Double Dragon Advance

by Taito

Product Features

• n enhanced remake of Taito's seminal beat-'em-up
• Side-Scrolling Combat - Rated Teen

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00009YEJK
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 4.9 x 1 inches ; 2.4 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: November 11, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,625 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

An enhanced remake of Taito's seminal beat-'em-up, Double Dragon Advance features revamped graphics as well as new stages, game modes, moves, and enemies created specifically for the handheld. For those unfamiliar with the 1987 coin-op game, the story follows two brothers named Billy and Jimmy Lee as they attempt to rescue Billy's girlfriend, Marion, from the clutches of the Shadow Warriors, a powerful organization made up of various gangs and street thugs. Players can take control of either brother as they try to advance through gritty urban environments using a combination of fisticuffs and melee weapons found on the street

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The game that started it all, November 24, 2003

By 

N. Durham "Big Evil" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Double Dragon Advance (Video Game)

I remember when I was a kid getting to waste all my Mom's change on the original Double Dragon arcade game. When the game hit home systems, it was a massive hit and helped inspire countless other 2-D side scrolling beat 'em ups like Streets of Rage and Final Fight. Double Dragon Advance mixes the addicting gameplay of the original with many upgrades and elements from the various sequels released after the original. Plaing as twin brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee, you go up against the Shadow Warriors in hopes of locating Billy's kidnapped girlfriend. You get to punch, kick, and use many a weapon, in your mission as you go against a host of baddies from petty thugs to well manicured suits (who look like the Agents from The Matrix) to the infamous buff, bald headed, and bearded Abobo to even Machine Gun Willy. The controls are tight, the graphics bring back plenty of nostalgic memories, and the music is ever catchy. The only drawback of Double Dragon Advance is the game is ultimately too short, and by the time you beat it you'll be wishing for more. All in all, fans of the original game who own a GBA will find plenty of great memories with this game, and those new to the genre should give this a look.

19 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Oh great...another insanely cheap side-scrolling fighter., December 6, 2003

By 

D. Mok (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Double Dragon Advance (Video Game)

The first Double Dragon really took on in the arcades because of unique moves, great character designs, the weapons, and the ability of the two players to beat on each other if they so desire. I was an absolute fanatic, playing for hours on end on my PC. However, subsequent excursions including an SNES version never grabbed me. It's as if the game programmers felt that the Lee brothers were too powerful and just kept chipping away at their moves until they are almost entirely impotent, far less powerful than each member of the legions of enemies they face.

Double Dragon Advance, unfortunately, continues the trend. It's not that you can't perform their moves. I find it surprisingly easy to perform classic Double Dragon moves such as the headbutt, back jumpkick, and the famous elbow. And a large commendation goes out to the new weapons system; so many side-scrolling fighting games get it wrong, but this game allows you to accurately pick up and retain weapons you like, with complete control. Very good system. The larger array of weapons is also great, with the kali sticks, nunchaku, and ball and chain being especially fun to use.

But the game remains insanely difficult. I started playing on the Easy mode, and though I was able to finish, there were times when I just wanted to flush the game down a toilet. Your elbow is now shorter than the average punch; this used to be the life-saving weapon to use when you're being swarmed, but now it's less than useless. The game pits you against three times as many enemies as in Double Dragon classic (and this is in Easy mode, mind you), with eight or nine enemies onscreen at any given time. Given this number of enemies, the lack of temporary invincibility after knockdown (a staple of 2nd-generation side-scrollers like Final Fight) is a killer. I've found my character entirely unable to move, fight back, or even escape when swarmed by eight or nine enemies, all doing punches that are impossible to stop after the first hit, or jump-kicking with the range of half a screen, continuing to knock me down until my entire life bar is gone. Two or three of the enemies can toss dynamite sticks that explode on impact (!), nearly impossible to dodge, and take out 2/3 of your life. One samurai enemy has a long sword move which is instant death on contact and reaches twice the distance of your kick. The classic character Abobo can now overlap your character after you've been knocked down and perform an unblockable throw move over and over...and it goes on and on. Seems like the programmers forgot fairness and gameplay. The Survival mode is an insult -- pit you against four enemies at the same time, who can keep hitting you without the possibility of recovery. Against odds like this, who can survive? I managed to beat 11 enemies before going down, and I get a "Class E" grade. Insulting.

Maybe you're thinking, "This guy's just a 4th-rate gamer complaining about the game when he should just brush up on his skills". That might be true. But isn't that the point of having an "Easy" mode, to allow the player to build up to harder gameplay? I think this game is just poorly balanced. Which is too bad, because the controls are responsive, the weapons are great, and the look of the game retains the classic Double Dragon feel for a sense of nostalgia. I just wish they'd considered the player more. Frustration is one thing; player abuse is another.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great game, November 21, 2003

By 

Nathan Kreps "Nathan K." (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Double Dragon Advance (Video Game)

Double Dragon Advance is a good translation of the arcade game of 15 years ago. While there have been characters and stages added, it still has the same look and feel of the original. Some of the additions may be from the best parts of the Double Dragon sequels and other Double Dragon-type games, like Bad Dudes. The stages certainly all felt familiar. Most of the original moves are still there, and it's fun to experiment with the new moves and weapons -- like the running punch and the sticks. Of course, you'll eventually go back to the old reliable flying elbow. If you were a fan of the original, you'll like this game.