RetroFlect: Double Dragon II Discussion

[Corey_GB]

Hey Guys,
We're trying a new discussion based review format and we chose "Double Dragon II: The Revenge" on the NES as the guinea pig. Please let us know what you think of this format - the good or the bad:

"Beat ‘em ups have long been regarded as favorites among retro gamers. While “Double Dragon II: The Revenge” is undoubtedly a quintessential genre and console classic in the minds of many retro gamers, some feel that it falls a little short of the “perfect” mark. Stakenborg and Drew turn a critical eye on this epic title to try to figure out why."

Here's the full discussion review:
RetroFlect: Double Dragon II Discussion

[buzz_n64]

Great review and discussion. A lot of thought was put into this. Very accurate and enjoyable to read! Thumbs up! I too love Double Dragon II, stay away from the Mega Drive version, it's bad!

[Matt-El]

I disagree on the mega drive version, as a person who had originally bought and played it. Its a decent effort.

[Atariguy]

I thought that the format worked great. You guys seemed to delve into better criticism than I see in most reviews, and you did it reasonably succinctly. I look forward to more.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

IMO Double Dragon II on the NES is severely over-rated.

Other than it making up for the fact that the first entry didn't have a 2 player simultaneous mode, there's nothing about it that I really enjoy.

In comparison to its arcade counterpart, it's painfully slow, it's monotonous (though most Double Dragon games suffer from that) and as you touch on in your review it's very very easy even on the hardest setting.

I know that it's not the common or popular opinion, but I prefer playing through Double Dragon 1 on NES in single player mode where challenge's sake is concerned, and for 2 player beat-em-up action on the NES I'd much rather sit down with a friend and do a run-through of River City Ransom, Battletoads or TMNT III.

[old man]

I love Double Dragon II for the NES. It was one of my favorite games when I was a kid. Me and my brother would always go to rent it, but it would be gone. This went on for like six months. Then finally I came home one day and my brother was like "I got it!". We played the crap out of that game. I finally got it for christmas for one year.

In retrospect I think the game really did some amazing things that were really ahead of their time. I always loved the way they mixed the fighting with traps and other ideas. You never knew what was going to happen. One minute your fighting in the streets, then in a cramped chopper that's trying to suck you out the door, then in an underwater base (where you can't jump), then against a train, disapearing platforms, spikes, and those damn gears. It was awesome. No other game, that I can think of, came close to doing anything remotely like this until Viewtiful Joe. After DD2 fighting games seemed to take a step backwards. I also like how the difficulty settings weren't about making the game harder, but adding more to the game. IMO DD2 is deserving of all the accolades it gets.

edit: oh, and it had a shit-ton of cool moves also. My favorite was the hairpull kick. I got one of the doppelgangers in it once. It was awesome.

[j_factor]

I have this game for PC Engine. I'm not sure what all the differences are, but I quite like it. The soundtrack is pretty awesome.

[kupomogli]

IMO Double Dragon II on the NES is severely over-rated.

Double Dragon 2 on the NES is my favorite version of Double Dragon 2, favorite in the series, and one of my favorite beat em ups.

Now the original Double Dragon on both NES and arcade were great. But then Double Dragon 2 every version is completely different. You have the crappy arcade version, the amazing NES version, and then the TG16CD version.

Reason I say the arcade version of Double Dragon 2 sucks is because of the progression. Unlike the NES game, the arcade game is straight forward, nothing really differentiating it from the original Double Dragon arcade or NES. One mission on the arcade version of Double Dragon 2 is pretty much ripped straight from the original game so that's another reason. It's like the NES version they actually put work into developing it, the platforming on multiple stages, the extra attacks that could be done, etc.

The PC Engine game is good, but still not as good as the NES version. After hearing the arcade and NES music for years before playing the PC Engine version, the first part about the game I dislike is the music. Not only that, but it also doesn't carry the same changes from Double Dragon 2 on the NES. While it follows the same script it doesn't do much to differentiate itself from the original Double Dragon. Last thing I don't like about the PC Engine version is the enemy HP. It seems like forever for enemies to die on this version. While it sounds like I'm bashing it, the PC Engine version isn't that bad, it's just not as good as the NES version.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I know, I know, it's very popular and it's not technically a bad 2 player NES game.

I just personally prefer my 2 player beat-em-ups to be a bit more fast paced and challenging than Double Dragon II for NES ever was and I've never quite gotten the hype surrounding the title beyond the fact that it managed to include the 2 player arcade mode absent from the earlier title in the series.

I've never played the Mega Drive version, but it looks to be a pretty close port of the arcade game.

[old man]

I tried the mega drive version on an emulator. Man, that thing is turd. It's almost as bad as double dragon 3 for the mega drive.

[The 1 2 P]

I tried the mega drive version on an emulator. Man, that thing is turd. It's almost as bad as double dragon 3 for the mega drive.

I agree that Double Dragon 3 sucks on the Genesis, it doesn't even feel like a Double Dragon game. I've always wanted Double Dragon 2 on the Megadrive so I'm surprised to hear that people don't like that version. The Nes version is ok but they had to cut a bunch of stuff out for obvious reasons. If the Megadrive version didn't sell for $40 and up I'd probably already own it by now to try out for myself.

[Zing]

Isn't Double Dragon II the one where you can just jump straight up and spin kick everything throughout the entire game?

[Gamereviewgod]

Isn't Double Dragon II the one where you can just jump straight up and spin kick everything throughout the entire game?

You can try it, but on the hardest setting, most enemies will duck right under it. It's useful in a few boss fights like the twins in front of the helicopter though.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Isn't Double Dragon II the one where you can just jump straight up and spin kick everything throughout the entire game?

No, it's the one where you can jump and then do the "flying knee" when landing on every enemy throughout the entire game. It's the most effective strategy if you can master it. Kind of like the back elbow in the arcade version of Double Dragon 1.

Also, I played a bit of Double Dragon II for Mega Drive and while it may seem like a bad Double Dragon game ... it is as I suspected pretty damned close to the arcade version.

Here's a comparison:

Mega Drive:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmbDec2MY2A

Arcade:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZHX6PHI4LI

Yeah, it gets a bit laggy when the screen is busy, but overall it's a more authentic arcade version of Double Dragon II than what is featured on the NES.

[Brianvgplayer]

The Famicom Double Dragon II's difficulties work differently. Normal is more similar to the US "Supreme Master" (though still has some differences) and hard is much harder than any difficulty in the US version. I like the NES one quite a bit, but I plan to double dip becuase of this.

[pixelsnpolygons]

I've considered doing a discussion based review format like that - but have just never got around to it. Great job - you guys prove its a viable format provided the writing and knowledge of the subject is strong. I'm looking forward to reading more.

[gum_drops]

Double Dragon II is my favorite NES game, and besides maybe Sonic 2, I have replayed it more than any other game. So I am a little biased.