Double Dragon has to be one of the first classics among classics in this genre. Sure, when we think of “classic” video games, Pac Man and Donkey Kong…maybe Frogger comes to mind, but Double Dragon is certainly a classic in the fight games genre. Double Dragon gets its name because it was one of the first fighting games to introduce the concept of cooperative two-player gaming. In other words, two gamers work together to battle the enemies and clear levels.
The Double Dragons, Billy and Jimmy Lee, have to kick, punch, head butt, slam and knife their way through a variety of enemies in order to reach and rescue Billy’s girlfriend, who has been kidnapped by a bad bunch, the Black Warriors.
Double Dragon has to be one of the first classics among classics in this genre. Sure, when we think of “classic” video games, Pac Man and Donkey Kong…maybe Frogger comes to mind, but Double Dragon is certainly a classic in the fight games genre. Double Dragon gets its name because it was one of the first fighting games to introduce the concept of cooperative two-player gaming. In other words, two gamers work together to battle the enemies and clear levels.
The Double Dragons, Billy and Jimmy Lee, have to kick, punch, head butt, slam and knife their way through a variety of enemies in order to reach and rescue Billy’s girlfriend, who has been kidnapped by a bad bunch, the Black Warriors. In exchange for her
return, the Black Warrior demand to know the secrets of a fabricated martial art known only to the Lee brothers. Instead of trading their secrets, the brothers choose to utilize them in order to save Marian from this tribe of thugs.
That is the premise of the story, but there is no real plot within the game. The background is offered as a quick cut scene at the beginning, and from there it is all beat ‘em up action. Players have the ability to perform a serious repertoire of moves and can also utilize weapons or objects in their surroundings to help defeat gangsters and boss characters. There are bats, whips, and knives to be picked up and stones, barrels and dynamite to be thrown. There is a variety of basic finishing moves that can be performed once an opponent is stunned, including the hair pull or a round house. Play continues in this manner until the gamer has lost all available lives or until Marian is rescued and offers her hero a kiss.
Overall, Double Dragon is a true classic, but some gamers might find it a bit tedious. Regardless of the level, the enemies really don’t change all that much. There are basically only three enemy characters with a couple of sub-bosses and bosses thrown in more toward the end of missions. The enemy characters do change subtly from time to time, but not enough to draw great attention. For example, the female dominatrix character, Linda, sometimes comes with a whip, sometimes not. There also is not much in the way of sound, with the exception of an occasional “thwack” that is heard when fists connect with bodies. Still, its innovation and gameplay are worth the download and the cooperative gaming is always fun to do with a friend.
