Double Dragon
Streets full of street gangs, a kidnapped girl and two brothers punching their way through enemies. Double Dragon is a work that practically defined the beat 'em up genre, and its conversion to the Game Boy brought this brawl right into your pocket. You play the fighter Billy (or Jimmy), who has to fight through hordes of members of the Black Warriors gang to rescue his Marian.
In its day the 1987 original from the Japanese studio Technos Japan was revolutionary. It brought cooperative brawling for two players into arcades, where you could pick up weapons like a whip, a barrel or a knife and use them against opponents. The repertoire of punches, kicks and throws was rich by the standards of the time, and the combat system felt tangible and satisfying. This formula laid the foundation for later legends like Streets of Rage or Final Fight.
The handheld version had to make concessions. The Game Boy couldn't handle full-fledged co-op in the original style, so the game focuses on solo progress. Even so, it retains the essence of the series: you advance from right to left through streets and buildings, face ever-tougher enemies, and at the end of each chapter a boss fight awaits. The controls for punches and jumps stayed brisk, and the handheld format suits fast fights.
Double Dragon became one of the most important brands of the eighties and grew into several sequels, an animated series and a feature film. The name itself became synonymous with arcade brawling and inspired countless imitators. For many players it was the first game where they realized how fun it could be to move through levels and take out enemies advancing in waves.
Today this version is above all evidence of the ambition to bring an arcade hit to more modest hardware. It isn't the most perfect form of Double Dragon, but as a handheld portion of a classic beat 'em up it fulfills its purpose.
Why play it: The founder of the street-brawler genre in handheld form. Ideal if you want a quick dose of nostalgic gang-bashing on the go.
Game 45 of 147 for Nintendo Game Boy
The same title elsewhere (9)
The differences between Double Dragon versions are among the most striking in the genre's early history. The NES version couldn't offer simultaneous two-player action like the arcade due to hardware limits — fights run in alternating turns or a duel mode — but developers compensated with an experience system and new moves, which many players still consider more enjoyable than the arcade. Versions for 8-bit computers like Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, and Amstrad CPC drew sharp criticism for clunky controls, slow animation, and imprecise hits. Atari Lynx delivered a portable version many rank among the console's best action titles thanks to fluid movement and good sound. SEGA Master System and Mega Drive offered more colorful graphics closer to the arcade spirit, including two-player co-op.
