In 2017, the Double Dragon series marks 30 years since its first game, the beat 'em up that started it all. To celebrate, Arc System Works is about to release, in just a few days, a sincere tribute in the form of an official sequel to Double Dragon 3 — the NES version! And it looks exactly the same: same graphics, same punches, same challenge, in a nostalgic wave that will have more than a few people tearing up.
A Surprise Announcement
Total surprise! Nobody asked for it, nobody expected it, but here it is: Double Dragon 4, the fourth installment of the classic NES street fighting game! This is celebrating 30 years of the Double Dragon saga. Because yes, three decades have passed since we first put a coin into a Technos arcade machine.
Continuing the NES Games, Not the Arcade Ones
But wait! This sequel does not continue the arcade games (there were three), but rather the NES games (also three, not counting Battletoads & Double Dragon). With a look identical to the original 8-bit games, but with new and better levels (and hopefully not so many deformed platforms). You can see it in action in the last seconds of the video below. It excited me quite a bit!
A Complicated Licensing History
Along the way, several versions of the game have been left out for different consoles, which have not been recognized. The same happened with the PC and PS3 version released in 2012, called Double Dragon Neon. The reason for these gaps is simple: since Technos (the company that created Double Dragon) closed its doors, the license has passed through many companies. In 2012, the license was held by Majesco, which used it for Neon. In 2016, and until the future says otherwise, the license belongs to the Japanese company Arc System Works, which wants to continue the line of the Nintendo NES versions.
Gameplay That Looks Exactly the Same
From what can be seen in the brief screenshot from the teaser, the gameplay seems identical. The graphics remain 8-bit style, with minimal tweaks so they don't look sooo ancient. The punches seem quite similar, although we imagine we'll be able to do more and better combos. There will also be annoying obstacles, the kind that made us hate the previous games, but that also gave them a unique personality (hopefully this time they won't break the flow of the game so much). In short: nothing new, but much of the best. For old folks like me who grew up with the NES, this is pure gold.
Release Date and Price
Double Dragon 4 will be available in January 2017 for Steam and PS4 at a price that could be under 10 dollars/euros. Versions for iOS and Android are also planned at some point in the future. Great!
For more information, visit the official site.
