NOTE: When possible, the game's official manual or official documentation from the game maker's company or Nintendo is used — with spelling or terminology presented as is, despite some translation errors.
SPOILER ALERT: Some of the categories below may have a question mark to conceal important or secret revelations in the game. If you would like to see the unknown revealed, a rollover option or external link will be attached to the question mark.
Title
Double Dragon
Company
Technōs Japan Corporation
Tradewest
Developer(s)/Designer(s):
not listed
Composer(s)/Musician(s):
not listed
Year:
1987
Release Date:
U.S. - 1987 (arcade) U.S. - June, 1988 (NES)
System:
NES
Genre:
Beat-'Em-Up, Platformer, Action, Fighting
Ratings/Suitable For Age Group?:
E10+ for Everyone 10+ (Mild Violence)
(some instances of surprising violence with Marian getting punched and kidnapped by the Black Warriors; physical combat and splashes of blood from knife tosses)
Arcade Version?:
Yes.
Port To Other Game Systems:
SPECIAL NOTE: This list consists of the NES version (with its updates and changes) as opposed to the Arcade
Game Boy (similar to NES version with some variation)
(Nintendo 3DS) Virtual Console as a digital download from the Nintendo eShop and
included in the Nintendo Switch Online service with membership
Part of Franchise:
Original title (first) in The Double Dragon series
Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES/Famicom, PC Engine CD (Super CD-ROM2) (Japan exclusive), Virtual Console, etc.)
Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones (NES/Famicom, etc.)
Numerous re-issues, re-releases, spin-offs and compilations based off of the NES version, as well as the arcade (with varying degrees of loose connections between the storylines and characters)
Rarity/Availability:
Included in the (Switch) Double Dragon Collection
and within the (Switch, PlayStation 4 (PS4)) Double Dragon & Kunio-kun: Retro Brawler Bundle Collection.
Cartridge is fairly common to find and is inexpensive (at least, in the St. Louis, MO metropolitan area).
Add'l Game System Peripheral Needed To Play?:
N/A
1 or 2 Player:
1 Player or 2 Player (limited)
MODE A 1PLAYER - single player (main campaign) MODE A 2PLAYER - single player - alternating (main campaign) MODE B 1PLAYER - single player (fighting mode versus CPU)
MODE B 2PLAYER - two-player (fighting mode versus each other)
Number of Reserve Players:
Start with 3 Players
1-Up's
No
Life Meter
Yes. 14 bars of life.
Password
No
Battery
No
Continue?
No
Perspective/Orientation Gameplay
2D and Horizontal/Vertical (Retraceable/Freedom to Backtrack within a Stage [limited... usually to where the previous Thumb Icon flashed])
Number of Levels
4 Missions/Stages
Checkpoints?
Begin at start of a Stage or the beginning of a new room or section after entering a door or entrance
Save points?
No
Uninterrupted Play?
No. Upon death of Billy Lee, play stops and resumes from beginning of current Stage or current section.
Internal Map(s)?
No
Score?
Yes
Difficulty Settings
No
Time Limit?
Yes
Hero
Billy Lee
Sidekick(s)/Cast
No
Weapons
Box, Rock, Oil Drum, Dynamite, Knife, Bat, Whip
Items/Equipment
N/A
Power-Ups
Heart (Technical Level) (Earned each time, 1,000 points are scored from landing hits on enemy characters. Up to seven hearts can be built up, with each additional heart adding a new attack technique to Billy Lee's repertoire.)
To rescue his girlfriend, Marian, and have a final confrontation with the Shadow Boss
Ending?
Yes
Secret Code(s)?
No
Stage Select
No
Invincibility
No
Extra Players
No
Continues
No
Sound Test
No
Additional Secret Codes
?
Trivia/Little Known Facts
The game is Double Dragon, but two players cannot play together in MODE A (regular campaign modeled after the arcade) simultaneously on the NES due to hardware limitations. (The bottom of the game's front cover art depicts two fighters battling side-by-side, but this doesn’t or can’t actually occur in-game.)
However, in MODE B, two players can fight at the same time—that is, each other in a fighting game-styled match, outside of the game's missions.
The backstory printed on the rear, box cover and within the pages of the instruction manual actually spoil the game’s surprise twist and true ending boss by explicitly naming him.
Also, the front cover art slyly implies a confrontation with whom, presumably, are the game’s twin brothers, as they stand face-to-face, biceps flexed with weapons in hand: a knife and a whip (and if you look carefully, a few sticks of almost-invisible dynamite tucked within a vest pocket).
The NES manual mistakenly shows screenshot scenes that do not match up with the corresponding stages, under the "Game Stages" section: the City Slum picture is taken from a MODE B fight, while the Industrial Area picture is from later portions of the Hideout of the Boss. (Curiously, a moving platform is missing from the specific place shown in the "Industrial Area".)
Enter The Dragon seems to be a big influence on the game. Besides the obvious nod to Bruce Lee through martial arts and the “Dragon” name in the title AND the last name of the twin brothers, two enemies in the game are named after or have similar names to the other, two heroes in the movie: Williams (played by actor, Jim Kelly) and Lopar/Rowper (which is a mistranslation and misspelling of the name, Roper, portrayed by John Saxon).
The Japanese Famicom art work for Double Dragon is derivative of, or heavily inspired by Fist Of The North Star. Billy Lee looks like a clear stand-in for main character and protagonist, Kenshiro, from the Fist Of The North Star series.
In the opening act, the thug who punches Marian (and his three accomplices) are never actually seen again in the game.
The main culprit is a Williams, who may be the closest in resemblance to characters you fight later; with perhaps his clothing being a little darker.
The Chintai and Lopar/Rowper characters are color-swapped, appearing here uniquely, but never seen again.
The remaining gang member looks remarkably similar to Billy Lee, but again, has different coloration and blue hair, and is not seen again. So, it may be safe to say that Billy Lee never actually tracks down the exact, street punks who assail Marian!
On a side note, Nintendo, which was well-known for its watchdog tactics of censoring material to keep things family-friendly and non-offensive, had a lot of decisions to make with Technōs Japan Corp. and Tradewest over Double Dragon. A game centered around violence and fighting made it near-impossible to enforce all questionable references.
For the most part, many acts of violence were left unchecked. Anything from hair pulls and pin attacks with direct punches to unprotected faces and heads to the bashing by baseball bats and stoning by boulders were somehow fair play.
However, the most extreme displays of knife attacks and exploding dynamite, inexplicably, escaped the censors. Worse still, splashes of red blood are shown when the knives hit their unfortunate targets. (Nintendo, usually, enforced the removal of red blood from games on its console.)
Marian, Billy Lee's girlfriend, presented a number of unique, potential issues. The game's opening, infamously, showed an especially egregious example of a different type of violence. Marian is viciously punched in the stomach by a male enemy and abducted by a street gang.
In other versions of the game, once she is tossed over the shoulder of the ruthless thug, Marian's underclothing is displayed in a fairly risqué reveal. Nintendo would not allow this line to be crossed.
Chintai is an exclusive character, only appearing in the NES conversion or port of the game.
Being that the cave area of the Forest stage is unique to only the NES port of the game, a couple of brand-new songs were composed for it. The first track is from the cave section of Stage 3 and can be heard below (↓):
The second song is from the second part of the cave section of Stage 3 and can be heard below (↓):
In addition, the short tune played once the game is over is exclusive to the NES, as well (↓):
The music heard during the intermissions at the start of each stage ("MISSION" screens) is actually cut short. Under normal gameplay, it can never be heard in its entirety. But, you can hear the full song below (↓):
Due to mistranslation issues, the enemy named after the Roper character from Enter The Dragon has two, different spellings: Lopar in the instruction manual and Rowper in the MODE B fighting select screen.
In Double Dragon's MODE A main game campaign, there are seven weapons that can be used to fight back the Black Warriors gang. They are the: Box, Rock, Oil Drum, Dynamite, Knife, Bat and Whip.
However, MODE B's fighting campaign actually features two additional weapons (along with the Knife). The fighter who can actually get to the weapon first, gets to use it in combat.
When Chin (or Chintai) battles Chin (or Chintai), nunchaku are present.
When Rowper battles Rowper, a side handle or police baton, or tonfa is present.
Finally, when Will (or Williams) battles Will (or Williams), a knife is present. (This time, though, it is not thrown, but rather used to slash at the opponent.)
A few of the Abobo enemies may be paying homage to the Marvel comic book character, The Incredible Hulk. Both characters are large, muscular, manlike creatures sporting shorts and having unmistakable, green skin!
Speaking of the Incredible Hulk, Double Dragon was actually made into a short-lived series of comic books by Marvel Comics. The entire run spanned over only six issues from July 1991 through December 1991. In a clever plot twist, Marvel Comics founder and legend, Stan Lee, is introduced and eventually tells twin brothers, Billy and Jimmy Lee, that he is, indeed, their father. (The trio share the same surname of Lee!)
The Topps Company produced a set of Nintendo-related, collectible, scratch-off cards and stickers in 1989. The Nintendo Game Pack cards featured some of the most popular games and characters from the NES at the time. The packaging featured either Mario and Princess Toadstool from Super Mario Bros. or Link from The Legend Of Zelda.
Of all of the games that were highlighted—only one, non-Nintendo-owned game and its characters were included in the printed set. That was Double Dragon! Below (↓) are some samples of the trading cards:
A picture of a wax-sealed pack of Nintendo Game Pack cards.
A Double Dragon scratch-off game card.
The back of a Double Dragon scratch-off game card, detailing the rules.
A Double Dragon sticker card.
One of the 33 Tip Cards. This one reveals tips on Double Dragon.
In 1993, Double Dragon was made into an animated series. Produced by DiC Entertainment, the 30-minute cartoon debuted on September 12, 1993 and ran over two seasons until its end on December 4, 1994.
Over its 26-episode run, the plot follows the Lee twins, as they grow up separated and eventually become united against the Shadow Master, as they search for their father. The story is loosely based off of the backstory of the game.
In 1994, Double Dragon became a feature film. Directed by James Yukich, the movie is set in a crime-infested, partially destroyed, futuristic vision of Los Angeles and is centered around brothers, Billy and Jimmy Lee, and their struggles against main antagonist, Koga Shuko, to collect both halves of a powerful medallion called the Double Dragon.
Actors, Scott Wolf and Mark Dacascos, portray Billy and Jimmy Lee, respectively, while Alyssa Milano plays the role of Marian and Robert Patrick is cast as Koga Shuko.
Double Dragon was converted into a Tiger Electronics LCD Handheld.
In the 1990s, the Tiger Electronics LCD Handhelds were monochromatic, liquid crystal display games that animated on top of a stationary backdrop. These handhelds were similar, in some respects, to the Nintendo Game Boy, wristwatch games or Tamagotchi digital pets even.
However, they lacked the sophistication and solid gameplay of the original source, due to basic, primarily-stationary graphics; limited controls and range of movements; repetitious play; lack of change of stages or variation of play; vague instructions and the simple audio bleeps and blips associated with the devices.
Technōs Japan Corp/Tradewest's licensing of Double Dragon resulted in two Tiger LCD products: a handheld device and a wristwatch.
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Heart (Technical Level)
