honestgamer's Arcade Archives: Double Dragon review

Nice review, Jason, and a unique approach coming from the NES version to the arcade original instead of the other way around. Do you suppose, though, that you don't properly remember the NES version anymore? Could it be that you'd go back to it now and realize that it wasn't so hot either?

This line won the internet for me, for today: "Double Dragon begins by depicting a young lady loitering in a perfectly lovely slum."

I looked at the review at first and thought it was way too long for the sort of game you're covering, but then I read it, and it read fast and flowed nicely. So much for assumptions!

Thanks for reading! I've actually played the NES version fairly recently on Virtual Console, since I bought it from the eShop. So I do remember it fairly well and am not simply relying on years-old recollections. I believe I most recently played it around the time Double Dragon IV came out and disappointed me.

I didn't want to devote too much of this review (which as you noted, was already a bit on the long side) to exactly where I was going with the comparisons between the NES and arcade versions of Double Dragon, but the short version is that I felt the NES version flowed more smoothly and had just as much (or even more) personality, despite being inferior in a strictly technical sense. I don't think it's a terrific game or anything, just that it wasn't inferior as I had always supposed.

The smartest thing Hamster did with the Double Dragon arcade games: not releasing Double Dragon III.

Interesting reading about your first experience with the arcade version. I had similar feelings when trying it a few years back, as well. Might've played it very briefly in the arcades, but if so, it's a very faded memory. Then I also replayed the NES version, reviewed it, and... yeah. Also, when you're talking about the kick being too powerful, do you mean the normal kick, or the spinning jump kick? Because when I realized the power of that spinning kick, the game became absolutely trivial. Nice review, btw.

Gah, reminds me that I have to get around to submitting my PS4 DD review sometime. I've put it on hold for now because I also wanted to do one for AA: DD2. But I'm still a little burnt on reviewing all those River City games and DDIV.

I was referring to the standard kick. I just stood around and kicked in the general direction enemies approached from and that worked pretty well. I wasn't very good at jumping kicks. I mostly got the timing wrong and looked like I was trying to play leapfrog with a ghost.