Double Dragon (Japan, prototype) - Software MAME

Nintendo Famicom cart. published 36 years ago:

双截龍 © 1988 Technos Japan Corp.
(Double Dragon)

The Famicom port of the arcade classic Double Dragon!

TECHNICAL
Game ID: TJC-WD
Barcode: 4968947920026

TRIVIA
Double Dragon for Famicom was released on April 8, 1988 in Japan.

The most notable difference the Famicom version has from the arcade game is the omission of the arcade's two players cooperative game mode in favor of alternating play. The plot was altered as a result of this change—instead of having both Lee brothers as protagonists, the Famicom version has players controlling Billy Lee as the lone protagonist, with Jimmy Lee serving as the antagonist and true leader of the Black Warriors.

Due to technical limitations of the Famicom that were not worked around, the game can only generate up to two enemies on-screen to confront the player and always as identical pairs. Additionally, any weapon on-screen (including the one carried by the player) will disappear when a wave of enemies has been defeated. A level-up system was also implemented. The player begins the game with only a limited repertoire of basic attacks and earns experience points by defeating enemies, gaining the ability to use more powerful techniques at specific thresholds. The player can achieve up to seven levels throughout the game.

The level designs are very different, with some stages featuring new areas (notably the cavern section in Mission 3) that feature greater emphasis on jumping over platforms or evading traps. Most of the enemies from the arcade version also appear, with the exception of Jeff and the mohawked variant of Abobo. A new enemy character, a Chinese martial arts master named Chin Taimei (shortened to Chintai in the localized version) serves as the boss of the second stage and appears as a recurring minor enemy for the rest of the game.

The Famicom version features a bonus game mode (dubbed Mode B) where the player can choose between Billy or one of five enemy characters (Will, Rowper, Linda, Chin, and Abobo) from the main game and compete against a double of their character controlled by the computer or a second player in a one-on-one match. Matches against the computer are handicapped in favor of the computer-controlled character, while certain characters will get a chance to wield a weapon in the 2-Players matches. The mode features larger sprites different from the main game itself.

Double Dragon was the second game that Technos developed for the Famicom, and the two-player mode was reputedly omitted because of the programmers' inexperience with the hardware. This also accounts for the game's large number of bugs and glitches.

TIPS AND TRICKS

• Hint, More experience: Begin game play and reach mission 2. Get the baseball bat from the opponent that is on top of the fence. Next, jump off the fence and let the two thugs come after your character. Get the top thug to come to the end of the red pipes at the top of the screen. Once he is at that location, run up the fence and move all the way to the end of it. Then, turn around, jump back off the fence, and go to the end of the pipes. Although no opponents will be in sight, start swinging your bat at the end of the pipes for more experience and faster move learning.
• Additional moves: Accumulate 1000 experience points, as noted in the counter the bottom left corner. One additional heart and a new move (in the following order) will be awarded...

Level 1: Left/Right Punch, Kick and Head-Butt (starting set)
Level 2: Uppercut and Roundhouse kick
Level 3: Jump kick
Level 4: Hair pull
Level 5: Pin attack
Level 6: Elbow punch
Level 7: Spin kick

• Hint, Defeating Chin easily: The level two Boss, Chin, can be defeated by quickly climbing down the ladders after he appears. Keep climbing downward until the end of level music is played.

STAFF
Music by: Kazunaka Yamane

PORTS

• CONSOLES:

Nintendo Wii [Virtual Console] [JP] (feb.24, 2009) [Model FD2J]
Nintendo Wii U [Virtual Console] [JP] (jan.22, 2014) [Model FB7J]

• HANDHELDS:

Nintendo 3DS [Virtual Console] [JP] (feb.6, 2013) [Model TBYJ]

CONTRIBUTE
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