Double Dragon
Arcade
Nostalgia Factor:
I have many fond memories of Double Dragon from when I was a child, but most of those memories are with the NES version of the game. Although I did manage to play the arcade version a small handful of times, I never got to know it nearly as well as I did the home version. The last time I played the arcade version I was probably somewhere between five to seven years old. Now I am 37.
I've read a few comparisons online over the last couple years, and a common consensus seems to be that the arcade version of Double Dragon is superior to the NES one. I had my doubts, since I am a hardcore supporter of the NES game. But at the same time I never had the chance to play the arcade version of the game as an adult and make that final decision myself.
Imagine my surprise when just last week I stumbled upon the arcade version of Double Dragon on sale for the PS4. One of the great things about living in present times is the thrill of rediscovering something you thought you had lost forever. I never thought I'd be able to play this game again. I immediately jumped at the opportunity to download it and fire it up.
30 something years after last playing this game in the arcades, I was finally able to play through this in its entirety from start to finish without exhausting an entire pocketful of quarters. How would it stand up compared to the NES version of the game?
Story:
Double Dragon's storyline is about as basic as it gets. A bunch of goons beat up and kidnap your girlfriend, and you have to go rescue her, knocking the crap out of anyone who stands in your way.
This game does have an interesting twist that the NES version does not: if you are playing in two-player mode and you make it to the end of the game with your partner, you then square off against each other for the love of the woman you rescue. Harsh!
Gameplay:
Double Dragon's gameplay is as basic as its storyline. You have to fight your way through a short number of stages, beating up and knocking out every enemy you encounter.
Generally, you start on the left side of the screen and make your way to the right. You can punch and kick your enemies into oblivion. You can also jump and kick your enemies, but I found that this wasn't nearly as effective as it was in the NES game. I found myself just spamming the attack buttons the majority of the time I played this.
The use of weapons is a lot more prominent in this game than it is on the home system. You're going to find yourself picking up whips, knives, and baseball bats a lot more often this time around. I don't believe the weapons vanish when you use them too many times either. You can still lose them if they go off-screen or fall down a hole, but realistically you could hang onto most weapons the entire stage if you are dedicated enough to keep them.
While the NES version of this game had many platforming elements to it, you won't find these elements here. Mainly you walk forward, you fight, you fight some more, you walk forward, and you fight some more. Occasionally you will go up ladders or jump over pits, but this is for the most part a straight-up fighting title.
Graphics:
This arcade Double Dragon is a lot more pleasing to the eye than the NES version of the game. The colors are bright, the stages are varied and unique, and the characters have a more refined, cartoony like to them than they do on the home console. While that version of the game could look dated and old to certain people (I for one think it looks great), THIS version of the game has a timeless look to it. I could easily see graphics snobs turning up their nose at the NES Double Dragon, while having no problem playing this.
Sound:
The NES version of Double Dragon wins the sound battle pretty handily in my opinion. This game's musical tracks have a certain grating, "tinny" quality to them. It's still a decent enough musical track, but I think the NES version of the game is a lot more iconic and pleasant to listen to.
Sound effects are fine. Nothing stood out to me as particularly good or bad in either direction.
Overall:
I feel as if I've spent too much time comparing this version of the game to its NES counterpart. I'll put the great debate to rest before we go any further and just say that I much, much prefer the NES version of the game to this one. It's longer, it's more challenging, the added platforming sections give the gameplay a bit more variety, the levels are bigger and give you more to look at, and there is a certain strategic element involved in leveling your character up and helping him learn new attacks that is lacking here.
Plus there is that good ole nostalgic element thrown in that I just can't ignore. I grew up playing the NES version of Double Dragon. I owned that version of the game and beat it more times than I can count. I played the arcade version maybe five times in my life, if that, and I never completed it at all. I recognize that this is a very fun game, and the fact that it has a two player co-op mode probably makes it a lot more attractive to some people than the single player NES title. But my final ruling is that the NES game is better.
Now that we are done with that, let's talk about how this game stands out on its own merits. First off: it is a lot of fun. While the gameplay is very simplistic, there is something satisfying about taking out large groups of thugs at a time, often with their own weapons. There are a ton of different character models for your enemies, too, so it never feels like you're just beating up the same person again and again. This is the first video game I ever remember going toe-to-toe with a woman in combat when I was a kid.
The graphics are bright and colorful. The stages are fun and unique. The last level with the brick walls coming out, and the long lances stabbing down at you is one of my favorite stages from any arcade game ever. And the big battle royale at the end in the big room with the red carpet is the stuff of video game legend.
This game is short. Due to the fact that you can continue as many times as you want (for the PS4 version I downloaded) means it is pretty easy too. Even if I was playing this in the arcade, I don't think it would have taken more than a couple dollars for me to beat it, if we're talking about it costing one quarter per continue. This game really isn't that difficult at all.
I had a fun time with this game, but it was so short and easy I kind of felt a little bit empty on the inside after I finished it. I think I completed it in about 20 to 25 minutes. I went through the game and completed it again just to get my money's worth out of it, but now that I've beaten it twice I don't see any reason to play it again any time in the near future.
Is this a fun game? Yes. Is it something that's going to keep you occupied for more than an hour if you buy it? No. Even playing this game twice you'll be done with it in under an hour. So I can't really tell you if it is worth the money or not. It's up to you and if you are interested in classic, genre-shaping arcade games. I have to give Double Dragon credit. This is the first game of its kind I ever played as a kid, and the influence it's made on the beat-em-up genre has been absolutely undeniable.
Final Score:
B
If you liked this review, please read some of my other game reviews:
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