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Double Dragon (arcade game)
Encyclopedia
is a 1987 beat 'em up
developed by Technos Japan and distributed in North America and Europe by Taito Corporation
. The game is a spiritual and technological successor to Technos' earlier beat 'em up, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (released outside of Japan by Taito as Renegade
), but introduced several additions such as two-player cooperative gameplay
and the ability to arm oneself with an enemy's weapon after disarming them. Double Dragon is considered to be one of the first successful examples of the genre, resulting in the creation of two arcade sequels and several spinoffs, as well as inspiring other companies in creating their own beat 'em ups.
Home versions of the game were released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
, Sega Master System
, Atari 2600
, Atari 7800
, Atari ST
, Amiga
, Commodore 64
, Game Boy
, Genesis/Mega Drive
and Atari Lynx, among other platforms during the series' height of popularity. A remake titled Double Dragon Advance
was released for the Game Boy Advance
in 2003. The NES version was re-released for the Wii
's Virtual Console
in North America on April 28, 2008 at a cost of 500 Wii Points. Nintendo also released the GameBoy version on the Nintendo 3DS
Virtual Console
in 2011.
Another remake has been released for the iPod Touch
/iPhone
mobile devices, which features brand new gameplay, sprites and animations, and music.
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 their common love interest Marian. The player character has a repertoire of martial art techniques which they can perform by using the joystick and three action buttons (kick, jump, and punch) individually or in combination. Techniques ranges from basic punches and kicks, to more elaborate maneuvers like hair grabbing moves or elbow punches. When playing with another player, one can assist the other by grabbing their partner's opponent from behind. The player begins the game with a certain number of extra lives and a life gauge which depletes as the player takes hits from enemies. If the life gauge runs out or the time limit reaches zero, the player will lose a life.
There is a small variety of enemy characters that the player will face thorough the course of the game. Certain enemies will carry a melee weapon which the player can use by disarming the enemy carrying it and then retrieving the item from the floor. The available weapons includes steel bats, whips, throwing knives, and dynamite sticks, as well as large objects such as boxes, oil drums, and rocks, which the player can lift and throw at enemies or kick it towards incoming ones.
The game is divided into four different stages or "missions", which consist of a city slum, a factory, the woods, and the hideout of the boss. The game normally ends if a single player defeats the final boss alone. However, if two players manage to complete the game together then the two will be forced to fight each other in order to determine who will win Marian's affections.
Although the original arcade version featured a color palette of 384 colors, the hardware actually consisted of several 8-bit processors running in parallel. It was not 16-bit as such technology was cost-prohibitive at the time the game was released. The hardware consisted of multiple HD6309-based CPUs, and multiple CPU's dedicated to sound, such as a YM2151 chip.
Double Dragon was ported to the Nintendo Entertainment System
by Technos Japan in 1988. The game was published 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 in Europe on April 25, and in North America on April 28, .
The most notable difference the NES version has from the arcade game is the omission of the arcade's two players cooperative game mode. Instead, the two-players mode in the main game ("Mode A") is done by alternating, although both players take control of Billy. In this version, Jimmy Lee (the Player 2 character in the arcade version) serves as the main antagonist. After defeating Willy, the original final boss from the arcade game, Jimmy will appear before the player for the true final battle.
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, weapons cannot be brought to the next fight if the original enemy carrying it is 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 more 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 features greater emphasis on jumping over platforms or evading traps. All of the enemies from the arcade game also appear, with the exception of Jeff and the mohawk version of Abobo, the two head swap
characters from the arcade game. A new enemy named Chin Taimei appears in this version as the second stage boss.
The NES version features a bonus game mode (dubbed "Mode B") where the player can choose between Billy or one of five enemy characters 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.
acquired the rights to develop its own port of the game for the Mark III in Japan and the Master System
in North America and Europe. The game supports the optional FM Sound Unit sold separately for the Japanese Mark III and which is already integrated into the Japanese Master System models.
Due to the Master System's technical capabilities, this version featured graphics slightly improved over the NES version, with brighter colors and the fact that the game could display up to three different enemies on-screen. The game retains the two-player co-op mode and has level designs that were closer to the arcade game. This version features the character of Jeff, the second stage boss from the arcade version (who was replaced by Chin in the NES version). However, the mohawk version of Abobo is missing in this version as well, being replaced by black and green palette swap
s 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 certain number of backward jump kicks at the start of the final stage, they would retain their unlimited continues.
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 the of 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.
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
, all ported by Binary Designs. Two different Amstrad CPC versions were produced: one was released for the CPC6128 (128kB RAM) based on the Amiga version, while the other was released for the CPC464 (tape and 64kB RAM) and was ported from the Sinclair version. In , a second Commodore 64 version was released by Ocean Software unrelated to the earlier Melbourne House port.
.
In , a remake of the original arcade game titled Double Dragon Advance
was released for the Game Boy Advance
. The game features all of the stages and almost all of the characters of both Double Dragon and Double Dragon II, but with new stages, fighting techniques and cut-scenes added to the mix (most of them based on the later installments). It was developed by Million Corp. and published by Atlus
. In , 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 the Double Dragon for the Xbox 360
was released on May 9, . 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
.
In , a version of Double Dragon was released as a launch title for the Zeebo
game console in Brazil
. Developed by Brizo Interactive under license from Million, Zeebo version of Double Dragon is not a port of the original arcade game or any previous version, but a new game made for the system.
saw the release of a brand new Double Dragon title, titled Double Dragon iPhone, which serves as a remake of the original. 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.
magazines "200 Greatest Games of their time". Toys "R" Us reported that the NES Double Dragon sold out in its first two weeks on sale in the US. 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."
in and Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone
in . Both games were also followed by various home versions. Technos produced a fourth game in the series titled Super Double Dragon
, released for the SNES
in . A crossover game with the characters from Battletoads
was released in by Tradewest
titled Battletoads & Double Dragon
, which was released in North America and Europe for various platforms. Also in , 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.
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 for the SNES and Genesis (also ported to the Atari Jaguar
); while characters and plot elements from the movie were adapted into the Technos-developed Neo-Geo
version of Double Dragon
.
titled 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.
Beat 'em up
Beat 'em up is a video game genre featuring melee combat between the protagonist and a large number of underpowered antagonists. These games typically take place in urban settings and feature crime-fighting and revenge-based plots, though some games may employ historical or fantasy themes...
developed by Technos Japan and distributed in North America and Europe by Taito Corporation
Taito Corporation
The is a Japanese publisher of video game software and arcade hardware wholly owned by publisher Square Enix. Taito has their headquarters in the Shinjuku Bunka Quint Building in Yoyogi, Shibuya, Tokyo, sharing the facility with its parent company....
. The game is a spiritual and technological successor to Technos' earlier beat 'em up, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (released outside of Japan by Taito as Renegade
Renegade (video game)
Renegade is a video game released in American and European arcades in 1986 by Taito. It is a westernized conversion of the Japanese arcade game , released earlier the same year by Technos...
), but introduced several additions such as two-player cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay
Cooperative gameplay is a feature in video games that allows players to work together as teammates. It is distinct from other multiplayer modes, such as competitive multiplayer modes like player versus player or deathmatch...
and the ability to arm oneself with an enemy's weapon after disarming them. Double Dragon is considered to be one of the first successful examples of the genre, resulting in the creation of two arcade sequels and several spinoffs, as well as inspiring other companies in creating their own beat 'em ups.
Home versions of the game were released for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
, Sega Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
, Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
, Atari 7800
Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a video game console re-released by Atari Corporation in January 1986. The original release had occurred two years earlier under Atari Inc. The 7800 had originally been designed to replace Atari Inc.'s Atari 5200 in 1984, but was temporarily...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
, Genesis/Mega Drive
Sega Mega Drive
The Sega Genesis is a fourth-generation video game console developed and produced by Sega. It was originally released in Japan in 1988 as , then in North America in 1989 as Sega Genesis, and in Europe, Australia and other PAL regions in 1990 as Mega Drive. The reason for the two names is that...
and Atari Lynx, among other platforms during the series' height of popularity. A remake titled Double Dragon Advance
Double Dragon Advance
is a 2003 side-scrolling beat-em-up released for the Game Boy Advance. It was published by Atlus and developed by Million Inc. It is a remake of the 1987 arcade game Double Dragon and incorporates elements from its sequels and home versions.-Gameplay:...
was released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
in 2003. The NES version was re-released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in North America on April 28, 2008 at a cost of 500 Wii Points. Nintendo also released the GameBoy version on the Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo 3DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo. The autostereoscopic device is able to project stereoscopic 3D effects without the use of 3D glasses or any additional accessories. The Nintendo 3DS features backward compatibility with Nintendo DS series software, including Nintendo DSi software...
Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
in 2011.
Another remake has been released for the iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
/iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
mobile devices, which features brand new gameplay, sprites and animations, and music.
Arcade version
There is a small variety of enemy characters that the player will face thorough the course of the game. Certain enemies will carry a melee weapon which the player can use by disarming the enemy carrying it and then retrieving the item from the floor. The available weapons includes steel bats, whips, throwing knives, and dynamite sticks, as well as large objects such as boxes, oil drums, and rocks, which the player can lift and throw at enemies or kick it towards incoming ones.
The game is divided into four different stages or "missions", which consist of a city slum, a factory, the woods, and the hideout of the boss. The game normally ends if a single player defeats the final boss alone. However, if two players manage to complete the game together then the two will be forced to fight each other in order to determine who will win Marian's affections.
Although the original arcade version featured a color palette of 384 colors, the hardware actually consisted of several 8-bit processors running in parallel. It was not 16-bit as such technology was cost-prohibitive at the time the game was released. The hardware consisted of multiple HD6309-based CPUs, and multiple CPU's dedicated to sound, such as a YM2151 chip.
Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
by Technos Japan in 1988. The game was published in North America by Tradewest (who was given the license to produce other home versions of the game as well) and by Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
in Europe. The NES version of Double Dragon was released for the Wii
Wii
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of the two others...
's Virtual Console
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
service in Europe on April 25, and in North America on April 28, .
The most notable difference the NES version has from the arcade game is the omission of the arcade's two players cooperative game mode. Instead, the two-players mode in the main game ("Mode A") is done by alternating, although both players take control of Billy. In this version, Jimmy Lee (the Player 2 character in the arcade version) serves as the main antagonist. After defeating Willy, the original final boss from the arcade game, Jimmy will appear before the player for the true final battle.
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, weapons cannot be brought to the next fight if the original enemy carrying it is 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 more 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 features greater emphasis on jumping over platforms or evading traps. All of the enemies from the arcade game also appear, with the exception of Jeff and the mohawk version of Abobo, the two head swap
Head swap
Head swapping is the act of removing the head from an animated character and replacing it with a different one. This is usually done for one of two reasons: cost and memory constraints ....
characters from the arcade game. A new enemy named Chin Taimei appears in this version as the second stage boss.
The NES version features a bonus game mode (dubbed "Mode B") where the player can choose between Billy or one of five enemy characters from the main game and compete against a double
Palette swap
A palette swap is a practice used in video games, whereby a graphic that is already used for one element is given a different palette, so it can be reused as other elements. The different palette gives the new graphic a unique set of colors, which make it recognizably distinct from the original...
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.
Master System
Shortly after the release of the NES version, SegaSega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
acquired the rights to develop its own port of the game for the Mark III in Japan and the Master System
Sega Master System
The is a third-generation video game console that was manufactured and released by Sega in 1985 in Japan , 1986 in North America and 1987 in Europe....
in North America and Europe. The game supports the optional FM Sound Unit sold separately for the Japanese Mark III and which is already integrated into the Japanese Master System models.
Due to the Master System's technical capabilities, this version featured graphics slightly improved over the NES version, with brighter colors and the fact that the game could display up to three different enemies on-screen. The game retains the two-player co-op mode and has level designs that were closer to the arcade game. This version features the character of Jeff, the second stage boss from the arcade version (who was replaced by Chin in the NES version). However, the mohawk version of Abobo is missing in this version as well, being replaced by black and green palette swap
Palette swap
A palette swap is a practice used in video games, whereby a graphic that is already used for one element is given a different palette, so it can be reused as other elements. The different palette gives the new graphic a unique set of colors, which make it recognizably distinct from the original...
s 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 certain number of backward jump kicks at the start of the final stage, they would retain their unlimited continues.
Game Boy
In , Technos Japan produced a Game BoyGame Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
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 the of 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
Virtual console
A virtual console – also known as a virtual terminal – is a conceptual combination of the keyboard and display for a computer user interface. It is a feature of some operating systems such as UnixWare, Linux, and BSD, in which the system console of the computer can be used to switch between...
for the Nintendo 3DS in 2011.
8-bit & 16/32-bit computers
Versions of Double Dragon have been produced for various other platforms as well. In , ActivisionActivision
Activision is an American publisher, majority owned by French conglomerate Vivendi SA. Its current CEO is Robert Kotick. It was founded on October 1, 1979 and was the world's first independent developer and distributor of video games for gaming consoles...
released versions of Double Dragon for the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
and Atari 7800
Atari 7800
The Atari 7800 ProSystem, or simply the Atari 7800, is a video game console re-released by Atari Corporation in January 1986. The original release had occurred two years earlier under Atari Inc. The 7800 had originally been designed to replace Atari Inc.'s Atari 5200 in 1984, but was temporarily...
. During the same year, ports of Double Dragon were released by Melbourne House for the following computer
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
platforms: Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
, Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
, ZX Spectrum
ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research Ltd...
, Amstrad CPC
Amstrad CPC
The Amstrad CPC is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom,...
and IBM PC
IBM PC
The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, is the original version and progenitor of the IBM PC compatible hardware platform. It is IBM model number 5150, and was introduced on August 12, 1981...
, all ported by Binary Designs. Two different Amstrad CPC versions were produced: one was released for the CPC6128 (128kB RAM) based on the Amiga version, while the other was released for the CPC464 (tape and 64kB RAM) and was ported from the Sinclair version. In , a second Commodore 64 version was released by Ocean Software unrelated to the earlier Melbourne House port.
Other platforms
In , 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 pallet 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. An Atari Lynx version was released in , developed by Knight Technologies and published by TelegamesTelegames
Telegames, Inc. is a North American video game company based in Gun Barrel City, Texas, with a sister operation based in England.Telegames was well known for supporting not just modern game systems but also classic game systems, after they've been abandoned by its manufacturer. Effective September...
.
In , a remake of the original arcade game titled Double Dragon Advance
Double Dragon Advance
is a 2003 side-scrolling beat-em-up released for the Game Boy Advance. It was published by Atlus and developed by Million Inc. It is a remake of the 1987 arcade game Double Dragon and incorporates elements from its sequels and home versions.-Gameplay:...
was released for the Game Boy Advance
Game Boy Advance
The is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. The game features all of the stages and almost all of the characters of both Double Dragon and Double Dragon II, but with new stages, fighting techniques and cut-scenes added to the mix (most of them based on the later installments). It was developed by Million Corp. and published by Atlus
Atlus
is a Japanese computer and video game developer, publisher, and distributor based in Tokyo, Japan, best known for developing the console role-playing game franchise Megami Tensei. The first Megami Tensei was a Nintendo Entertainment System video game published by Namco based on a trilogy of...
. In , a mobile phone game based on Double Dragon Advance was released titled Double Dragon EX. It was developed by Korean
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
-based Eolith
Eolith (company)
Eolith was a South Korean based company. They developed The King of Fighters 2001 and 2002 after SNK was bankrupted. They also developed Double Dragon EX for mobile phones. Their last title released was Chaos Breaker, for Taito....
.
An Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade
Xbox Live Arcade is a type of video game download distribution available primarily in a section of the Xbox Live Marketplace, Microsoft's digital distribution network for the Xbox 360, that focuses on smaller downloadable games from both major publishers and independent game developers...
version of the Double Dragon for the Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
was released on May 9, . 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
Empire Interactive
Empire Interactive was a UK based video game developer and publisher founded in 1987. It was closed under administration on 4 May 2009.-About Empire Interactive:...
.
In , a version of Double Dragon was released as a launch title for the Zeebo
Zeebo
Zeebo is a 3G-enabled entertainment and education system from Zeebo Inc. It not only enables users to play video games, but also connect to the Internet, communicate online and run educational applications. The Zeebo is targeted at developing markets such as BRIC and Mexico. Zeebo Inc...
game console in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. Developed by Brizo Interactive under license from Million, Zeebo version of Double Dragon is not a port of the original arcade game or any previous version, but a new game made for the system.
saw the release of a brand new Double Dragon title, titled Double Dragon iPhone, which serves as a remake of the original. It was again developed by Brizo Interactive under license from Million, in collaboration with Aksys Games
Aksys Games
Aksys Games Localization, Inc. is a video game publisher that specializes in translating and localizing Japanese video games for English-speaking markets. It was founded by Akibo Shieh in 2006. Some of its clients include Namco Bandai Games, Xseed Games, and Atlus USA. Aksys Games is best known for...
, 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.
Reception
The game was listed at #41 in Electronic Gaming MonthlyElectronic Gaming Monthly
Electronic Gaming Monthly is a bimonthly American video game magazine. It has been published by EGM Media, LLC. since relaunching in April of 2010. Its previous run, which ended in January 2009, was published by Ziff Davis...
magazines "200 Greatest Games of their time". Toys "R" Us reported that the NES Double Dragon sold out in its first two weeks on sale in the US. Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World
Computer Gaming World was a computer game magazine founded in 1981 by Russell Sipe as a bimonthly publication. Early issues were typically 40-50 pages in length, written in a newsletter style, including submissions by game designers such as Joel Billings , Dan Bunten , and Chris Crawford...
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."
Sequels
Double Dragon was followed by two arcade sequels: Double Dragon II: The RevengeDouble Dragon II: The Revenge
is a side-scrolling beat 'em up produced by Technos originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in . It is the sequel to Double Dragon, released during the previous year. A home version for the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in which differs drastically from the original arcade...
in and Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone
Double Dragon 3: The Rosetta Stone
is a side-scrolling beat 'em up produced by Technos Japan Corp. that was originally released as a coin-operated arcade game in . It is the second sequel to Double Dragon for the arcades, following Double Dragon II: The Revenge...
in . Both games were also followed by various home versions. Technos produced a fourth game in the series titled Super Double Dragon
Super Double Dragon
Super Double Dragon, known in Japan as , is a side-scrolling beat-'em-up released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in . It was published by Technos Japan Corp. in Japan and by Tradewest in North America and the PAL region...
, released for the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
in . A crossover game with the characters from Battletoads
Battletoads
Battletoads is a platformer video game created by Tim and Chris Stamper and developed by Rare. Starring three anthropomorphic toads named after skin conditions , the game was created to rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games....
was released in by Tradewest
Tradewest
Tradewest is a now-defunct American video game company based in Corsicana, Texas that produced numerous games in the 1980s and early 1990s. The company is best known as the publisher of the Battletoads and Double Dragon series in North America and the PAL region.The Tradewest name was revived in...
titled Battletoads & Double Dragon
Battletoads & Double Dragon
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team is a 1993 beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was originally released for the NES and later ported to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy....
, which was released in North America and Europe for various platforms. Also in , 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
U.S. Championship V'Ball
U.S. Championship V'Ball, also known simply as V'Ball, is a 1988 beach volleyball sports game released for the arcades by Technōs Japan Corporation. The arcade version was distributed in North America by Taito...
. The characters of Randy and Andy in the 1989 NES game River City Ransom
River City Ransom
River City Ransom, released as in Japan and as Street Gangs in PAL regions, is a video game for the Nintendo Entertainment System . It was developed by Technōs Japan and originally released in Japan on April 25, 1989. It is the third game in Technos' Kunio-kun series released for the console,...
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.
Related media
Double Dragon also spawned a series of related media in the United States, which includes a six-issue comicComic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
published by Marvel
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
in 1991, an animated TV series
Double Dragon (TV series)
Double Dragon is an animated series based on the video game franchise of the same name. The television series was produced by DiC Entertainment and ran for 26 half-hour episodes in 1993 and 1994.-Overview:...
which ran for two seasons from 1993 to 1995, which influenced a live-action film
Double Dragon (film)
Double Dragon is a 1994 live-action film loosely based on the Double Dragon video game series. This film was directed by James Yukich and stars Mark Dacascos and Scott Wolf as brothers Jimmy and Billy Lee, along with Alyssa Milano as Marian Delario and Robert Patrick as antagonist Koga Shuko...
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
Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls
Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls is a 1994 American-produced sequel to Technos Japan's Double Dragon series. Unlike the previously produced Double Dragon games, Technos had little or no credited involvement in the development of the game outside of licensing the series' name to publisher Tradewest...
, released in for the SNES and Genesis (also ported to the Atari Jaguar
Atari Jaguar
The Atari Jaguar is a video game console that was released by Atari Corporation in 1993. It was the last to be marketed under the Atari brand until the release of the Atari Flashback in 2004. It was designed to surpass the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and the Panasonic...
); while characters and plot elements from the movie were adapted into the Technos-developed Neo-Geo
Neo Geo (console)
The is a cartridge-based arcade and home video game system released on July 1, 1991 by Japanese game company SNK. Being in the Fourth generation of Gaming, it was the first console in the former Neo Geo family, which only lived through the 1990s...
version of Double Dragon
Double Dragon (Neo Geo)
is a 1995 fighting game spinoff of the Double Dragon series developed and published by Technos Japan. It is based on the 1994 Double Dragon movie, which in turn was based on the original arcade game. It was originally released for the Neo Geo and later released for the Neo Geo CD and PlayStation...
.
Soundtrack
A soundtrackSoundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
titled was released in Japan by Apollon and composed by Kazunaka Yamane, on February 21, 1988. The soundtrack features arranged
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
versions of the music from the original arcade version. Its catalog number is BY12-5028.
External links
- Double Dragon director(yoshihisa kishimoto) hp
- Double Dragon at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...