Nostalgia is a hell of a drug – and Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is being injected into our veins. It reminds us of a simpler time when games weren't defined by frame rates and no one cared about internet forums and “opinions.” It's a time when someone picked up the controller, walked their pixelated character around the screen, and kicked the butts of bad guys with Chadian names until the end credits rolled.
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Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons leans into that feel-good factor because no one is here for 2023 graphics – that’s for sure. Even the story is straight out of a 1980s Cannon action movie. It's 199X (probably the time Elon Musk becomes Thanos) and a nuclear war is about to rage in New York. It's up to Billy, Jimmy Lee and their friends to stop a gang of bad guys and use all their martial arts moves.
This game isn't particularly deep from a gameplay perspective. This is an NES school game, with basic moves and a special combo button, as well as the ability to pick up and use weapons. Where the game becomes interesting is in the tag-team aspect. Indeed, switching from one character to another allows another character to take action and attack enemies. By learning to use this technique effectively, quick tags allow you to eliminate a group of enemies quickly while trying to conserve the vital energy of both characters.
At the start of Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons, you have four characters to choose from, but as you progress and accumulate tokens, you can unlock more. Each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses, and the right combinations can help you compensate for the other character's shortcomings. Choose wisely, otherwise you risk ending up with two slow sluggers when an agile slugger/fighter duo would be much more balanced.
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The game features a roguelite element, which is influenced by the order in which the player chooses to play the stages. This impacts several factors, such as overall difficulty and the number of enemies to face, providing incentive to play through multiple times to keep things fresh.
While there are enough additions to keep players coming back for more, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons has a limited lifespan. Once all the characters are unlocked and all the missions are completed, the game starts to become repetitive. That said, this isn't the kind of game that encourages players to put 500 hours into it and earn all the trophies. This is a quick game to pick up before going to bed or having some time to kill.
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While every other franchise has tried to move with the times, there's something endearing about the way Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons chooses to stay true to what birthed it. He knows exactly what he is and what he promises the player. And who can be angry?