Double Dragon

"At least it's not as bad as Double Dragon V"

During 1995, Technos Japan Corp. became a sub-party for SNK and started developing their Arcade games for SNK's Neo-Geo. Around that time, a film based on Double Dragon was released around theaters, so Technos decided to cash-in on the movie and turn a generic one-on-one fighting game they were developing into a generic one-on-one fighting game with Double Dragon characters.

The game is loosely based on the Double Dragon movie, This really bad guy named Shuko is looking for the Double Dragon, so it's up to your chosen character to beat the crap out of everyone in one-player tournament.

The roster consist of Billy and Jimmy (the main characters, who can change to ridiculous-looking versions of their original outfits), Marian (not the same Marian from the original Double Dragon, this one can defend herself), Abobo (a boss from the original DD), Burnov (the first boss from DD2), Amon (a ninja boss from DD2), Rebecca (a tonfa-toting girl with a red headband), Dulton (a fighter with a red cap) and Eddie (a South American kickboxer). There are also two end-bosses that are only playable with a code: Duke (the last boss in Super Double Dragon) and Koga Shuko (the movie villain). The CPU-controlled Shoko doesn't get tough until you beat in the first round.

The game itself is basically another Neo-Geo fighting game. One of the main differences is the lack of a specific punch or kick buttons. Instead, you'll do either, a punch or a kick depending on your position. This can be confusing since you can't tell whether Button C or D does an Uppercut or a Roundhouse Kick.

The second difference is the Charge meter (similar to one used in Killer Instict). The lenght of the Charge meter depends on how much energy you have. The Less Energy you have, the quicker the Charge Meter gets fill. The characters in this game has 1 or 2 Charge Moves.

The Graphics aren't as bad as another reviewer said they were, but compare to other Neo-Geo games, they're nothing to write home about either. There are a few extra details like interactive backgrounds and little intros. In a 2-player game, both players exchange some blows before the match begins. In a 1-player game, your opponent introduce themselves in a nifty fashion like Billy jumping out of a crashing car. None of the characters look like their movie counterparts, which is actually a great plus. I never really liked Alyssa Milano's Blonde Crew-Cut in the film.

The SFX is typical Kick and Punch affair, adequate for this game. Music is a bit cheesy though. Though there a few cool tunes like a Guitar-solo in Burnov's stage.

Overall, it's just another fighting game. There are better fighting games out there like the ones made by SNK and Capcom. This is just another forgettable 3rd-party Neo-Geo fighting game. Technos should have stick to Double Dragon's roots in this game. It's no wonder why they went bankrupt in 1996. A shame too, since they made the Kunio-Kun series.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 09/11/00, Updated 09/11/00