Rage of the Dragons NEO Review (Switch)

Neo Geo games have been hitting the Switch at a rapid rate. Many of them get the ACA treatment, but every now and then we get something slightly different. Rage of Dragons Neo falls into the latter category and is obscure even for the hardcore SNK fanbase.

Most of you will have heard of Double Dragon and know something about the legacy of the franchise. You may even be aware that a one-on-one fighting game was developed, though it wasn’t received particularly well. Well, the original plan was for this game to be a sort of follow up to that. At some point rights were lost and it continued development under a different name.

This re-release has had some work done on it. It comes with an online mode and a host of video and audio options. There is also a training mode to help get yourself familiar with the games more intricate systems. There’s also a challenge mode for those few out there who might think the game is too easy for them.

The combat takes the form of a two-on-two tag fighter. Characters can dive in and out when a tag bar is filled, and this forms a key part of your strategy. The game is tough with the computer a fairly merciless and brutal opponent. Luckily you have unlimited continues and the option to save your progress as you go. The biggest challenge is the sheer amount of damage you can be hit with in one combo. One mistake can you see an entire life bar wiped out if you aren’t careful.

It follows the familiar SNK template in terms of both look and combat buttons. If you think about a hardcore The King of Fighters with two on each side, you wouldn’t be a million miles away. The combat itself is precise, and the move sets of the characters are varied and will take a serious amount of time to master. Although certain names and designs have been changed, it’s also pretty easy to see which characters are meant to be which when it comes to Double Dragon.

The graphics are suitably detailed and impressive as well. Characters are well animated and well designed and the backdrops are full of action and life which helps to make each fight more of a spectacle. If you can crack the difficulty and systems, then this is likely to become a favourite among fight fans.

Overall, Rage of the Dragons NEO is going to appeal to a niche audience. It’s far more complex than a lot of both SNK’s and Capcom’s output and there’s no real easy way to get used to it. You are likely to be pounded down over and over until you work out a few things to help you hold your own. If you stick with it long enough to get into it though you’ll find an incredibly deep and rewarding game that is well worth sticking with.

Overall 7/10

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragon Review (Switch)

The Double Dragon franchise has certainly been trying to get back into the mainstream mindset of gamers during the last few years. We’ve had the awesome Double Dragon Neon and more traditional Double Dragon 4 as well as several Technos carts on the Evercade and a collection on the Switch. Double Dragon Gaiden is the first of these games to try and mix the up the formula though.

As a result, Gaiden has a more cartoon look to it, closer to the recent Teenage Ninja Turtles game or Scott Pilgrim than what you might normally associate with the franchise. Initially, it’s a bit off putting but soon settles into the madness of the game and fits the overall chaotic style well.

Along with the change in how the game looks extra elements have been added into the core gameplay. The first thing you’ll notice is that a tag team system is in play. You pick two from an initial four characters (more can be unlocked with collectable tokens), with each having their own styles and moves. During play your partner can be tagged in to extend combos or simply give your other character a rest from being pummelled. As well as this, each character also has three special moves which can be used when a meter is filled. Hitting enough enemies with these creates health drops and they prove key to getting through the game.

The next big change is the addition of a few rogue-like elements. You initially have four stages to pick from. Each area has a different theme and boss and can be tackled in any order. However, each level you complete adds another section to the next. So, the first area you take on will lead you straight to the boss, but the next will add another stage and mini boss in between, and then the next area will have two stages and two mini bosses etc. It’s an interesting approach and one that adds some variety to multiple play throughs as it’ll take a good few runs to see everything the game has to offer.

At the end of each area you can buy upgrades with the money collected from bashing the various goons along the way. These range from power ups to specific moves, new skills, tokens or simply taking the money. It’s important to consider what best fits your characters needs as the game gets rough late in the day. Any tokens you collect along the way can be sused to unlock extra features and the boss characters as playable as well, each of which dramatically alters your way of playing.

Overall, Double Dragon Gaiden is a departure from the normal format we have come to expect from the franchise but it’s one that works. If there are any small complaints, it’s that the game can become repetitive at times as it takes a while to get through each run. Over use of the special moves is also an issue as really the best way to get through each level is just to spam and recharge them via enemy take downs. That said this is a vibrant and fun take on Double Dragon and it’s certainly worth checking out for scrolling fighter fans or fans of the franchise in general.

Overall 8/10

Technos Collection (Evercade Review)

Now owned by Arc Systems, Technos is most famous for Double Dragon and the Kunio-kun series of games. Basically, anything that involves bashing people with weapons and things that happen to be lying around in the street. It’s a back catalogue that seems like a smart fit of the Evercade and this first collection from the company certainly has some highlights.

There are eight games here in total with seven of them coming from the companies NES back catalogue and Super Double Dragon being the lone Super Nintendo offering. As SNES games go though it’s certainly not a bad one to include. The original cart is very expensive now and this is the first time it has appeared on a system since its initial launch all those years ago.

The game itself is pretty solid as well. It’s quite a technical brawler with different types of kicks and punches available and a parry and counter system also in play. The only real downside with it is the fact it moves along quite slowly and there is a lot of repetition in terms of the enemies that you face. That said, it is well worth playing and it looks absolutely gorgeous with the detail of the levels and sprites rivalling the best the system had to offer.

The other Double Dragon representation comes in the form of the original two NES games. The first game is quite different from the arcade with added maze sections and some different levels. Players also have to level up their character in order to pull off more moves. It’s an odd but fun game that is severely helped by the save state system.

Double Dragon II remains the highlight of the NES trilogy and seems to hold up just as strongly as it did back when first released. It’s up there with the best the NES had to offer in terms of brawlers with varied levels, decent graphics and a solid move set. It’s Well worth seeking out for fans of the series.

Renegade and the highly regarded River City Ransom also make this first collection. Using a less refined version of the system used in Double Dragon II, Renegade is fairly entertaining but is really showing its age in terms of how basic and unforgiving it is and is one for the hard core and history loving fans only. River City Ransom is yet another highlight though with the mix of brawling and light RPG elements still able to create an engaging and interesting take on the genre. It does require some grinding but is packed full of charm and small touches that newcomers and old fans alike will be drawn to.

The rest of the package is rounded out with oddball sports games. Street Challenge is a kind of urban version of track and field which is never quite as fun as the concept suggests, while Super Dodge Ball is hounded by flickering sprites and slowdown that can make an otherwise entertaining game a real chore to play. Once you get used to the controls, Super Spike V’Ball has a decent amount of fun on offer though the later pairings are almost psychic in how they anticipate your moves. Also, this is one game that would really benefit from a two player option to get the most out of it.

Overall, the Technos collection is a solid addition to the growing Evercade line up. Most of the games are solid and the inclusion of the SNES version of Double Dragon will catch the eye of collectors. There’s three really good games on here and the others fill out the package well. It’s a worthy addition for brawler fans – even if it is a bit odd to have a Double Dragon collection without Double Dragon 3 and actual Arcade based version of the game on it. Now, I wonder who has the rights to Battle Toads and Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team?

 

Game Ratings

Double Dragon                                                                    3/5

Double Dragon II: The Revenge                                        4/5

Crash ‘N’ The Boys: Street Challenge                              2/5

River City Ransom                                                            4/5

Super Dodge Ball                                                              3/5

Super Spike V’ball                                                            3/5

Super Double Dragon                                                       4/5

Renegade                                                                          3/5

Battletoads and Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team Review (NES)

After the mighty Toads defeated the Dark Queen on Ragnarok's world she fled to the far reaches of the galaxy threatening revenge. A few months later a huge city sized space craft comes smashing out of the moon and heads directly towards earth. This time the Queen really means business and to ensure her evil plan bears fruit she has teamed up with the shady shadow boss to help with her evil schemes. 

Hugely outnumbered the Toads turn to brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee, known as the Double Dragons to even the score. Together, in the Battlecopter they set out to the ship to engage the troublesome evil villains. 

Containing a healthy mix of different playing styles, the game none the less is a beat’em up at heart and this is a very good thing. Selecting from five different characters you must make your way across the top of the battleship beating up just about everyone that gets in your way. Apart from general fighting there are the inventive touches associated with the Battletoads franchise such as the speeder bike and abseiling sections both making a return and being as excellently done as ever.

The game mechanics are closer to a Battletoads game than a Double Dragon one and in this instance it is a good thing they are. With the different styles of level in the game the Double Dragon fight system simply would not be flexible enough to allow you do what you have to.

Fighting is restricted to one button, producing a few hits followed by a big finishing shot and that is all that is needed as everything moves so quickly it would be hard to implement a huge array of different moves. With five characters to choose from you won't be hard pressed not to find your perfect fight partner. Though the characters are not massively different, there are enough differences to easily distinguish one characters strengths from another. 

Favoured combinations soon develop as Rash and Zitz are stronger than Billy and Jimmy, with Rash being slightly Faster and Zitz being a bit stronger. Billy and Jimmy are faster than all the toads, again with Billy being a touch stronger than Jimmy and Jimmy being a bit faster. Pimple on the other hand is very big, very strong and very slow. 

Graphically, things are a little plain and functional but still help to create the humorous and charming appeal started with the first Battletoads game. The first time you hammer someone through the floor like a nail or kick someone with a huge foot you will understand the attraction. There is a problem with flickering on the screen, but having the odd bit of flicker is better than having slowdown so with the limitations of the NES we should be grateful.

Something else that adds to the appeal is the sound, with both the music and FX being of a great quality. The sound in this title is the very definition of retro cool, everything being completely over the top and not taking its self seriously, a brilliant aspect that adds a lot of fun to the proceedings. 

Make your way past the third level and you jump into the little battleship and try and destroy the Queens craft from the outside in a sort of take on asteroids. After the initial homage to the game you have to destroy flying saucers before having a final showdown with the huge rat like space ship. The level excellently breaks up the unrelenting fighting of previous stages and comes as such a surprise that you cannot help but to smile. 

Overall, Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team is a great game with the emphasis set on fun throughout and it has a much better learning curve than the previous Battletoads game - you find yourself getting a little bit further every time you play. This acts as another example of what Rare can do if they want to, retro cool at its most glorious. 

Overall 8/10