Double Dragon 1987

About

Double Dragon is a 1987 beat 'em up video game developed by Technōs Japan and distributed by Taito for arcades across Asia, North America and Europe. It is the first title in the Double Dragon franchise. The player character has a repertoire of martial arts techniques which they can perform using the joystick and three action buttons (kick, jump, and punch) individually or in combination. Techniques range from basic punches and kicks to more elaborate manoeuvres like hair-grabbing moves and elbow strikes. When playing with another player, one can assist the other by grabbing their partner's opponent from behind. Caution should be taken, though, as some enemies can do the same thing to the players. The player begins the game with a certain number of extra lives and a life gauge which depletes as the player takes hits. If the life gauge runs out or the time limit reaches zero, the player will lose a life. There is a small variety of enemy characters that the player will face through the course of the game. Certain enemies carry melee weapons, which can be knocked out of their hands and picked up to use against them. Available weapons include baseball bats, whips, throwing knives, and dynamite; in addition, rocks, oil drums, and boxes can be found in certain places. The game is divided into four stages or "missions," consisting of a city slum, a factory, the woods, and the gang's hideout. The game normally ends if a single player defeats the final boss alone. However, if two players complete the game together, they are forced to fight each other to determine who will win Marian's affections.

Story

The player takes control of martial artist Billy Lee, or his twin brother Jimmy (also known as Hammer and Spike in the supplementary materials for the American arcade release), as they fight their way into the turf of the Black Warriors gang in order to rescue their common love interest Marian.

What is happening now

Double Dragon is a classic arcade beat 'em up where players take on the role of martial artists fighting through side-scrolling stages. Originally released by Taito in 1987, the game became a defining entry in the beat 'em up genre with its straightforward combat and cooperative gameplay. The arcade version spawned ports across numerous platforms over the decades. Recent activity around the game involves a fan recreation effort bringing Double Dragon to the Amiga AGA platform, aiming to capture the arcade's feel on Commodore hardware. The project appears to be in active development, with updates being shared as progress continues on this homebrew adaptation.