Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons

There are many adult gamers for whom Double Dragon represents carefree hours in the local arcade, or maybe a happy, simpler time parked in front of their NES. Set aside the fact that many readers weren’t even alive in 1987, almost everyone has heard of the franchise and played some version of the games. Now we have Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. It’s a recipe combining one part nostalgia and one part recent roguelike mechanics.

Double Dragon Raiden: Rise of The Dragons is a great beat 'em-up game that takes everything you loved about the series and adds a ton of strategy. With a great retro look and sound, this is a must-play, even though it doesn’t always explain things very well!

Double Dragon Gaiden's got one big problem. It's not what you'd think, but exactly what you should've expected.

With fun, bright graphics and a novel approach to level design, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons refreshes the classic beat-em-up genre, even if it can sometimes feel a bit repetitive.

There’s some undeniable fun to be had if you can look past the hit collision issues, or the lack of proprietary support for online coop. The roguelite elements are interesting but don’t feel essential in any sense, almost as if a mandatory box to tick and tickle the fancy of some fans. As a throwback to one of the all-time brawler greats, Double Dragon Gaiden is competent, but doesn’t really pack the punch that the series deserves.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise Of The Dragons is a fantastic beat 'em up roguelike that feels like an essential game to have on the Steam Deck.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons blends experimental elements with traditional Double Dragon gameplay. The roguelite design and the changing level structures encourage the player to complete the game multiple times to unlock all the additional characters to create experiences that feel less repetitive. This is a novel idea that works well for a couple playthroughs, but it can't save things from feeling redundant forever. It's fun for a couple playthroughs and does well at recreating the classic beat 'em up gameplay. Unfortunately, it also showcases the limitations of the genre, and ev...

I think that sort of outlines what a small production Double Dragon Gaiden is. It doesn’t really feel like it’s trying to be revolutionary in any way, nor does it seem like it wants to present you with a glut of content. It serves more as a tribute to the Double Dragon series but more in an aesthetic sense, as the combat system is unlike any of the previous games. You can tell that a lot of love went into making the game, but that doesn’t necessarily result in something indisposable or memorable.

It’s commendable that Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons tries to do something a little new with the formula – although Streets of Rage 4 did get their first with its Survival mode which also features roguelike elements. There is fun to be had here, but ultimately, the late-game difficulty spikes are a major hurdle to get over – and the moment-to-moment action never reaches the heights of some of the best in the genre.

From the arcadey ‘80s through the modern day, beat ‘em ups are a dime a dozen. But the best of them offers a satisfying gameplay loop with thrilling co-op and unique visual stylings. Double Dragon Gaiden gets some of that right. It’s not the worst beat ‘em up game you could spend your time on. But it’s most definitely not the best, either.

Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is the latest attempt to revitalize the beat ’em up genre, which has struggled to stay relevant since its coin-op heyday. It arrives while the genre has some actual momentum, with Streets of Rage 4 and TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge showing that a highly polished brawler can still hit if it’s designed around replayability. Double Dragon’s latest offering adds in roguelite elements to give it some additional structure and camouflage its short length, but it’s not as revolutionary as it should be.

The Double Dragon brothers return in this fresh addition to the iconic beat 'em up franchise. With roguelite elements, every playthrough is a chance at new action. Tag in with 2 of 4 starter characters or unlock 9 additional characters, each with their own special moves and unique playstyles. Switch version reviewed.