Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Preview – Brawl of the Ages

Before I played Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, the extent of my experience with the franchise was playing maybe a couple minutes of an old arcade cabinet fifteen years ago. I lost my lives nearly instantly, and never bothered again. Double Dragon is just one of those franchises I’ve missed out on. It was popular before my time, and the recent games haven’t made enough of a wave for me to even notice them. And now that I’ve played the newest iteration, I just have to ask…

Have I been missing out on this the whole time? Why didn’t someone tell me sooner?

Thankfully, the developers finally reach out to let me know about it, and to offer me a preview of the game. I’m glad I took them up on it, because the preview of Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is one of the most fun games I’ve played in months. It is a joy.

Immediately, the Double Dragon Gaiden starts on the right foot. The introductory cutscene is simultaneously retro and clean. Where most retro properties and retro send-ups opt for an intentional lack of polish to add to the aesthetic, this game forgoes that, presenting the cleanest and brightest pixel art I’ve seen in a while. Not only that, but the writing — for how little there is of it — is very strong. It’s pulpy and a bit hammy, without verging so deep into the parody that it seems to despise its source material. Instead, it is just… fun!

In Double Dragon Gaiden, you play as a group of brawlers led by Jimmy and Billy Lee. They are joined by a colorful cast of characters, starting with Marian, Uncle Matin, though there is the clear ability to unlock dozens more. And let me just say, the first thing that should impress you about this game is the dedication to perfecting the many characters you can play as. For the four characters I had a chance to try out, each one had a unique, varied move-set that feels natural, but takes time to master. Each one is impeccably designed to evoke peak 80s aesthetic, with everything from the visual design to the animation quality being top-notch.

You start by customizing your difficulty via sliders and menus. Easier difficulties earn fewer “Tokens”, the primary shop currency and method of revival in certain modes, but the game is challenging enough that you would be wise to not crank it up too hard. Because, as we will see, the game is challenging (and, thankfully, rewarding).

Once I got through all the detritus, I entered the first level, spoke to a gate guard who called reinforcements, and then the fun began. And, from that moment, I was sold. Even without knowledge, the controls were intuitive and immediate. Punching is your primary form of combat, with devastating combos should you chain a few punches together. That has the visceral satisfaction of button mashing, but a wide variety of enemy types and configurations forces you to not fall into a lull. Because if an enemy strikes you, they will combo you themselves — not only damaging you heavily, but also likely ending your own combo and repositioning you with their last blow.

And so, you must master the combat. What starts as basic punches to take out basic enemies becomes jump kicks, special moves, grabs, and dodges (which must be done by moving up or down in most cases). As you realize that your only method of healing is to take out enemies with special moves (or environmental obstacles), you begin to plan as you fight: “how do I avoid damage, while damaging the enemies enough to finish at least 3 off with a special move?” It makes you think tactically. While still being a rough-and-tumble beat-em’-up. And while still making you powerful. And while still looking great.

Dozens of simple plates, balanced perfectly into a complex, impressive challenge. Each combat arena is fun and unique, pitting you against different enemies, layouts, and obstacles, all of which you can use to your advantage (or which can lead you precariously toward the edge of defeat). There is flow, and challenge. Difficulty and forgiveness. What an experience.

And it’s made all the higher stakes because of the arcade framing. Most retro games are content to take the aethetics and gameplay from their predeseccors and forebearers. Not Double Dragon Gaiden. No, this game gives you the entire arcade experience. By selecting the standard “3 Tokens to continue” mode, you make it so that when you die — and you will, given how hard the bosses punch and how wily the enemies get — you have to spend 3 of your very valuable Tokens to continue from the last checkpoint. And if you don’t have them?

Tough luck. Start over.

Arcade sensibilities, but with so much more at your disposal to keep on going that it doesn’t feel unfair. It makes the experience something akin to a rouge-lite, giving you those heart-pounding moments where you know you’re out of tokens and on the edge of death, but you’re fighting the level boss they are just so close to defeated. And then, the gut-wrenching pain when you are defeated, sent back to the beginning of the game to start again. Then, finally, the moment of triumph when you claw your way back and defeat that damned boss.

I haven’t played a game I told myself “one more time” for so much since Hades. It’s downright addictive. And the best part? I could feel myself getting better with every single room. Making better use of more moves, positioning more carefully, and — this is the key — having more fun. I went from trepadatiously socking enemies from a safe distance to purposefully moving into their ranges to trigger attacks in order to use my special moves to maximum effect. Bosses that seemed absurdly hard became a fair challenge — never too easy, though — and it just felt. So. Good. All four characters, I should mention, felt good. Whether it be Billy and Jimmy’s kung-fu, Uncle Matin’s lumbering physique and shield, or Marian’s… um… gun, the game is equally fun, and equally fair.

What more is there to say? I may not have played much of the series before, but after this, I’m thrilled for what comes next with the full game. I can’t wait to ramp up the difficulty and try out different brawlers (with different tag teams). If the game stays this fun throughout, then Double Dragon might’ve earned itself a new fan. You owe it to yourself to check out Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragon when it releases on Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch on July 27th. Check out the Steam page here, or pre-order for other platforms here.