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Double Dragon: Neon


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Developer: WayForward Technologies

Publisher: Majesco

Genre: Beat 'em up

Platforms: PSN, XBOX Live

Release Date: September, 2012

 

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Already showing some chops in the old-school department with their work on Shantae and Contra 4, developer Wayforward Technologies revealed that they are working with Majesco to bring an updated take on the classic side-scroller Double Dragon to Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network. Double Dragon: Neon is an aptly-named 80s style reboot of the beloved franchise and is scheduled to release this July.

 

Double Dragon: Neon pits players as the familiar Lee brothers, Billy and Jimmy, as they fight to save Marian from a villain named Skullmageddon (Best. Name. Ever.) The gameplay is the same brand of 2D side-scrolling popularized by the original game several decades ago, albeit with even more of a wild, 80s flair.

 

As in previous Double Dragon games, the gameplay is a blend of martial arts and weapon-based combat. You'll perform combos and use weapons like baseball bats, whips, and hand grenades to take on your enemies. While the fighting system and combos aren't quite as advanced as many fighters on the market these days, the attacks were responsive. The spinning kick move, flying knee, and throws will also be in your fighting move repertoire.

 

As the name would imply, Double Dragon: Neon is all about neon lights and bright colors (imagine if GTA Vice City threw up on Big Trouble in Little China and you get the idea). The game definitely gets some serious props in the looks department for this, and while the build we checked out lacked in detail, the design was definitely evocative of tacky 80s excess. Ditto for the music, which included a sizable helping of blaring buttrock guitar solos, synth drums, and all the keyboards you could hope for. Songs can be found or bought to add to your in-game mix tape, and can even be leveled up as you play for even more 80's awesomeness (EDIT: We've gotten clarification from Majesco that mix-tapes refer a grid-like system of earning and upgrading power-ups, not music).

 

Double Dragon: Neon's tongue-in-cheek take on the original game will definitely earn it some fresh fans and the 80s flair should help it stand out in the fighting game genre. Expect more information on Double Dragon: Neon before it launches this summer.

 

From IGN

 

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:wOOtjumpy:

This IS my favorite co-op game franchise of the 8-bit era. Had so much fun playing Double Dragon 2 with my brother back in the day. We always used to kill all enemies of an area, and then fight each other until one of us lost a life, before progressing to the next area. Memories! :clapping:

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OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

 

 

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

 

Double Dragon

 

You also have fond DD memories, right? :thumbsup:

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I later found Streets of Rage to be better than the Double Dragon series, but Double Dragon was indeed one of the reasons I started playing video games along with Super Mario Brothers , Contra, and a rare(I think it is not well known) NES game called Dead Fox.

 

BTW, I have been dreaming about a Streets of Rage reboot/remake in HD for such a long time now.

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Double Dragon Neon flickers with signs of life

 

by Richard Mitchell on Apr 11th 2012 8:00AM

 

The first time I laid my hands on Double Dragon Neon, I was not impressed. The bright '80s colors weren't doing it for me. The character models for protagonists Jimmy and Billy looked hunched and unnatural. Their attacks were stilted and limited. The enemy designs were silly and altogether over the top.

 

The second time I played it, however, I slipped on a pair of headphones and something happened. The classic Double Dragon music washed over me, reworked with 80s synth and electric guitar, and I saw something I hadn't noticed before: potential.

Double Dragon: Neon

 

Everything I'd witnessed before remains true, of course. As the title implies, Double Dragon Neon is dripping with bright colors. Enemies are appropriately garish, from the shirtless, afro-sporting thug to the ridiculously jiggly, whip-cracking mistress. And yes, Abobo is definitely in there. The backgrounds are equally colorful, though they don't quite match up with the smooth character models, and seem primarily composed of flat, hand-drawn two-dimensional objects.

 

Initially, combat is limited to a string of punches or kicks along with crouching, jumping and dash attacks. Enemies can also be thrown if they are stunned. Dashing is initiated with a trigger button, as opposed to the tried-and-true double tap. Punches and kicks mixed with the occasional throw were more than sufficient during my brief play session. Every hit connected in a satisfying way, and weapons like baseball bats delivered equally definitive punishment (though the whip still isn't worth picking up).

 

You might think that none of this sounds particularly thrilling, and you'd be right for the most part. That brings me to "potential," which is really just a euphemism for "stuff I didn't get to see." Double Dragon Neon features a high five system that, in addition to the general satisfaction of slapping some virtual skin, delivers buffs to each player. Only the health boost was working at the PAX East demo, though more effects will be added to the final version.

 

The other promising element is the character customization system. Each player will be able to create a "mixtape" (like in the 80s geddit?) of various special abilities and moves. These can be purchased at in-game shops and players will be able to rearrange their mixtapes at any time for different situations. Unfortunately, the mixtape system wasn't enabled in my demo, leaving me with only the standard move set.

 

There's a good foundation underneath Double Dragon Neon, and I'm sure it would knock young Fred Savage's socks clean off, but what I saw won't lift it above its modern day competition like Castle Crashers. Here's hoping the mixtape system and the promise of drop-in/drop-out online co-op will lift the franchise back up to its once great heights. Maybe without the movie this time.

 

Source:Joystiq

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  • 2 weeks later...

New preview from PushSquare

 

Blast from the past or best left unearthed?

If anyone stands a chance at a Double Dragon revival, the 2D maestros over at WayForward are the most likely to pull it off in a convincing way. Between beloved revivals of Contra and A Boy and His Blob under their belt, new takes on BloodRayne and Batman and side-scrolling classics like Shantae, the pedigree powering Double Dragon Neon knows its way around neo-retro. But Neon betrays WayForward's 2D pixel animation in favor of 3D models, a first for the studio and punting it into uncharted territory.

 

Considering the studio's resume we had high hopes for its take on Taito's classic beat-em-up, expecting fun new twists on an old, tired classic. Based on our time with Neon at PAX East, it's difficult to say just how far WayForward is taking Double Dragon.

 

Read the rest of the article from the link above the quote.

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I later found Streets of Rage to be better than the Double Dragon series, but Double Dragon was indeed one of the reasons I started playing video games along with Super Mario Brothers , Contra, and a rare(I think it is not well known) NES game called Dead Fox.

 

BTW, I have been dreaming about a Streets of Rage reboot/remake in HD for such a long time now.

 

It was one of my most favorite game Ever. I broke 2 Controllers playing that game.

 

However since I played on a chinese knockoff, its the game with the secret agent wearing green pants and all right ?And the bullets would look like straight lines no??

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It was one of my most favorite game Ever. I broke 2 Controllers playing that game.

 

However since I played on a chinese knockoff, its the game with the secret agent wearing green pants and all right ?And the bullets would look like straight lines no??

Yeah, I think you are right, except that I remember him wearing green shirt and light-brownish pants. There were limited ammo in the game, and it also had a password system. I think it was way ahead of its time.

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Yeah, I think you are right, except that I remember him wearing green shirt and light-brownish pants. There were limited ammo in the game, and it also had a password system. I think it was way ahead of its time.

 

Yup Thats the one

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  • 4 weeks later...

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