View Full Version : Double Dragon NES Disclaimer
Tony Lama
12-27-2013, 08:55 PM
I have a question for those who purchased the first run of Double Dragon for NES. I distinctly remember a paper disclaimer packed with the instruction manual that went something like this: "Due to the high graphical content of Double Dragon, the images may appear to 'jump' or 'flicker'. This is NOT a defect of the game". Does anyone else remember this disclaimer? I think it may have been printed on pink paper. Anyone still have it to scan? I want to confirm that this disclaimer did exist!!
Robocop2
12-27-2013, 09:03 PM
I have no proof that it exists but, I seem to recall the same thing....
You can see that disclaimer in the fourth picture of this auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOUBLE-DRAGON-1-2-AND-3-NES-100-PERCENT-COMPLETE-IN-ORIGINAL-CONDITION-VERY-NICE-/181271147877?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item2a349a3565).
Tony Lama
12-28-2013, 02:31 AM
You can see that disclaimer in the fourth picture of this auction (http://www.ebay.com/itm/DOUBLE-DRAGON-1-2-AND-3-NES-100-PERCENT-COMPLETE-IN-ORIGINAL-CONDITION-VERY-NICE-/181271147877?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item2a349a3565).
Thank you so much for finding proof of its existence! Now I know I'm not crazy! I believe this was the only disclaimer of its kind. I don't think I saw anything like this notice for any other nes games. Unless someone else knows of one.
Satoshi_Matrix
12-28-2013, 02:40 AM
Haha oh wow.
So in other words:
"Due to Technos programmers not properly obeying the NES's limitations of no more than 8 sprites/objects per Scanline, the scoreboard, enemies, objects, or hero may flicker like crazy. This does not indicate a defective Game Pak, only Technos programmers not giving a shit. Have a nice day"
That's pretty out there, a disclaimer that sprite flickering is a feature rather than a bug. Still, you gotta applaud the effort to keep down the number of returns back in the day from clueless parents.
I wonder if a similar warning also come with Super Dodgeball, as that game was the king of not obeying the maximum sprites limit and thus causing mad flickering.
kainemaxwell
12-28-2013, 08:32 AM
Gotta give them credit for that at least.
Black_Tiger
12-28-2013, 03:57 PM
A computer port (C64?) of Double Dragon had a similar disclaimer. If I remember correctly, the second player (or both) is permanently missing their mid-section. So you play as a torso floating above a set of legs.
MagExp
12-29-2013, 01:43 PM
The Master System port should have had a similar disclaimer. That version of the game is able to have a decent amount of sprites on the screen at one time compared to the NES port, but there is a ton of sporadic flickering, especially in the later levels. Also, the player character's legs tend to disappear every now and then.
BlastProcessing402
12-31-2013, 05:06 PM
Huh... I don't recall that disclaimer at all, and I had DD when it first came out.
If anything they should have put in a disclaimer that it was single player only, that was the real let down, not flickering graphics, which come on, affected more NES games than not to some degree.
skaar
12-31-2013, 08:05 PM
I remember this disclaimer too, you're not alone.
SpaceHarrier
01-01-2014, 06:57 PM
When I was a kid, I had no knowledge of system limitations. I wish something like this had come with Mega Man 3. We actually returned the game and explained the problem to the confused looking guy at Toys r Us, who offered us an exchange. Of course the exchange copy was the same, so we just gave up and excepted that it was a 'bad batch'.
Satoshi_Matrix
01-01-2014, 07:32 PM
when does MM3 have similar issues? Other than the robot select screen around Shadowman in the non-enhanced build.
SparTonberry
01-02-2014, 10:49 AM
TMNT1 is probably the worst example of a game I can think of with a jittery HUD. Both on the cart and on the Wii.
SpaceHarrier
01-02-2014, 06:26 PM
when does MM3 have similar issues? Other than the robot select screen around Shadowman in the non-enhanced build.
Actually, I don't recall if it was flicker specifically, but definitely slowdown. Believe it or not, until that point I'd never specifically seen slowdown in an NES game (I didn't play a huge percent of the NES library as a kid). I believe it might have been when the cluster bomb of bees explodes and releases all the little sprites, or possibly that yellow rock monster, when he goes bouncing all around.
This is a good reason for me to pick up the game and play through it again, I suppose :)
Orion Pimpdaddy
01-03-2014, 11:10 PM
Huh... I don't recall that disclaimer at all, and I had DD when it first came out.
Maybe they started putting it in there after hearing about a lot of returns.
Tony Lama
01-04-2014, 01:39 AM
I'm positive the disclaimer came with the first print run of Double Dragon. I was a sophomore in high school when that game came out. I was calling Toys R Us every day until it's release! I HAD to have it. And yeah, it sucked that it was 1 player only. But Nintendo Power had already tipped me off to that!
kupomogli
01-04-2014, 01:52 AM
Actually, I don't recall if it was flicker specifically, but definitely slowdown. Believe it or not, until that point I'd never specifically seen slowdown in an NES game (I didn't play a huge percent of the NES library as a kid). I believe it might have been when the cluster bomb of bees explodes and releases all the little sprites, or possibly that yellow rock monster, when he goes bouncing all around.
This is a good reason for me to pick up the game and play through it again, I suppose :)
A little flicker, slowdown here and there. Linked to a part where there's slowdown and one small bit of flicker on an enemy. Also where the giant snakes shoot at you there's slowdown and flicker as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=MJT94JO883E#t=66
Tony Lama
01-04-2014, 01:59 AM
I'm positive the disclaimer came with the first print run of Double Dragon. I was a sophomore in high school when that game came out. I was calling Toys R Us every day until it's release! I HAD to have it. And yeah, it sucked that it was 1 player only. But Nintendo Power had already tipped me off to that!
Actually, I think the magazine was still called "Nintendo Fun Club" when it featured Double Dragon. But I'd have to go through my old issues to find out.
IrishNinja
01-07-2014, 02:19 AM
Haha oh wow.
So in other words:
"Due to Technos programmers not properly obeying the NES's limitations of no more than 8 sprites/objects per Scanline, the scoreboard, enemies, objects, or hero may flicker like crazy. This does not indicate a defective Game Pak, only Technos programmers not giving a shit. Have a nice day"
I wonder if a similar warning also come with Super Dodgeball, as that game was the king of not obeying the maximum sprites limit and thus causing mad flickering.
haha these were my exact thoughts, yeah. and man i just pretended i was playing Super Dodgeball with ghosts.