Double Dragon II: The Revenge

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Double Dragon II: The Revenge
Promotional flyer for the North American arcade version. The same illustration was used as a cover art for most of the home versions released.
Developer(s)	Technos Japan Corporation
Publisher(s)	American Technos Incorporated, Virgin Mastertronic Ltd., Virgin Games, Ltd., Virgin Games, Inc., Virgin Games, Ltd., Acclaim Entertainment, Inc., PAL SOFT, Virgin Mastertronic Ltd., Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.
Release date(s)	1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992,
Genre(s)	beat-em-up
Mode(s)	Single player, Cooperative
Platform(s)	Arcade, NES, Sega Mega-Drive, PC Engine Super CD-ROM
Input	8-way joystick, 3 buttons
Arcade cabinet	Upright

Double Dragon II: The Revenge (Japanese: 双截龍Ⅱ or ダブルドラゴンⅡ) is the second game in Technos Japan's Double Dragon series of side-scrolling beat-em-ups. The original arcade version of the game was distributed in North America and Europe in 1988 and in Japan during the following year. The game was made specifically for the Western market, where the original Double Dragon enjoyed tremendous success.

Technos Japan developed a home version of the game for the Famicom/NES in 1989, which was drastically different from the arcade version. Other home versions were released for the Mega Drive and PC Engine.

1 Plot
2 Gameplay
3 Ports
4 Trivia
5 See also
6 External links

[edit] Plot

Double Dragon II drops the rescue premise of the original game in favor of a revenge theme (hence the subtitle). Whereas in the original game, Marian was merely kidnapped, in the sequel she is shot to death by Black Warriors' leader Willy right in the very beginning of the game, giving the game a much darker tone than the original.

[edit] Gameplay

The arcade version of Double Dragon II was essentially a reworked version of the original Double Dragon, using the same engine and recycling most of the game's graphics. The main change in the game was the replacement of the original game's punch and kick buttons in favor of a two-way attacking system (Left Attack and Right Attack) similar to Renegade. Pressing the attack button of the direction the player is facing will perform the standard left/right punch combo, whereas pressing the opposite attack button will make the character perform a rear kick. Most of the techniques from the previous game are carried over, with the exception of the headbutt. Double Dragon II also marked the debut of the Whirlwind Kick, which would become the series' trademark special technique.

Virtually all of the characters from the first game were brought back for the sequel. Most of them were given facelifts in order to represent the passing of time between the original game and the sequel, while a few kept their original appearance. The changes are more than superficial though, with some of the enemies being given new techniques to go along with their new looks. Each stage also features a new enemy who serves as the stage boss.

The overall stage layout of the arcade version is almost exactly identical to the first game, comprised of four missions including the enemy's base at the end of the game. Mainly the scenery was changed, although new traps were added as well.

[edit] Enemies

Williams - Has a much wilder hair and face than he does in the previous. He gains the ability to dash towards the player or do cartwheels.

Roper - He is given a beard and eyepatch, but otherwise fights identical (he no longer uses knives though).

Linda - She is given a mohawk and has gain the ability to do the elbow punch as well.

Abobo - Has longer hair and different clothing, but otherwise fights identical.

Oharra - A head-swap of Abobo who has a clean-shaven look.

Jeff - Same as in the original, but gains the ability to throw grenades.

Burnov - The first stage's boss. An obese man who conceals his face with a mask. He is notable for his laughter when he first appears. Unlike most enemies, who simply lie on the ground to fade away, Burnov will stand up and yell, disappearing but leaves his clothes away. Sometimes he will resurrect himself after performing this trick.

Abore - The second stage's boss. A suspender-wearing giant who resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger and wears Terminator-like sunglasses with red eyes. His special attack is the shoulder tackle.

Chin Taimei - The third stage's boss. Chin Taimei was originally introduced in the NES version of the first game. Whereas the original incarnation fought with his bare hands, Chin in the sequel fights with dual kali sticks and is extremely powerful.

Willy - The fourth stage's boss. Leader of the Black Warriors. Fights identical to the first game. However, in this game, he doesn't need a very large distance to use his machine gun.

Doppelgängers - After defeating Willy, the player will enter the true final battle, in which they must confront against purple-colored doppelgängers of their character. Other than using the same techniques as the player, the doppelgängers also have the ability to shoot fireballs or beat the player from the inside.

[edit] Weapons

Shovel - A common weapon carried by Williams and Roper. Replaces the bat from the previous game. The enemy has the tendency to throw the shovel towards the player than to actually swing it.

Ball & Chain - Linda's weapon. Replaces the whip, but works the same way.

Knife - Carried by Williams and Linda. Knives are thrown by the player by pressing the front attack button. Unlike in the previous game, they cannot be deflected by a jump kick. Williams throws his knives by jumping first.

Hand Grenade - Carried by Linda and Jeff. Replaces the dynamite from the previous game. Unlike the dynamite, the hand grenade will explode if makes physical impact with its target.

Crate, Steel Ball and Log- Large objects that can be pick up and thrown. Replaces the cardboard box, drums and rock from the first game. Carried by Roper, Oharra and Abobo.

[edit] Stages

Mission 1: Heliport
Mission 2: Lumber Storehouse
Mission 3: Cornfield
Mission 4: Hideout of the Boss

[edit] Ports

[edit] Nintendo Entertainment System

The NES version retained the 2-Player co-op feature that was missing in the first NES game.

Technos Japan's Famicom/NES version of Double Dragon II, much like the NES version of the first game, was more of an adaptation of the game than a direct port. The English-language version of the game was published by Acclaim Entertainment in North America and Europe.

The NES version is notable for featuring cut-scenes (comprised of static images and on-screen text) that serve to narrate the progress of the game's plot. The revenge premise remains the same, although the plot was altered. Willy is no longer the main antagonist and does not appear in the game at all. Instead, a rival martial artist (referred only as the "Mysterious Warrior", or the "Shadow Warrior" in the English version) is the new final boss (after the doppelgängers are defeated). He is the master of a dark martial arts style known as Gen-Satsu-Ken (幻殺拳, literally "Phantom Murder Fist") and uses illusions to fight. The ending is also completely different, in which Marian is restored to life as part of a prophecy.

The gameplay is more faithful to the arcade version than the first NES game. All of the player's techniques are available from the start and the two-player cooperative gameplay has been kept this time (with an alternative mode that has the friendly fire option turned on). Two new special techniques are added to the player's repertoire in addition to the Whirlwind Kick; the Hyper Uppercut and the Flying Knee Kick. The NES version's stage layout is composed of nine missions (including the final battle). While none of the stages are direct reproductions from the arcade game's stages, they share many of the same elements, including background music. Many of these stages don't have actual bosses, but traps which the player must avoid to clear the stage.

Enemy characters from the arcade game include Williams, Roper, Linda, Burnov, Abobo (renamed Bolo in the NES version), Abore (whose design was changed to resemble Oharra), Chin Taimei and the Doppelgängers. Only Oharra, Jeff and Willy are omitted. Two new enemy characters are introduced in addition to the final boss; the "Right Arm" and the "Ninja". The Right Arm is a standard thug enemy who relies on hand-to-hand and kick techniques. The Ninja is a sub-boss who relies on tricky attacks and speed. The Roper now carry incendiary bombs and boomerangs as weapons (the latter is a weapon that cannot be carry by the enemy).

[edit] Game Boy

In 1991, Acclaim released a Game Boy game titled Double Dragon II, unrelated to either, the arcade or NES. The game was actually a localization of the Kunio-kun title Nekketsu Koha Kunio-kun: Bangai Ranto Hen, but with the graphics and music changed to reflect a more serious tone. The plot featured Billy and Jimmy joining a martial arts school known as the Scorpions, only to be framed for the murder of a fellow student by a jealous rival named Anderson (a premise similar to the film The Warriors).

Gameplay is considerably simplistic in comparison to the console titles, with simple level designs and a very basic repertoire of techniques. Instead of jumping, pressing A+B simultaneously will make the player crouch, setting up for either, a flying uppercut or a jump kick. The player can also jump and stomp over fallen enemies. Weapons cannot be pick up, even though certain enemies carry some.

There are three main stages in the game, although the majority of the game takes place in the same subway level. The bosses are comprised of a boxer, a chainsaw-wielding Jason Voorhees-lookalike, a ninja, a fat man with a club and Anderson himself. Unlike the first Game Boy, two-player co-op is possible.

[edit] Mega Drive

In 1991, PalSoft released a Sega Mega Drive version of Double Dragon II ported from the arcade game. All of the enemies are included (except for Jeff) and most the techniques are kept as well. The game was panned by Japanese game critics due to its sub-par graphics (by Genesis standard) and noticeable slowdowns during gameplay. It was never released outside Japan. Its release predates the Genesis versions of the first and third game released in the west (all three games were ported and published by different developers).

[edit] PC Engine

In 1993, Naxat Soft published a PC Engine Super CD-ROM version of Double Dragon II, developed by the same team which formed KID. The game is based on the Famicom version, but its more of an enhanced remake than a straight port. The cut-scenes are now animated and feature full voice acting rather than text. The voices of Billy, Jimmy and Marian are provided by Ryo Horikawa, Nobutoshi Kanna (as Nobutoshi Hayashi) and Hiroko Emori respectively.

The game switches the order of Mission 4 and 5 and some of the stages are rearranged and expanded. The game also reintroduces elements from the arcade version, such as the return of large-side drumcan-style weapons and the shovel. Willy, a character missing from the NES version is present in the game and like in the arcade game, he's the last opponent before the doppelgängers (the Mysterious Warrior is still confronted after them).

The Right Arm and the Ninja are the only enemies not included from the NES version (although their sprites were programmed into the game). Bolo appears listed in the manual, but it is Oharra who appears in his place in the actual game.

The game's soundtrack is composed mostly of original music, although a remix of the final boss' theme from the NES version is featured as well as the main Double Dragon theme.

There are also three possible endings, based on the difficulty setting the player finished the game on (with the best ending occurring on Hard).

[edit] Trivia

In Finland and Sweden, the NES version of Double Dragon II: The Revenge was initially available only by rental due to its violent content. Double Dragon I for NES never appeared in Scandinavia; only the Game Boy version was released there.
In order to comply with Nintendo of America's decency standards, Marian's character cover art of the NES North American release of Double Dragon II had to be retouched with a longer skirt and a red blouse [1]. This is in contrast to the Japanese release where Marian is wearing a considerably shorter skirt and a see-through blouse [2].