can achieve throughout the game.

The level designs are very different, with some stages featuring new areas (notably the cavern section in Mission 3) that feature greater emphasis on jumping over platforms or evading traps. All of the enemies from the arcade version also appear, with the exception of Jick and Jeff. A new enemy character, a Chinese martial arts master named Chin Taimei (shortened to Chintai in the localized version) serves as the boss of the second stage and appears as a recurring minor enemy for the rest of the game.

Mode B

The NES version features a bonus game mode (dubbed "Mode B") where the player can choose between Billy or one of five enemy characters (Will, Rowper, Linda, Chin, and Abobo) from the main game and compete against a double of their character controlled by the computer or a second player in a one-on-one match. Matches against the computer are handicapped in favor of the computer-controlled character, while certain characters will get a chance to wield a weapon in the 2-Players matches. The mode features larger sprites different from the main game itself.

Double Dragon was only the second game that Technōs developed for the NES, and the two-player mode was reputedly omitted because of the programmers' inexperience with the hardware. This also accounts for the game's large number of bugs and glitches. Also, the "Mode B" was said to be a prototype originally planned for the main game.

Master System

Shortly after the release of the NES version, Sega acquired the rights to develop its own port of the game for the Sega Mark III and Master System with the Master System version being developed by Arc System Works (who would eventually gain the rights for the franchise as part of their Intellectual Property portfolio). The game supports the optional FM Sound Unit sold separately for the Mark III and which is already integrated into the Japanese Master System models.

This version featured graphics slightly improved over the NES version, using brighter colors and displaying up to three different enemies on-screen, although weapons are limited to only one per screen. The game retains the two-player co-op mode (including the final face off between both players) and has level designs that were closer to the arcade game (aside from missing ladders in some areas). This version retains the Mission 2 end-boss, a head swap of the Lee brothers (who is given the name Jeff in this version). However, the mohawk version of Abobo is missing in this version as well, being replaced by black and green palette swaps of the bald Abobo as stage bosses.

The Master System version allows for unlimited continues until the final stage. However, if a player performs a number of 10 backward jump kicks at the start of the final stage, they retain their unlimited continues.

Game Boy

In 1990, Technōs Japan produced a Game Boy version of Double Dragon, which was also released in North America and Europe by Tradewest. This version features gameplay similar to the NES version, but with completely different level designs and all of the main character's moves available from the start. The enemies are the same as the NES version, but some of the characters such as Abobo and Chin were given new techniques. The main game mode is still single player, although the game ends after the fight with Willy, with Jimmy not appearing in the main game. A two-player Versus Mode is also included like in the NES version, but the only characters available to play as are the Lee brothers. This version has also been re-released on the Virtual Console for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011.

Home computers

Versions of Double Dragon have been produced for various other platforms as well. In 1988, Activision released versions of Double Dragon for the Atari 2600 and Atari 7800. During the same year, ports of Double Dragon were released by Melbourne House for the following computer platforms: Amiga, Atari ST, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC and IBM PC. Binary Designs worked on all five versions.

Two different Amstrad CPC versions were produced: one was released for the CPC6128 (128 kB RAM) based on the Amiga version, while the other was released for the CPC464 (tape and 64 kB RAM) and was ported from the Sinclair version. In 1991, a second Commodore 64 version was released by Ocean Software unrelated to the earlier Melbourne House port (which was widely criticized for being a poor port of the game). It came on a special 32k bank-switched cartridge and did not support two-player mode.

Other platforms

In 1992, Accolade released a Mega Drive/Genesis port of the game in North America and Europe under the Ballistic Software label. This version was released as an unlicensed third-party cartridge. Although the Mega Drive/Genesis has a smaller color palette than the arcade original, due to the more powerful 16-bit hardware it actually fixes all of the slow down problems from the original arcade game. However, it had a number of deficiencies (especially in sound quality) because Ballistic Software was forced to use a small 512k (4 Meg) cartridge ROM for cost reasons. This version came closest to the arcade version at the time.

An Atari Lynx version was released in 1993, developed by Knight Technologies and published by Telegames.

In 2003, a remake of the original arcade game titled Double Dragon Advance was released for the Game Boy Advance. This version features four additional stages interspersed between the four original stages, as a new set of moves and enemy characters, some of which are lifted or inspired by other games in the series. It was published by Atlus under license from Million Corporation, the company which held the IP to the series at the time. In 2006, a mobile phone game based on Double Dragon Advance was released titled Double Dragon EX. It was developed by Korean-based Eolith.

An Xbox Live Arcade version of Double Dragon was released on May 9, for the Xbox 360 in 2007. This version features an emulation of the original arcade game, as well as an optional game mode featuring redrawn high definition graphics and a remixed soundtrack. It also features support for online multiplayer. It was delisted on July 1, 2009, due to the closure of its publisher, Empire Interactive.

2011 saw the release of a new version of Double Dragon for iOS and Android devices. It was again developed by Brizo Interactive under license from Million, in collaboration with Aksys Games, and published by Bow Mobile Corp. It employs brand new artwork and sprites, Bluetooth multiplayer connectivity, online score ranking, and a host of other new and unique features, new to the franchise.

The arcade version of Double Dragon was re-released in 2013 alongside its two sequels in a compilation titled Double Dragon Trilogy produced by DotEmu, which was released on iOS, Android, and Steam platforms.

Reception

The original arcade version was well received upon release. In the August 1987 issue of Commodore User, Ferdy Hamilton gave it ratings of 9 for graphics, 7 for sound, 9 for toughness, 10 for endurance, and 9 for value, with an overall score of 9 out of 10. He noted the game's popularity, stating that it took him "about half an hour to get near it in my local arcade" and "a brief glance around West End arcades confirmed" that "Double Dragon is set to be a massive coin-op hit." He stated that it "isn't an easy game to play initially" and requires "both brain and brawn," described the graphics as "superb, the handling likewise," and stated "the variety of actions, locations and enemies make this a true state of the art Beat 'Em Up, centuries beyond those old Kung Fu games which still litter the arcades." He concluded it to be "a strong contender for hottest beat 'em up yet." In the July 1987 issue of Computer and Video Games, Clare Edgeley described the "Sordid street fights" as "great fun when you've got the guts" and "if you manage to get hang of the controls." She concluded that "all the ingredients are there for a really addictive, martial arts style kick 'em to bits." In the October 1987 issue of Crash, the reviewer Tony described it as "the best game of its kind around" and "thoroughly addictive," concluding that it is "depraved, sick, bloodthirsty, violent – and I love it!" In the November 1987 issue of Your Sinclair, reviewer Peter Shaw stated that if "you liked Taito's Renegade, you'll jest lurve Double Dragon," describing it as "a streetfighting beat 'em up, but much nastier," with sprites "much bigger than the ones in Renegade, which adds to the realism," and "gruesome sound effects," concluding that it is "Great stuff, and really good value, even for 30p a throw."

Toys "R" Us reported that the NES version of Double Dragon sold out in its first two weeks on sale in the US. In the UK, Mastertronic's home computer game ports sold 289,510 units.

The critical reception of the home versions varied depending on the quality of the conversions. The Master System port was well received, including positive reviews from Computer and Video Games, The Games Machine, and Mean Machines Sega. The NES version was also well received, including a positive review from Computer and Video Games.

The home computer versions received mixed reviews. Computer Gaming World noted the limitations of a joystick caused the IBM and C64 ports to use fewer moves than the arcade, the C64 port, in particular, being "a pale shadow of the original". Compute! stated that the Commodore 64 version added a two-player mode, but lacked some arcade features such as moving objects, climbing most ladders, and detailed animation. The Mega Drive version also received mixed reviews; Mega placed the game at #10 on their list of the 10 Worst Mega Drive Games of All Time.

Double Dragon has been listed among the best games of all time, by publications such as Electronic Gaming Monthly, Empire, and Game Informer, as well as sites such as G4, GameSpot, GamingBolt, Killer List of Videogames, NowGamer, and Yahoo!

Sequels

Double Dragon was followed by two arcade sequels: Double Dragon II: The Revenge in 1988 and Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone in 1990. Both games were also followed by various home versions. Technōs produced the fourth game in the series titled Super Double Dragon, released for the SNES in 1992. In 1993, a crossover, titled Battletoads & Double Dragon and featuring characters from both franchises, was released for various platforms. Also in 1993, a Game Gear game by Virgin Games was released titled Double Dragon: The Revenge of Billy Lee. Billy and Jimmy also appeared in the 1990 NES game Super Spike V'Ball. The characters of Randy and Andy in the 1989 NES game River City Ransom are based on Billy and Jimmy; in Japan, they are known as Ryūichi and Ryūji and they appear in later Kunio-kun games as well.

Another game developed by WayForward Technologies, Double Dragon Neon, was released in 2012 for Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network. .

Related media

Double Dragon also spawned a series of related media in the United States, which includes a six-issue comic published by Marvel in 1991, an animated TV series which ran for two seasons from 1993 to 1995, which influenced a live-action film in 1994. In turn, the animated series and movie inspired their respective video game spinoffs as well, both which were fighting games. The cartoon inspired the Tradewest-developed Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls, released in 1994 for the SNES and Genesis (also ported to the Atari Jaguar); while characters and plot elements from the movie were adapted into the 1995 Technōs-developed the Neo-Geo version of Double Dragon.

Double Dragon is one of the video games featured in the manga titled Rock'n Game Boy, by Shigeto Ikehara and Published by Comic BomBom October 1989 to December 1991.

Not specific to any format/system, the original game was used as a clue in the 2015 episode of Jeopardy! in the category The Marian Kind in the first round on February 17.

Spin-offs

The boss Abobo is the star of the indie retro game Abobo's Big Adventure.

Soundtrack

A soundtrack titled Original Sound of Double Dragon (オリジナル・サウンド・オブ・ダブルドラゴン, Orijinaru Saundo obu Daburu Doragon) was released in Japan by Apollon and composed by Kazunaka Yamane, on February 21, 1988. The soundtrack features arranged versions of the music from the original arcade version. Its catalog number is BY12-5028.

1. Opening (Double Dragon) (オープニング（双截龍）, Ōpuningu (Daburu Doragon))
2. The City Slums (The Black Warriors Arrive) (スラム街（ブラックウォリアーズ出現）, Suramu Machi (Burakku Uoriāzu Shutsugen))
3. The Industrial Area (The Great Fray) (工場地帯（大乱闘）, Kōjōchitai (Dairantō))
4. After the Battle (闘いのあとで, Tatakai no Atode)
5. Setting Off (A New Battle) (旅立ち（新たなる闘い）, Tabidachi (Aratanaru Tatakai)
6. The Woods (森林編, Shinrin Hen)
7. The Giant Abobo Appears (大男アボボ登場, Ō Otoko Abobo Tōjō)
8. The Hideout (Willy the Nemesis) (大要塞（宿敵ウィリー）, Daiyōsai (Shukuteki Uirii))
9. Ending (Reunion with Marian) (エンディング（マリアンとの再会）, Endingu (Marian to no Saikai))