Double Dragon (USA, Europe)

Double Dragon gameplay context

I remember quarters disappearing into its arcade cabinet in the late 80s, but getting to play Double Dragon on a handheld felt like a minor miracle back in 1990. On the Atari Lynx, it transforms the seminal side-scrolling beat 'em up into a portable slugfest where you control martial arts brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee, fighting through gritty urban stages to rescue Marion from the ruthless Black Warriors gang. Double Dragon includes region marker: USA, Europe, which helps separate this page from nearby ports, regional releases, and similarly named entries.

• Double Dragon entry snapshot
  Double Dragon includes region marker: USA, Europe, which helps separate this page from nearby ports, regional releases, and similarly named entries. The strongest visible context is the Atari Lynx platform and its RPG play style. Emulator core: lynx.
• A Seminal Beat 'Em Up Blueprint
  The combat feels foundational, offering punches, kicks, hairpulls, and brutal throws that established the language for countless brawlers. Timing a perfectly distanced back kick is as satisfying now as it was three decades ago.
• The Iconic Two-Player Grudge Match
  The Lynx's link cable lets you team up cooperatively or throw down in a competitive mode, which often led to spontaneous wrestling matches when a friend turned on you to steal that precious health-boosting chicken.
• Portable 80s Urban Decay
  Shrinking the arcade's gritty streets, wharfs, and mountain forests onto that backlit screen worked surprisingly well, retaining the signature yellow jumpsuits of enemy thugs and the pixelated menace of final boss Willy, who I always found a bit easier on the Lynx than in the arcade.