Double Dragon Neon is a 2012 reboot of the classic side-scrolling fighting game Double Dragon released on Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network and PC (Microsoft Windows). It was developed by WayForward Technologies and published by Majesco. The downloadable game follows the series' same signature side-scrolling brawler gameplay. Both Billy and Jimmy Lee reappear as the game's protagonists. The game allows two-player co-op, traditional martial arts and impromptu weapon based action, and a revived 1980s aesthetic.
The game also features unique '80s-like themed music that can be unlocked and reordered into an in-game mix tape to be listened to while playing.
Plot[]
The legend of the Double Dragons gets an '80s reimagining with the return of Billy and Jimmy Lee in this new action brawler. Masters of the martial arts known as Sousetsuken, the Lee brothers must use their special skills to defeat the Shadow Warriors lead by the villainous Skullmageddon and the rescue the beloved Marian.
Gameplay[]
As with previous installments of the series, the player takes control of martial artists Billy Lee (Player 1) and Jimmy Lee (Player 2) in their fight to rescue Marian from the Shadow Warriors gang, this time led by the super-lich Skullmageddon. The journey starts on the city streets and progresses through an outer-space dojo, Asian countryside, a genetics lab, and a graveyard before concluding at Skullmageddon's palace.
In addition to the standard punch, kick and jump buttons, and a designated run button, the player now has an evade button for dodging attacks. If the player times their evasion right so as to perfectly dodge an enemy attack, they will "Gleam" by briefly glowing red, during which time their attacks will be more powerful. The player can collect life-replenishing sodas, money to buy items from shops, and special mix tapes that can be equipped from a pause menu. Two different tapes can be equipped at once: one to grant the brothers a powerful attack that consumes a separate energy meter, and one to alter their statistics and grant special effects (such as making it easier to stun enemies or healing HP with every connecting blow). By collecting multiple copies of a tape, its effect gradually increases until it reaches a maximum capacity. Each tape's maximum capacity can be increased further by visiting a Tapesmith and paying him Mythril, which is obtained from defeated bosses.
In a two-player game, both Billy and Jimmy can utilize a special "high-five" technique to split and share their life meters to an equal amount, "psych" the other one out to harm them or make them fall over, or to instantly trigger a Gleam effect. If one player is defeated in battle, the other player has a limited time to revive them before a life is deducted (unless both players are defeated together). When one player is completely out of lives, they can steal one from the other player if they has at least two left.
Stages[]
| Mission | Name | Boss | Music |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Main Street | Abobo | "City Streets 1 (Double Dragon 1 - Mission 1)" |
| 2 | Back Alleys | Skullmageddon | "City Streets 2 (Mango Tango - Neon Jungle)" and "Boss - Skullmageddon" |
| 3 | Space Lair | None | "Space Dojo 1 (Double Dragon 1 - Mission 2)" |
| 4 | Airlock | Mecha Biker | "Space Dojo 2 (Billy and the Breakers - Firebird)" and "Boss - Mecha Biker" |
| 5 | Countryside | None | "Countryside 1" |
| 6 | Assault Zone | Giant Tank | "Countryside 2 (Lee Brothers - Glad I Am)" and "Giant Tank"" |
| 7 | Some Kind of Lab | Bimmy 'n' Jammy | "Lab 1 (Double Dragon 2 - Mission 1)" |
| 8 | Genetic Research | Marian II | "Lab 2 (Pick Youself Up and Dance)" and "Boss - Marian II" |
| 9 | Haunted Forest | None | "Ghost Forest" and "Tube Ride (Double Dragon 1 - Palace) |
| 10 | Neon Fortress | Giga Skullmageddon | "Final Palace", "Title Theme (Double Dragon Theme)", and "Boss - Giga Skullmageddon" |
Development[]
Double Dragon Neon was released in North America on September 11, 2012, in Europe on September 20, 2012 and in Japan on December 12, 2013 on PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network, and worldwide on September 12 on Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the series. The game's dialogue and graphical style is heavily 1980s-inspired and features a soundtrack composed by Jake Kaufman, inspired by the original Double Dragon as well as '80s pop music and arcade game soundtracks. This is also the first commercially released Double Dragon game to use 3D graphics rendered with polygon-based models. The game has been released for Microsoft Windows on February 6, 2014. Ported by Abstraction Games, the port features online multiplayer.
A port for Nintendo Switch was released on December 21, 2020.
Credits[]
Developed by WayForward[]
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Majesco Entertainment[]
Midnight City[]
Quality Assurance Testing[]
Steam Adaptation by Abstraction Games[]
Double Dragon Neon - Port Team 2020[]
Quality Assurance Testing by Amber[]
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Reception[]
Double Dragon Neon received mixed to positive reviews.
David Hinkle reviewed the Xbox 360 version of the game for Joystiq, giving it a score of 90%. David praised the combat variety with new enemy types, the use of the Tapesmith shops, and charming soundtrack. He concluded by saying, "Double Dragon Neon is a fantastic game, one that's carried on a simple premise: it's fun to punch stuff. Admittedly the activity could get a stale over time, but that concern is alleviated here through diversity, namely a stable of consistently different enemies waiting to jump in and challenge Jimmy and Billy. Meanwhile the pursuit of upgrading tapes to customize attributes and special attacks keeps Double Dragon Neon from being a button-mashing bore." [1] Co-Optimus delivered a two page review Double Dragon Neon,[2] giving an overall rating of 4/5.[3] In his final verdict, Paul Acevedo stated, "The colorful and cartoonish art style, brilliant soundtrack (impressions here), abundance of weapons (which are actually effective here, unlike the original arcade game), and copious eighties references transform a wonderful old game into something even more wonderful. Play Neon with a friend and you’ll laugh out loud together more than once, all while enjoying the time-honored recreation of pounding your foes into submission. That joy has helped make this my all-time favorite brawler."
Ray Carsillo of Electronic Gaming Monthly rated the PlayStation 3 version a 90/100, praising the '80s feel, humor and the gameplay. Ray summarized that, "Some hit detection problems can’t hide the fact that Neon’s an awesome tribute to a bygone era—and it’ll bring a smile to the face of anyone who grew up playing beat-em-ups in the ’80s and ’90s."[4] Cheat Code Central rated the game a 3.6/5, with Sean Engemann praising the game for its mixture of modern and retro feel. He declared "The controls are not refined, but it's nostalgic, engaging, and worth the ten-dollar asking price."[5] GameSpot's Tom Mc Shea rated it a 7/10, praising the game for its humor and rewarding combat system while criticizing the monotonous grinding when set to higher difficulty modes. Tom closed his review by stating, "Neon is a satisfying brawler that's as deep as it is humorous. ''Double Dragon Neon doesn't quite live up to its prestigious heritage, but it's a well-made game nonetheless."[6] Push Square rewarded the title with an excellent rating of 9/10, commending it for its visual style, responsive controls, and bits of comedy. For his conclusion, Ken Barnes wrote, "Average players will probably complete the first difficulty level in 2-3 hours and disappointingly, the only real replayability here involves beating the game again on a harder difficulty setting. But even with that in mind, Double Dragon Neon is easily one of the most polished PSN titles available to date, and if you don’t at least give it a spin (kick), then the joke is on you."[7]
When Double Dragon Neon was finally released for Nintendo Switch on December 21, 2020, Nintendo Life rewarded the game with a great rating of 8/10. Gonçalo Lopes enjoyed slapstick cartoon tropes, stunning soundtrack, co-op experience, and good performance in both docked and portable play. He wrote in his closure, "Double Dragon Neon is an old game for sure, but fortunately, it's far from being an outdated one. Under the watchful consultation of series creator Yoshihisa Kishimoto, WayForward managed to successfully reboot the franchise back in 2012 for a whole new audience by adding a healthy dose of craziness to the more classic tropes of the genre, and that inventiveness still holds merit in 2021"[8] Pure Nintendo's Harrison Milfeld gave the title 7.5 out of 10, stating that it can still hold its own when compared to River City Girls and Streets of Rage 4. Harrison called Double Dragon Neon a, "well-made and well-thought out reboot of the arcade classic that will certainly please veterans and newcomers to Billy and Jimmy Lee’s adventures."[9]
Soundtrack[]
- Main article: Double Dragon Neon Official Soundtrack
Double Dragon Neon Official Soundtrack was released digitally exclusive at Bandcamp in September 11, 2012.
Gallery[]
Packaging artwork[]
Screenshots[]
References[]
- ↑ "Double Dragon Neon review: Rock me, Amadeus" at Joystiq (September 10, 2012)
- ↑ "Double Dragon: Neon Co-Op Review - Page 1" at Co-Optimus (September 21, 2012)
- ↑ "Double Dragon: Neon Co-Op Review - Page 2" at Co-Optimus (September 21, 2012)
- ↑ "EGM Review: Double Dragon: Neon" at Electronic Gaming Monthly (Archived: September 11, 2012)
- ↑ "Double Dragon Neon Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)" at Cheat Code Central (September 11, 2012)
- ↑ "Double Dragon: Neon Review" at GameSpot (September 12, 2012)
- ↑ "Double Dragon: Neon Review" at Push Square (September 21, 2012)
- ↑ "Double Dragon Neon Review" at Nintendo Life (January 1, 2021)
- ↑ "REVIEW: DOUBLE DRAGON NEON" at Pure Nintendo (January 7, 2021)
External links[]
- Double Dragon Neon at Arc System Works (Japanese)
- Double Dragon Neon at WayForward
- Double Dragon Neon at Majesco
- Double Dragon Neon at Facebook
- Double Dragon Neon at Moby Games
- Double Dragon Neon at GameFAQs
- Double Dragon Neon at Hardcore Gaming 101
- Double Dragon Neon (Windows) at The Cutting Room Floor
- Double Dragon Neon Soundtrack at Bandcamp