Technos’ Double Dragon became a household name and River City Ransom gained rave reviews from all and sundry, but people often forget that the company also released Renegade on the NES, forming what many fans deem to be a classic trilogy of 8-bit fighting games. Sadly, Renegade is easily the worst of this trio. Although it shares many traits with its stable mate fighters, the control is sloppy, the action repetitive and the graphics disappointing.
But let’s try and focus on the positive before we ponder the negative. In terms of control Renegade was undeniably ahead of its time; it featured a ‘dash’ move (activated by pressing a direction twice) which would be incorporated into many other scrolling fighters. It also showcased the directional attack system that would crop up in other Technos titles. When facing right, your character punches right with B and kicks behind him with A. These controls are reversed when facing left. This system allows you to cope with assailants from both sides, which is handy as attackers in this game often swamp you. As was the case in Double Dragon, pressing both buttons together performs a flying kick. It’s also possible to throw enemies and stomp them when they’re prone on the ground, but sadly the controls make this slightly less easy than it might sound.
Compared to the silky smooth control of Streets of Rage 2 or Final Fight, Renegade feels like a relic from the past. Just stringing together a meaningful combination of punches is an effort in itself and the limited nature of your attacks results in the game becoming mind-numbingly dull in a short space of time. Although I’ve already many the mistake of comparing it to other side-scrolling games, there isn’t actually a great deal of scrolling going on – you’re confined to a room and progress is made by defeating enemies and then walking through doors into other equally populated areas. This gets dull quickly and Renegade lacks the inventive locations of both Double Dragon and River City Ransom. The fact that all your foes look identical doesn’t help matters, either.
The final nail in the coffin is the lack of a simultaneous two-player option, which might have rendered the game a little more entertaining. Double Dragon is also guilty of this, but the game is a lot more fun and easy to control, so it’s a little more forgivable.
Unless you happen to be a massive fan of this game then I really can’t see any reason why you would want to download it when River City Ransom is available, as well as the other excellent brawlers that are on the Virtual Console.
1. ICEknight
29 Feb 2008, 14:28 GMT
Ugh, that must be the worst port this game ever had, along with the C64 version.
I really hope they give us the Master System version instead... or the Amstrad CPC or Spectrum versions, even.
2. Serpent
01 Mar 2008, 22:42 GMT
This game was a poor man's Double Dragon. Pure and simple.
3. Jonny2x4
21 Mar 2008, 20:04 GMT
Anyone who says this is a poor man's Double Dragon is ignorant. This came BEFORE Double Dragon. It isn't really that bad for a first gen title, but it isn't that great. The game is near impossible on Lv. 3.
4. meatlander
31 Mar 2008, 19:15 GMT
I remember playing this on the NES when it was new... now true I was young, but I remember this game being insanely difficult.
5. Serpent
17 Apr 2008, 04:58 GMT
@ Jonny2x4
You said it your self, "it isn't that great". so how am i being ignorant?
6. D00M
17 Apr 2008, 07:52 GMT
We need Target Renegade for the Spectrum 128k
7. Dazza
17 Apr 2008, 08:04 GMT
D00M - I agree, Target Renegade was excellent. Seeing as the Speccy didn't have a conversion of Double Dragon at the time this was the best way to have some 2 player beat em up action. It was a lot different from the original Renegade where you were pretty much stuck in one area. In TR it scrolled along like Double Dragon and you could pick up pool cues and smash them over the bad guys heads!
An interesting use of Taito's license by Ocean it has to be said. The sequel Renegade 3 was a let down however as it was only one player. In that you could travel back in time to beat up dinosaurs! lol
8. D00M
17 Apr 2008, 08:45 GMT
Dazza, I think it was one of the best scrolling beat-em up's on the Speccy, It had great levels, and if you were lucky enough to have it for the 128k it loaded all in one go and had excellent music.
Loved the car park level with the bikes/bikers (Can't beat a flying kick to a speeding bike!) and the level with those annoying dogs.
One of the few Speccy games I finished
9. jedimetroid
18 Apr 2008, 21:26 GMT
serpent, you got burned, admit it
10. Herandar
18 Apr 2008, 21:38 GMT
Lorenzo Lamas is... Renegade.
11. President_Leever
24 Apr 2008, 19:34 GMT
This was great. On the Master System.
12. Adamant
03 May 2008, 08:54 GMT
Somewhat noteable for being the first Kunio game. Of course, since some dumbass in America decided people would rather play as Joe Generic McBoring than Kunio, you wouldn't know that from this release.
13. lordbowser
05 May 2008, 01:14 GMT
This game ain't tough enough for me. I actually play this quite often despite it not being that great. I really like the music though, sounds kinda like an 8 bit version of the Stray Cats.
14. michinmuri
05 May 2008, 03:08 GMT
Was a good arcade game, not so good NES game. I always loved beating someone to the ground, then sit on their chest and pound face. That was sexy.
15. ZEIDO
06 May 2008, 12:47 GMT
Actually, this WAS THE BEST beat-em up on a home computer, but on the ZX Spectrum, and was only bettered by the 'unofficial sequel' by Imagine, Target Renegade. I WISH we could Speccy ports on the VC
16. Tony
09 May 2008, 23:23 GMT
I never did get into the NES version. Its not awful, infact IGN's review is actually pretty positive despite the age of the game.
I think retro collectors will enjoy it
Leave A Comment
Please login to post a comment.