Double Dragon
Double Dragon is a downloadable legacy fighting release for Wii U developed by Arc System Works. It centers on move inputs, offense-defense reads, and character matchups, with controls, information, and pacing arranged around the GamePad, Wii U Pro Controller, or another layout supported by the download.
- AI score · out of 10
- 6.8 / 10
About this game
Double Dragon is a downloadable legacy fighting release for Wii U centered on move inputs, offense-defense reads, and character matchups. Short bouts use character differences and rising difficulty for variety, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make its immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Animation, hit feedback, and readable arenas create match tension, while the original aspect ratio, scaling, filtering, sound, and television output need to preserve key information and the source game's style. The genre-specific limitation is that button or motion mapping, move recognition, networking, and cpu behavior can affect balance. Platform conditions also include control mapping, display ratio, emulation behavior, saving, controller compatibility, and the retired download service affect present-day use. The downloadable legacy release is judged for emulation behavior, control mapping, and retained conveniences rather than inheriting the original media score.
Collected in series
Double Dragon is a martial-arts action series built around street brawls and the brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee. Punch, kick and turn dropped weapons against the gangs blocking your path, with many entries letting a second player join the fight.
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Related game recommendations on this platform
Wii U
AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
NES progression helps a short brawler that lacks co-op.
This Wii U Virtual Console release is the NES Double Dragon, whose design differs materially from the arcade original. Billy learns additional attacks over four missions and can pick up enemy weapons, giving its compact fights more choices than repeated basic punches. City streets, construction areas, forest, caves and a dojo give the small cartridge a sense of travel, supported by memorable music. The main campaign cannot be played cooperatively at the same time: two people alternate turns, while Mode B offers only a shallow simultaneous duel. Billy also moves slowly, making the occasional jumping section a poor fit for his weighty controls. Wii U restore points reduce the cost of retrying but do not change those original limitations. The judgment concerns this NES game on Wii U, not the 1987 arcade game or the later Neo Geo fighter. Players interested in early home conversions can enjoy its progression; anyone seeking a cooperative brawler should understand the missing mode.
Strengths
- Unlockable attacks, varied settings and memorable music.
Weaknesses
- No simultaneous campaign co-op and awkward jumping.
Who it is for: Players curious about an early home Double Dragon.
Play notes: Wii U carries the NES game, not the arcade original.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension A brief four-mission run has some replay appeal, but no simultaneous campaign cooperation. | Reviewed | 5.8 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension The NES attack progression and weapon pickups add useful choices to an otherwise simple brawler. | Reviewed | 7.0 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Distinct locations and a compact soundtrack carry the cartridge version well. | Reviewed | 7.2 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Wii U restore points ease retries without fixing the NES game’s heavy movement. | Reviewed | 7.1 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Arc System WorksTechnos
- Publisher
- Arc System Works
- Release date
- 2013
- Platforms
- Wii U
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Action · Primary genre
- Tags
- WarFantasyReplayablePlayer versus PlayerShort SessionsMain Story Under 10 HoursSolo-friendlyFast-pacedReal-time Combat3D GraphicsCombosMelee Combat
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- MultiplayerSingle player
- Perspectives
- Side view
Release editions
- Famicom / NESWorldwide1988
- Wii UWorldwide2013
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided