Double Dragon is a classic NES game which was immensely popular in its day -- so much so that it led to a string of sequels. Predictably the NES conversion of the arcade original made some compromises and changes to the game. The levels are laid out differently and there are now only four of them.
In addition to this, you cannot play simultaneously with a friend in the main game. This is a sad loss, especially for a beat ‘em up game such as this. At least it isn’t as easy to get through this version of the game by just using a well timed elbow, which is all it took in the arcade!
The game begins with Jimmy Lee’s (your) girlfriend being beaten up and kidnapped by a ruthless crime lord. Outraged at this turn of events, it is your task to fight through a series of dastardly henchmen and rescue your woman.
With your top martial arts skills you are indeed a force to be reckoned with, but it is still a good idea to take advantage of the knifes, whips, and baseball bats you can pick up and use against all who get in your way.
You can also pick up barrels and boxes to throw at your opponent. Before you can move on to the next part of the level you must take out all of the fiends who block your path. At the end of each level there is the usual big boss to contend with, who will be harder to take down. See if you can knock the level one boss off the conveyor belt with one kick to his doom!
In addition to the main game there is a VS mode where you can fight against the computer or another player. In this mode you get six characters to choose from, even bad guys. This can be fun for a while and is a nice addition to the game.
For a game of its time, the graphics are not bad and the animation is pretty decent too. The music from the arcade is captured nicely in typical boppy NES style and accompanies the proceedings nicely.
All in all there are no complaints on this score. Despite its limitations on the NES hardware, the conversion of Double Dragon still manages to provide lots of entertainment. You will probably be able to complete the game in less than half an hour, but it is always fun to go back to from time to time.
1. Kevin
23 Feb 2008, 12:45 GMT
YES!!! THANK YOU! I absolutely LOVE the original. I am so downloading this the day its released. How awesome would it be if we got this with River City Ransom on the same day?
2. agent_lime 23 Feb 2008, 19:16 GMT
OH YA! i remember playing this!! it was really short but totally awesome!
3. 7th lutz
23 Feb 2008, 23:15 GMT
Great game that happens to be very different from the arcade version. Double Dragon is one of the first Nes games I ever played. Double Dragon is a must have game for people that like beat'em ups.
4. Mr.Nintendo21
24 Feb 2008, 01:45 GMT
I never played this, but I love Super Double Dragon. I'll download this once it comes.
5. Tony
24 Feb 2008, 19:19 GMT
Alright!!!! I loved this game even if its not 2 players. I am sorry, but I must pick this up before River City Ransom. Now I can't wait for this and Double Dragon 2 which added the awesome hurricane spinning kick. Anyway, Double Dragon for the NES was very hard to get a hold of when it first came out and there are some different elements to this version compared to the arcade. Still DD is a great download for 500 points. Ahh the memories.
6. Csheroe
24 Feb 2008, 19:26 GMT
Don't give us the third one!
Anyone remember Bimmy and Jimmy?
7. Sharecrow
25 Feb 2008, 14:55 GMT
I would rather have the Master System version than this one, but I doubt they'd release both. Oh well - take what you get, right???
8. Tony
25 Feb 2008, 19:18 GMT
Sharecrow
You never know. It would be nice to play the NES and MS version side by side. The big MS advantage is it has the 2 player option. The Sega Genesis version by Accolade also kept the 2 player feature as well. I will keep my fingers crossed.
9. deggs
26 Feb 2008, 17:41 GMT
no way............ i can't wait for this. this game was amazing...
10. MrLopez
26 Feb 2008, 18:47 GMT
You can't play simultaneous, so I'm gonna wait for an other Double Dragon!
11. MaxPlastic
27 Feb 2008, 03:31 GMT
Oh my God... How many times have I seen that girl get punched in the gut!? I'm totally getting this!
12. deggs
28 Feb 2008, 16:35 GMT
i don't think DD2 and DD3 are releasable in north america. acclaim owned the north american distribution rights and they went under. other companies have bought rights to various things here and there. super double dragon, much like this game, was published by tradewest and if this game is releasable then super double dragon will be as well. honestly, DD3 for the nes was one of the toughest games i ever played. it was practically impossible to make it anywhere in that game...
13. MasterMario
01 Mar 2008, 18:02 GMT
Which game is better, this or River City Ransom?
14. Drake
02 Mar 2008, 17:46 GMT
They're not comparable, really, one is straightforward while the other is open-ended and more of an RPG. I would say RCR is more enjoyable than Double Dragon these days though.
15. Jogurt the Yogurt
03 Mar 2008, 21:14 GMT
Even though this game is legendary and a lot of fun, River City Ransom is still a million times better. Still, DD has character, and it's worth 3 stars on the Jogurt scale. (Does that mean RCR is worth 3 million stars...?)
16. JJ
03 Mar 2008, 22:42 GMT
An absolute download!!!! Wouldn't mind seeing the master system version either but I doubt they would give us more than one version of the same game.
17. Serpent
06 Mar 2008, 01:08 GMT
@ MasterMario
I think River city is better, but this game is also good.
18. Rossi
06 Mar 2008, 17:11 GMT
The original promotional posters say Billy and Jimmy were called Hammer and Spike. LOL i dont know which sounds better..
19. bronzed1
16 Mar 2008, 23:24 GMT
YEAH! BRING IT ON!
20. MrLopez
06 Apr 2008, 19:46 GMT
I rather have Super Double Dragon on the SNES!
21. brooks83
09 Apr 2008, 07:04 GMT
"Bimmy and Jimmy" lol
22. timp29
15 Apr 2008, 12:08 GMT
Was this the one with the super knee where you hit A+B when recovering from a jump?? That move was that funniest thing in a side scolling beat em up ever. Or was that DD2?? Either way it had me in stitches, the way it smashed people across the screen.
23. Bass X0
16 Apr 2008, 22:43 GMT
"How awesome would it be if we got this with River City Ransom on the same day?"
How about consecutive weeks?
24. Knuckles-san
16 Apr 2008, 23:42 GMT
A must download for me when it comes out
25. Herandar
17 Apr 2008, 00:37 GMT
Heh heh. Time to beat up some Abobos!!
26. Adamant
17 Apr 2008, 01:56 GMT
You got the plot wrong, guys - in the NES version, Shadow Boss' identity was actually Jimmy Lee, since the game was 1-player only, and they wanted both brothers in the game. When the sequel came trucking onto the NES, that plot thread was completely ignored, though.
27. D00M
17 Apr 2008, 07:54 GMT
Double Dragon for the Megadrive/Genesis instead please.
28. AlphaNerd01
25 Apr 2008, 06:41 GMT
I've been spoiled by the XBLA version of this... still a great arcade conversion though.
29. Tony
25 Apr 2008, 11:10 GMT
Good review Dazza
I have such fond memories of this game. Can't wait for Double Dragon II: The revenge
30. milkboyenterprises
25 Apr 2008, 13:18 GMT
The Wii shop write-up for this says 1-2 players in the summary and mentions co-op in the main synopsis - anyone with the points willing to check this out?
31. Dazza
25 Apr 2008, 13:30 GMT
In the main game you just take turns if playing 2 players. The only simultaneous 2 player action on offer here is in the VS mode.
32. DEMON212
25 Apr 2008, 14:30 GMT
I honestly can't give this more than a 3. Removing co-op removes alot of the fun.
33. CopyofCopyX
25 Apr 2008, 15:03 GMT
Seems a nice game so far but...
Do you still jump by pressing two buttons at once?
34. Mr 64
25 Apr 2008, 15:47 GMT
Absolute classic! Fingers crossed for DD2 on the NES too, that was my favourite of the lot.
35. milkboyenterprises
25 Apr 2008, 16:26 GMT
@Dazza
Even so, in the middle of the Wii shop page "Double Dragon features 2 player co-op". Naughty Nintendo if they're stretching definitions to get downloads. I was just wondering if they'd added co-op to rival the XBLA release.
36. DEMON212
25 Apr 2008, 17:44 GMT
@CopyofCopyX
Yes
@milkboy enterprises
That's why I bought it. I thought that they'd either added it or that the VCR was wrong. Unfortunatly though, it is 2p. Just in VS.
37. milkboyenterprises
25 Apr 2008, 17:57 GMT
Naughty Nintendo it is then. Even the C64 version had co-op! And leotards in purple and pink.
38. Sockapal
25 Apr 2008, 19:21 GMT
No Co-op? Forget that.... *sigh
39. WoRMaSTeR
26 Apr 2008, 08:28 GMT
No co-op kinda takes the double out of the title and everyone knows one dragon is cool, but not megacool like you know - double dragon!
40. Csheroe
26 Apr 2008, 14:46 GMT
Ahh.. My brother and I love this game! a must download. Where's my other dream game, Mega Man 2?
41. Mirokunite
26 Apr 2008, 17:10 GMT
Corey: 50,000! You scored 50,000 points on Double Dragon?
Lucas: I love the Power Glove. It's so bad.
Corey: Yeah, well, uh, just keep your Power Gloves off her, pal, huh?
42. lockelocke
26 Apr 2008, 21:38 GMT
I love the opening cutscene; those dudes know how to knock out a girl with style!
43. MrLopez
26 Apr 2008, 22:14 GMT
Super Double Dragon Please....!!
44. ReZon
27 Apr 2008, 00:31 GMT
The NES version sucked bad in comparison to the arcade. No 2p coop? No thanks.
I'll definitely pick up Double Dragon 2 when it comes though.
45. timp29
28 Apr 2008, 08:57 GMT
I agree, loved the arcade version and after playing that DD1 was a total disappointment on NES.
46. driversold
28 Apr 2008, 14:46 GMT
It is disheartining that the NES left out the 2-player; However, as a stand alone game, it is actual quite fun. Hopefully, we will see the NES's version of Double Dragon 2. That is co-op and is a blast. It was one of the few games some of my friends, who didn't enjoy video games, enjoyed playing. The knee and spin kick could be touchy at times to pull-off, but if you failed, your partner was always there to back you up.
47. owen
28 Apr 2008, 15:39 GMT
no 2 player is a sad, sad state of affairs
48. Clockwork
29 Apr 2008, 18:40 GMT
My buddies and I used to try and see how far we could get in the game with only using punches and jump kicks. No regular kicks allowed. It was great fun.
49. CopyofCopyX
30 Apr 2008, 18:25 GMT
An entertaining little game.
I still remember beating the two Abobos in the third level and walking past the cave, causing the level to loop!!
50. Lwaad
30 Apr 2008, 18:59 GMT
No two player co-op really kills this one for me. I must've played the Genesis version. The glory of this game was the co-op mode. And then after you beat the final boss you duke it out for who gets the girl. Gloriousness!
51. Jonny2x4
04 May 2008, 03:07 GMT
deggs - Your reasoning is flawed. Just because Acclaim published DD2 and DD3 here and they're now out of business doesn't mean another company could pick up the rights, which is what was done here to begin with (DD1 was published by Tradewest). The publishing license is not the same as the intellectual properties. The NES version of DD2 was recently ported to mobile phones in Europe FYI.
52. Adamant
05 May 2008, 05:57 GMT
Finally made it to the last boss today (who, yes, is Jimmy Lee. Willy's only his henchman here)- man, this game is much tougher than I remembered, and you pretty much have to rely on semi-cheap tactics in order to make it past some of the tougher sections. And the first part of level 4 with the moving pillars is a killer.
Great fun, though. Yes, the lack of a co-op mode is annoying, but you get tremendously extended levels in exchange. A must play.
Scored over 50000 points, too
53. Slionr
06 May 2008, 13:01 GMT
I realy like this game.
Cant wait for Double Dragon 2, one of my favorit beat-em-up game ^^.
54. Adamant
07 May 2008, 02:48 GMT
Aaand beat it. What a great game. Bring on the sequels, please.
Those pillars in the beginning of level 4 is by far the hardest part of the game, though. Willy is a close second.
55. waldojeffershead
09 May 2008, 19:43 GMT
Thank you Virtual Console, Double Dragon was the only reason a regretted selling my NES; but now a Wii Solution! I find this game to be most enjoyable though I still tend to die after or during the fight with those 2 big dudes with green shorts, And those Tomba Mother F%^*ers with the purple pants are truly on my last nerves...
56. TRON
12 May 2008, 07:17 GMT
I'll start by stating that I usually download NES games on a whim and a pint, I've found that very few have aged well enough to download, Punch Out and the Mario series being definite standouts as timeless classics. This game has aged well, and is still highly playable and fun. If you are a fan of the arcade game, then this might not do it for you, but it's still a great version of this classic game. I would recommend RCR over this, but DD is 500 points well spent. The SoR series is much better if you lack the nostalgia for this game and just want a great beat 'em up.
57. Tony
28 May 2008, 14:52 GMT
I still can't get pass Mission 4 and those weird wall bricks that knock me down.
58. LukoKraze
28 Jun 2008, 12:54 GMT
I think this game's not that great. No two player? I'll stick to River City Ramson/Street Gangs.
59. classicmike
29 Jun 2008, 22:42 GMT
I think that they should have kept the co-op mode instead of making people go one at a time. Still, it is a decent beat 'em up game and the loss of co-op mode just raises the difficulty for this game. 3/5
60. BlackFira
01 Jul 2008, 21:24 GMT
does anyone remeber battletoads double dragon for the snes that was kinda my first introduction to double dragon in a way. but it was an awsome game
61. Mr. Cheez
07 Jul 2008, 20:46 GMT
I had to decide between this and River City Ransom. I decided on RCR in the end though, since that game had Co-op and the RPG elements piqued my interest. I think I made the right decision.
62. davegorack
28 Aug 2008, 11:48 GMT
great game. good music and good controles.
i hope they dont releas the 3rd one
BIMMY AND JIMMY???
63. devillinko
04 Oct 2008, 21:53 GMT
greeaaat game !! I waiting for double dragon II revenge too !!
64. deggs
10 Oct 2008, 13:52 GMT
"deggs - Your reasoning is flawed. Just because Acclaim published DD2 and DD3 here and they're now out of business doesn't mean another company could pick up the rights, which is what was done here to begin with (DD1 was published by Tradewest). The publishing license is not the same as the intellectual properties. The NES version of DD2 was recently ported to mobile phones in Europe FYI."
Jonny2x4, acclaim published a ton of nes games. though many of them were licensed games, many also were just North American and european releases of japanese games. Not one North American acclaim property that I know of has been released on VC on north america (feel free to prove me wrong though because i hope i'm wrong). i'm not saying that that can't change. it's just that when a game is rereleased years later, the person holding the copyright has to obviously give consent (not like they wouldn't want to as they have an opportunity to make some money). in this case, aksys either bought the copyright or got the rights to publish it for vc i guess.in the case of dd2 being released on mobile phones in europe, who knows who controls that copyright, if they have any intention to release it on vc or what...
65. deggs
10 Oct 2008, 14:00 GMT
what i should have said was that to release this game, one would also have to go through similar efforts to release super double dragon so if this one is releasable, then so is super double dragon. dd2 and dd3 would require clearing things with different people. that doesn't mean that it is impossible that they would ever come to vc.
Leave A Comment
Please login to post a comment.