Double Dragon Neon for Xbox Live and PlayStation Network

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Review by Ian.

Are you ready for some 80’s nostalgia? Bring yourself back to the days of dropping quarter after quarter into the arcades. Now kids arcades were dark rooms where people would go to play video games together in a public setting on arcade machines. These places were full of loud music and electronic sounds, flashing lights, and kids running around. For a kid with a pocket full of quarters, there was no better place to spend an afternoon.

In order to truly appreciate Double Dragon Neon, one needs to understand Double Dragon.
The first Double Dragon was released in 1987 and was a great side scrolling beat’em up game. You played the part of Billy or Jimmy Lee on their quest to save Marian, their common love interest. The music memorable and the game play now classic.

Neon takes the underlying concepts of the arcade Double Dragon and undated them with new graphics and soundtracks, while keeping the same feel of the original. The game play is the same, punch, kick, throw repeat. But now there are more special moves which make things a bit more interesting.

The game itself is a trip down memory lane. The first level ends with Abobo as the boss, a big bald-headed guy who is a pain to beat for the first time, but recurs regularly in the game and is easier as you learn his patterns. I have a soft spot for Double Dragon. A friend had the arcade machine in his basement and we would spend hours playing this game whenever we could. It was crazy playing through Neon and knowing what was going to happen next, just not entirely sure how it was going to happen. An example is the conveyor belt room with the boss of the second level. It’s there, just updated and a bit different.

There are some complaints with the game, like cheesy voice acting, not so perfect collision detection, etc. But these are all game elements of the original as well, so enjoy it. I would suggest playing a bit of the original before giving this a try, reignite that nostalgic passion. Then give this a try and really get into it.

Also for a limited time the soundtrack to the game is free to download. Double Dragon Neon is available now on Xbox Live for 800 points and PlayStation Network for $9.99.