Machine Guides

Game History

Double Dragon is a legendary beat 'em up arcade game developed by Technōs Japan and released in June 1987. It was distributed in North America and Europe by Taito Corporation, while Technōs handled manufacturing and distribution in Japan themselves. The game was designed by Yoshihisa Kishimoto, who had previously created the arcade brawler Nekketsu Kouha Kunio-kun (known as Renegade in the West). Higher figures in the company suggested that the next game should support two players, which led Kishimoto to develop Double Dragon as a spiritual successor rather than a direct sequel.

Double Dragon became a blockbuster hit, with Game Machine listing it as the most successful table arcade cabinet of June 1987 in Japan. The game ushered in a "Golden Age" for the beat 'em up genre, resulting in a flood of similar games during the late 1980s to 1990s that followed the conventions set by Double Dragon. The original Japanese version had a different storyline than the one used by Taito in the International version, with the Japanese storyline being more developed and not using the Spike and Hammer aliases for the protagonists.

The game featured twin martial artists, Billy and Jimmy Lee (known as Hammer and Spike in some versions), as they fought against the Black Warriors gang to rescue their common love interest, Marian. The success of Double Dragon led to numerous ports to home systems and spawned a franchise with multiple sequels, remakes, and even related media including a 1991 comic series, an animated TV series (1993-1995), and a live-action film in 1994.

How to Play

Objectives

The main goal of Double Dragon is to progress through city streets and defeat the Black Warriors gang to rescue Marian, who has been kidnapped. You can play as Billy or Jimmy Lee (or both in two-player mode) as you fight through multiple stages filled with enemies. The game emphasizes martial arts combat and cooperative gameplay.

Controls

• Joystick: Use the joystick to move your character left and right and up and down
• Attack Button: Press to perform standard punches and kicks
• Jump Button: Press to jump and perform jumping attacks

Gameplay

• Starting the Game: Press the Start Button to begin your rescue mission.

• Character Selection: Choose between Billy (Player 1) or Jimmy (Player 2) Lee, each with different colored clothing.

• Stage Progression: Fight through four different stages (city slum, factory, waterfront, and gang hideout) with increasing difficulty.

• Combat Mechanics: Use punches, kicks, and jump kicks to defeat enemies who approach from both sides of the screen.

• Weapon Usage: Pick up weapons such as bats, whips, and knives dropped by defeated enemies to use against stronger opponents.

• Enemy Variety: Face different enemy types including basic gang members, stronger fighters, and boss characters at the end of each stage.

• Cooperative Play: In two-player mode, work together to defeat enemies, though players can also attack each other.

• Health System: Your character's health decreases when hit by enemies. When health is depleted, you lose a life.

• Level Progression: Clear each stage by defeating all enemies and reaching the boss at the end.

• Final Confrontation: Face the final boss and complete your mission to rescue Marian.