![]() |
Dragon Through The Next Generation
|
|
|
Super Double Dragon
(SNES, 1992)
Instead of returning to the arcades for further inspiration, Technos Japan started from scratch on an original Double Dragon game for the SNES. Super Double Dragon follows the nice beat-'em-up blueprint put forth by its predecessors while upping the ante on visual and audio splendor. For whatever reason, the Double Dragons are back to take down the Shadow Warriors' gang. As far as I know, Marian's in trouble with them again, having tried to infiltrate their hideout in an act of sheer stupidity. Most of Billy and Jimmy's moves remain intact, and they can even perform new Dragon Power attacks, thanks to a special gauge you can fill by holding down the L and R buttons. Plus, Billy & Jimmy now appear more realistic than ever! The game is, however, unfinished: story sequences between levels were planned but abandoned due to a shorter development timeframe, and Marian doesn't even appear in the game at all! The Japanese version, entitled "Return of Double Dragon", is different from its American counterpart in many ways, including switched-around music, a few extra areas, and alternate placement of weapons and enemies. Kooky!
|
|
|
|
Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team
(NES/GB/SNES/GENESIS, 1993)
Ever look at a frog outside and think, "Damn, we'd make the most awesome superhero team EVER"? Well, think that no longer because Rare, the folks behind Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Conker's Bad Fur Day, and all that lovable stuff has the answer for you! Why not combine their Battletoads with the beloved Double Dragon series and create the ULTIMATE beat-'em-up? Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team gives you the opportunity to determine how much truth there is to the awesomeness of a toad-human combo. Zitz, Pimple and Rash from the Battletoads series and Billy and Jimmy Lee team up to take down a bevy of baddies, including the Shadow Boss (who ISN'T Jimmy this time) and the Dark Queen (of Battletoads fame), to save the galaxy from their nasty grip. The game feels more like a Battletoads game with Double Dragon characters planted into it. Because Rare had no history with Double Dragon, and Technos Japan had no hand in this project at all, the result is basically a Battletoads game with more available characters. Billy and Jimmy Lee lack many special moves and generally play just like their amphibian brethren. Nonetheless, it's actually a solid brawler if you get the chance to play, even though Rare had the audacity to keep in that awful high-speed racing section. It's just tough as hell to win that; always has been, always will be. The NES, SNES, and Genesis versions are all fairly similar, though they differ in visual quality and music selection. The Game Boy version only allows for a single-player mode, but also feels easier as a whole. Sadly, Abobo is far less comical this time...
And hey, just for a quick comparison:
|
 |
|
| NES |
|
|
 |
|
| SNES |
|
|
 |
|
| Sega Genesis |
|
|
 |
|
| Game Boy |
|
|
|
|
Double Dragon V: The Shadow Falls
(SNES/GENESIS/JAGUAR, 1994)
Double Dragon V... where do I begin? This was the first original Double Dragon game NOT developed by Technos Japan, but instead by Leland Interactive Media, an American company that most assuredly no longer exists today, and published by Tradewest in North America and Europe (Japan never received this one). By comparison to earlier Double Dragon games, this one is a far cry from its roots. Instead of a beat-'em-up style, Double Dragon V is a fighter not unlike Street Fighter II but with grainier graphics and sound. Many of its characters were based on the Double Dragon cartoon series more than anything else, though a few new ones were introduced as well. Each player has their own attack styles and "overkills", unique finishing moves. There are multiple modes of play, including Tournament Mode; Vs. Battle (against a second player); Quest Mode, which adds context through short plot interludes between battles; and Watch Mode, which is just that: you watch the CPU play against itself. What a fun time to be had! Although originally developed for the SNES and Sega Genesis consoles, the Atari Jaguar was also given the treatment, resulting in a roster shake-up, adding one new character but removing three. Why? ...we don't know. This could be considered the beginning of the end for Double Dragon; it's basically the series' equivalent to Castlevania Judgment. Take from that what you will.
|
|
|
|
Double Dragon
(NEO GEO/PS, 1995)
Not content to let only Double Dragon fade away into oblivion just yet, Technos Japan decided to play their hand and deliver their own rendition of a Double Dragon fighter. Although many of the characters featured were taken directly from previous Double Dragon games (such as Billy, Jimmy, Abobo, and Marian), and Koga Shuko was pulled from the Double Dragon movie, others were brand new, designed only for this game, thus making us scratch our heads in wonder as to why the Double Dragons would fight them at all. Did THEY kidnap Marian, too? No storyline was provided to help explain these shrouding mysteries. There was nothing spectacular about this game, although nothing held it back from being decent either. Ultimately, it fell to the wayside as an average fighter buried underneath the many others released around the same time. Its initial availability only in Japan and only for the expensive Neo Geo console may have helped to seal its fate, although a PlayStation release soon followed. Sadly, it was one of Technos Japan's final games before closing its doors permanently. Surprisingly, this one was re-released in early 2014 on the PlayStation Network! Get your Drag'on!
|
 |
 |
|
![]() |
