Double Dragon

Synopsis

by Michael Schwartz/Joan Dykman

In 1987, Double Dragon set the precedent for side-scrolling fighting games. Play as Spike or Hammer, either alone or with a friend, and track down the mysterious Shadow Warriors who have kidnapped your girlfriend Marian. There are four stages total, the last one deep inside the Shadow Warriors' hideout, where you must defeat the machine-gun wielding boss. If you are playing a two-player game, Spike and Hammer must fight each other at the very end to see who gets the girl.

Three buttons are used for punching, kicking and jumping. The jump button may be used in conjunction with the fighting buttons to execute special moves including elbowing and jump-kicking. Some enemies may attack you with weapons such as baseball bats, whips, dynamite, and throwing knives. You may disarm the enemy and use their weapons against them. Also scattered about the game are oil drum, crates, and large boulders, which may be picked up and thrown or kicked toward the enemy.

Players begin the game with two lives; they lose a life when their health reaches zero. Indicators at the bottom of the screen show how much health a player has left and how many lives remain.

Extra Credits

by Michael Schwartz/Joan Dykman

Double Dragon is a real ground-breaker in the field of side-scrolling combat games. It spawned two sequels, a 1993 theatrical movie, and a host of knock-offs such as Final Fight.

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