Double Dragon Arcade (1987) Full Playthrough with Retro Achievements

Full Playthrough.

Launched in 1987, 'Double Dragon' marked its debut as a groundbreaking beat 'em up video game, conceived by Technōs Japan and globally distributed by Taito across arcades in Asia, North America, and Europe. This seminal game laid the foundation for the Double Dragon series. Yoshihisa Kishimoto spearheaded its development, creating a game that not only succeeded but also advanced the essence of Technos' previous title, Nekketsu Kōha Kunio-kun (internationally known as Renegade, released in 1986). Initially intended as a sequel within the Kunio-kun series, Kishimoto instead evolved 'Double Dragon' into an original concept featuring a new ensemble and setting.

'Double Dragon' brought innovative elements to the classic beat 'em up style of Kunio-kun. These innovations included an evolving side-scrolling environment to enhance the sense of journey, cooperative gameplay for two players, a feature allowing players to wield weapons taken from enemies, and cinematic cutscenes to enrich the gaming experience visually. The game's name, a nod to its two-player mode, also pays homage to Bruce Lee's iconic film 'Enter the Dragon' (1973), a key influence behind both Kunio-kun and Double Dragon. The design and backdrop of the game drew inspiration from the 'Mad Max' film series and the 'Fist of the North Star' manga and anime.

Achieving pioneering success in the beat 'em up genre, 'Double Dragon' ascended to become the third highest-grossing table arcade game of 1987 in Japan and later the top-grossing dedicated arcade game in America for two consecutive years, 1988 and 1989. It garnered widespread critical acclaim, including the prestigious 1988 Game of the Year award from Electronic Gaming Monthly. The game's triumph led to the expansion of the Double Dragon franchise with two arcade sequels, several spinoffs, and a significant influence on the beat 'em up genre. This influence sparked a 'Golden Age' for beat 'em ups, setting standards for similar games in the late 1980s and 1990s. Originally an arcade exclusive, 'Double Dragon' was eventually adapted for various home gaming systems including NES, Master System, Atari, Amiga, and more during its peak. In 2003, the series saw a revival with 'Double Dragon Advance' on the Game Boy Advance.

Retro Corner series playlist on YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgosg4ryyB1te6pYhU5YM1cv6r0JAMi3b&si=HH41MkQruMJlm9Wa

Retro Achievements user profile: https://retroachievements.org/user/Nostromo82
Retro Achievements Double Dragon game page: https://retroachievements.org/game/12082

LaunchBox Games Database: Double Dragon https://gamesdb.launchbox-app.com/games/details/10490-double-dragon

Developer: Technōs Japan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techn%C5%8Ds_Japan
Publisher: Taito https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taito
Genre: Beat 'em Up
Released: 1987

Platform: Windows RetroArch https://www.retroarch.com/
Core: FinalBurn Neo https://github.com/finalburnneo/FBNeo

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