Are you ready to rumble? Because you better be with this newest addition to the Double Dragon franchise. Time to brush off those fists and other weapons of war and kick the hell out of the enemies that make New York City a living hell (again). Let’s dive in!
Double Dragon History
You might think – Double Dragon, I haven’t heard that name in a long time. And that’s not too unbelievable since the first entry saw the light of day in 1987. It was called Double Dragon and was an arcade-focused title, followed by an NES and GB release in the years following. Initially developed by Technōs Japan and distributed by Taito for arcades across Asia, North America, and Europe, it was the first title in the Double Dragon franchise. Yoshihisa Kishimoto led the game’s development, and it is a spiritual and technological successor to Technos’ earlier beat them up, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (1986), released outside of Japan by Taito as Renegade; Kishimoto originally envisioned it as a direct sequel and part of the Kunio-kun series, before making it a new game with a different cast and setting.
Double Dragon introduced several additions to the Kunio-kun belt scroll beat them up formulae, such as a continuous side-scrolling world adding a sense of progression, two-player cooperative gameplay, the ability to arm oneself with an enemy’s weapon after disarming them, and the use of cut scenes to give it a cinematic look and feel. The game’s title is a reference to the two-player gameplay and Bruce Lee’s martial arts film Enter the Dragon (1973), which was a significant inspiration behind Kunio-kun and Double Dragon, while the Mad Max films and Fist of the North Star manga and anime series influenced the game’s art style and setting.
Double Dragon Gaiden
Fast forward to 2023, and we are the latest entry, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. It’s the franchise’s latest release, following Double Dragon IV’s release in 2017. It’s time to prepare to throw down the Double Dragon way in this fresh addition to the iconic Beat Them Up franchise. It’s the year 199X, and nuclear war has devastated New York City, leaving its citizens to fight for survival as riots and crime engulf the streets. The city has been overtaken by criminal gangs who terrorize its ruins as they fight for total dominance. Unwilling to endure these conditions any longer, young Billy and Jimmy Lee take it upon themselves to drive the gangs out of their city. What makes this alternate prequel interesting is that you explore the young Double Dragon brothers’ early beginnings as they take on new and familiar enemies in this alternate story.
Lee – Lee – Marian & Uncle Matin
Like in the series’ other entries, players take control of martial artist William “Billy” Lee, who battles against various adversaries such as gang members and rival fighters. He is often assisted by his elder twin brother James “Jimmy” Lee, who usually serves as the second player’s character in most games. The Lee brothers are characterized as successors of a fictional martial art known as Sōsetsuken (双截拳, “Twin Sever Fist,” also known as Sōsaiken), which combines techniques from other styles such as karate, tai chi, and Shorinji Kempo. The other two playable characters are childhood friend (and romantic interest in earlier entries) Marian. She used to train with the brothers in their dojo but eventually joined the police force to still her hunger for justice. This also shows in Marian’s skill set, mostly of guns, grenades, and other nifty police tricks. The last character is Uncle Matin, a former military man carrying a giant shield (Braum somebody?). He is pretty pacifistic and is the surrogate dad to the Lee brothers and Marian when Master Lee vanishes. His big dream is to open a tea shop – instead of beating up enemies.
Double Rogue Dragon Lite
Every playthrough is a new chance at new action in this fresh rogue-lite take. Featuring a unique and dynamic level structure, the difficulty of the missions you take on will change depending on the order you have selected them. Like in the original Double Dragon, the Black Warriors gang is characterized as the dominant criminal organization in New York City after a nuclear war has left the city deprived of any law and order. The gang’s name, however, has been changed to the Killers. Much like the Lee brothers themselves, the names of the gang members were established throughout the console versions of the series. The gang’s original leader is the machine gun-toting Willy Mackey (commonly known simply as Willy), who wishes to acquire the knowledge of the Lee brothers’ martial arts for himself and orders the kidnapping of Marian as ransom. Double Dragon Gaiden: The Rise of the Dragons doesn’t go that deep into the lore, but it can be unlocked another way (more about that in my review). Other gangs you are up against are The Royals, young adults who smuggle exotic animals and machinery, led by Duke; the Triangle, led by Anubis, an extremist cult that fights to bring the world back to the world from before the Nuclear War; and last but not least the Okada Clan, led by the widow of the previous oyabun, which is in control of the gambling in the city.
Other features
Double Dragon has always been known for its tag-team action. You can pick two fighters (and make your duos) and seamlessly switch between them, giving you many strategies for devastating combos and defensive and offensive moves. Combine this with the game’s rogue-lite elements and experience endless playthrough possibilities with a dynamic mission select function; the order in which you choose your mission will affect mission length, number of enemies, and overall difficulty. Choose where you improve with randomized purchasable upgrades for your characters at the end of each mission, or save your cash to revive your players in-mission.
As I stated, you start the fight with Billy, Jimmy, Marian, and Uncle Matin. But you can earn tokens to unlock a diverse roster of 9 more characters, each with their playstyle and strengths. Strategically choose your fighting duo by considering each character’s strengths and weaknesses. Luckily you can shape your own experience (and rewards). Adjust the game difficulty. You affect the number of tokens earned per session, and you can use those tokens to unlock content from the Token Shop, including characters, tips, and more. The modifier can even be used to enter permadeath or even infinite mode.
Conclusion
Double Dragon Gaiden: The Rise of the Dragons is shaping into one of my favorite beat-em-up games this year. Including the rogue-lite elements and the pixel style for its art gives life to a vibrant and challenging game that feels solid on the Steam Deck. Due to the options to tweak and upgrade your play style, the game rewards you for gradually gaining more strength and skill. An advantageous gameplay structure for now – so if you don’t mind, I’ll dragon-kick myself back in and give you my verdict on the 27th of July.
