Line #32 VideoGame/DoubleDragonII


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7	After the success of the original ''[[VideoGame/DoubleDragon1 Double Dragon]]'' in arcades and on the NES, Technos Japan Corp. decided to follow it up with a sequel: ''Double Dragon II: The Revenge'', released for the arcades in 1988 (only a year after the first entry). The Black Warriors, humiliated by their defeat at the hands of the Lee brothers, retaliate by murdering [[DisposableWoman Marian]]. With their beloved now gone, Billy and Jimmy set off to defeat the Black Warriors, this time for good.
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9	The game itself was an upgraded version of the original. The control scheme was changed (it replaced the original's punch/kick setup with direction-based attack buttons), the graphics were redrawn (backgrounds were entirely new and almost every returning character had a new design), and each stage now has a new end-boss. [[SequelDifficultySpike The difficulty was also increased significantly]], with health refills between stages being less generous and the elbow attack from the first game getting completely {{nerf}}ed. The game was a modest success in the arcades, but didn't have the same longevity as its predecessor due to its {{mission pack sequel}} nature.
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11	The NES version, released in the end of 1989 and published by Creator/{{Acclaim}} in the West, was much like its NES predecessor: more of an adaptation of its arcade counterpart than a direct port. The basic premise remained the same, but this time the story was told through comic book-esque interludes between stages. Technos had more experience with the NES hardware this time around--a result of working on several titles since the original ''Double Dragon'', including the cult classic ''VideoGame/RiverCityRansom''--so it was able to retain [[Main/CoOpMultiplayer co-op multiplayer]] and toss in the option to disable "friendly fire" damage. The level designs were much more elaborate than the arcade version (with nine missions instead of the arcade's four), and a new final boss replaced Machine Gun Willy as the main antagonist.
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13	Two other console versions of ''Double Dragon II'' were also made, but were [[NoExportForYou released only in Japan]]: a Platform/MegaDrive version (closer to the arcade game, but with severely downgraded visuals and smaller character sprites) and a [[Platform/TurboGrafx16 PC Engine]] Super [=CD-ROM2=] version (closer to the NES game but with improved visuals, a new soundtrack, and anime-style cutscenes). There was also a full-on 3D "remake" for the Platform/{{Xbox 360}}, titled ''Double Dragon II: Wanders of the Dragons'', by Korean developer Baruson Creative--which was universally panned by critics for its poor gameplay and cheap visuals. (This remake also came out shortly after the better-received ''VideoGame/DoubleDragonNeon'', which didn't help matters.) An unrelated Platform/GameBoy sequel was released in 1991; simply titled ''Double Dragon II'', it was actually a ''VideoGame/KunioKun'' game with the graphics and music changed for the [[DolledUpInstallment Western release.]]
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16	!!''Double Dragon II: The Revenge'' provides examples of:
17	[[foldercontrol]]
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19	[[folder:The Arcade Version]]
20	* BossRush: Mission 4 features twin clones of the previous bosses (Burnov, Abore, and Chin) before the battle against Willy.
21	* BittersweetEnding: [[spoiler:The Black Warriors are done, but Marian is still dead. The ending battle with the shadow brothers implies that Billy and Jimmy have come to terms with her death and can move on]].
22	* CanonImmigrant: If the manuals for the console versions are to be believed, the double stick fighter who serves as the Mission 3 boss is none other than Chin Taimei, the shirtless Chinese fighter from the first NES game.
23	* CaptainErsatz: Mission 1 boss Burnov resembles ''Manga/{{Kinnikuman}}'' character Neptuneman, while Mission 2 boss Abore is a cross between The Franchise/{{Terminator}} and Wrestling/AndreTheGiant.
24	* ColorCodedMultiplayer: Billy and Jimmy wear black and white rather than their usual blue and red.
25	* CoversAlwaysLie: The flyer art shows one of the Lee brothers grabbing Marian around his arm, protecting her from danger, even though she dies as soon as the player inserts the first credit and starts the game. [[spoiler:Unlike the NES version, there's no sudden happy ending where she is miraculously brought back to life.]]
26	* DamnYouMuscleMemory: The game uses a direction-based attack system where one button attacks to the left and the other to the right, which Technos previously employed with ''Renegade''. Players more accustomed to the original game might take some time getting used to this, especially since one button does the standard punch combo and the other does a back kick (depending on the direction the player character is facing).
27	* DegradedBoss: The head-swapped enemies from [[VideoGame/DoubleDragonI the first game]] appear as standard grunts instead of end bosses.
28	* DemotedToDragon: Although Willy is the one who killed Marian, he is actually the penulatimate boss instead of the last one this time around. The final boss is [[MirrorBoss an evil Lee brother clone]], with a [[DualBoss second one]] present during 2-players play.
29	* DualBoss: The twin Burnovs at the end of Mission 3 and the twin versions of all prior bosses in Mission 4 both qualify.
30	* EvilLaugh: When Burnov makes his entry at the end of the first stage, he utters one of these. He also does it if he manages to grab Billy or Jimmy, and if you're fighting 2 of them at once, the one that can revive itself after dying will utter the same evil laugh when he does so.
31	** [[FinalBoss The Lee brother clone(s)]] do this when they appear. They also do it when they [[UnblockableAttack possess Billy or Jimmy,]] and they do it ''again'' when they are defeated.
32	* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: After defeating Machine Gun Willy, creepy music starts playing, and the player's purple EvilTwin rises out of his shadow and attacks him. The game has no supernatural elements prior to this (except for Burnov, who "teleports" after being defeated), nor does the end reference it in any way.
33	* GlowingEyesOfDoom: Abore, the Mission 2 boss.
34	* JustForTheHeliOfIt: In a reference to the first game's opening, the Lee brothers come out of a garage with a helicopter inside it.
35	* KamehameHadoken: The evil clones throw these at sufficient distance.
36	* MirrorBoss: The Lee brothers must fight [[FinalBoss their own shadows]] at the end of Mission 4.
37	* MissionPackSequel: The arcade version is an improved version of the first game, but with a different attack system, new graphics and moves for most of the returning enemies, and new bosses for each stage. Technos also fine-tuned the difficulty to prevent players from completing it with just the elbow strike.
38	* NostalgiaLevel: While the entirety of the game world is essentially set in a redesigned version of the first game's map, Mission 2 is almost identical to its counterpart in the first game, with the same pitfalls, climbable fence, stacked construction materials and even a conveyor belt at the end.
39	* ProductionThrowback: The very beginning of the game features the helicopter from ''Thunder Storm'' (aka ''Cobra Command'', Kishimoto's other FMV game he did with Data East).
40	* PunchKickLayout: PlayedWith; the previous game established the series' punch and kick buttons. This game mixes up the formula by going with a directionally-sensitive punch & kick scheme, where you either punch in front or throw out a rear kick depending on which way Billy or Jimmy is facing. This takes some getting used to, [[DamnYouMuscleMemory especially if you're fresh off any other games in the series]], but once you have it down it becomes a bit easier to protect your flank from sneak attacks.
41	* {{Revenge}}: As the title suggests, this is the driving force behind the game's plot.
42	* ShovelStrike: Shovels replaces baseball bats from the original.
43	* SparedByTheAdaptation: Sort-of. The manual for the microcomputer ports by Binary Design describe that the Lee brothers are capable of enacting a Shinto ritual to restore Marian back to life, none of this is actually shown in these ports, which plays out the same ending sequence as the arcade version.
44	* TempleOfDoom: Mission 4
45	* WantedPoster: The wanted posters for Willy and Jack from the first game can be seen next to the elevator at the start of Mission 2.
46	[[/folder]]
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48	[[folder:The NES and PC Engine versions]]
49	* AdaptationalAlternateEnding: [[spoiler:Unlike the arcade version, [[SparedByTheAdaptation Marian lives]].]]
50	* AdaptedOut: Machine Gun Willy is nowhere to be seen in the NES version, despite being the one who guns down Marian in the arcade game (the new opening implies she got stabbed by a ninja, [[GoryDiscretionShot as the actual deed is never shown]]). [[spoiler:However, he makes an unannounced appearance (in the sense that he is not listed in the manual) in the PC Engine version.]]
51	** Likewise, the Ninjas and Right-Hand Men never appear in the PC Engine version, even though they have full sprite sets [[DummiedOut that are never used.]]
52	* BackFromTheDead: [[spoiler:Marian miraculously returns to life after the final boss is defeated.]]
53	* BarrierBustingBlow: The Lee brothers do this in the intro of the PC Engine version.
54	* BloodstainedGlassWindows: After the TrueFinalBoss takes enough damage, the arena goes from a FinalBossNewDimension to a church-like altar.
55	* BossOnlyLevel: Mission 9 is little more than the fight against [[FinalBoss the Mysterious Warrior]].
56	* ColorCodedMultiplayer: Billy and Jimmy return to their standard blue and red outfits.
57	* CompositeCharacter: Abore has the same moves as his namesake in the arcade version, but more closely resembles the arcade-exclusive enemy character O'Hara.
58	* ConservationOfNinjutsu: Subverted. The ninjas that appear near the end of Mission 8 are as tough as the boss versions you fight in Mission 2.
59	* DemotedToExtra: Chin the twin stick-wielder, who was one of the cheapest boss in the arcade version (capable of emptying your life bar in seconds), is merely another mook in the NES version.
60	* DifficultyByRegion: The Famicom version allows the entire game to be played at any difficulty level, while the NES version restricts the game's length depending on the setting (see ''Easy Mode Mockery'' below). The NES version also requires the player to input a cheat codes after getting a Game Over in order to continue, whereas the Famicom version had no such requirement. There are other specific differences between the two versions, too: traps are much easier in the Famicom version's normal difficult than in the NES version's equivalent (especially the disappearing platforms in Mission 6), but enemies have more health on the Famicom version's hardest setting.
61	* DigitalBikini: The cover artwork for the NES version is a censored version of the original arcade flyer art. Marian's thigh-revealing skirt was lengthened and her flesh-colored tank top was recolored red.
62	* DualBoss: The Lees face off against two ninjas at the end of Mission 2. The game will throw in a second Lee brother clone at the end of Mission 8 if two players are present.
63	* EasyLevelTrick: In Mission 3, you can make the Bolo twins [[TooDumbToLive go out the door by themselves]] by walking towards the bottom right corner--but you have to time the move right, as you put yourself at risk of getting sucked out.
64	* EasyModeMockery: The NES version only allows the entire game to be played on the "Supreme Master" setting ("Practice" only lasts the first three stages and "Warrior" ends just before the final battle). The PC Engine version allows all nine stages to be played on any difficulty, but changes the ending based on which difficulty level is chosen.
65	* GameplayAndStorySegregation: All the cutscenes in the NES show only Billy Lee, regardless of whether a second player is present. The only exception to this is the cutscene prior to the final boss fight: depending who is playing, it shows either Billy, Jimmy, or both Lee brothers. The PC Engine version averts this by showing both brothers regardless of how many players are playing.
66	* IdiosyncraticDifficultyLevels: The difficulty settings in the NES game are Practice, Warrior, and Supreme Master. The Famicom version had more conventional settings (Easy, Normal, and Difficult).
67	* JustForTheHeliOfIt: Unlike the arcade version, the helicopters are not just there for scenery. In Mission 2, there are two choppers: the first will fly by and attack the Lee brothers by firing its gun at them, then drop off a batch of {{mook}}s. The second is a getaway chopper where the entirety of Mission 3 takes place.
68	* {{Ninja}}: Two of them serve as bosses, while the rest are {{elite mook}}s that appear prior to the boss fight of Mission 8.
69	* MirrorBoss: The Shadow Clone is back, except it's the penultimate boss instead of the last one.
70	* NoNameGiven: The final boss is known only as the "Mysterious Warrior".
71	* StoryReset: The Famicom/NES version conveniently ignores the fact that Jimmy was the antagonist in the first game on the console. The manual for the Japanese version goes as far as to suggest that both Lee brothers fought the Black Warriors together, while the English version just ignores the first game altogether. This was not much of an issue in the PC Engine version, since the first game was never available on that platform.
72	* SuddenNameChange[=/=]SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: The long-haired version of Abobo is given the name Bolo in the Japanese manual. The manual for the Mega Drive version still calls him "Abobo" though.
73	* TempleOfDoom: Missions 6 through 9 are set in a so-called "Mansion of Terror".
74	* ThemeMusicPowerUp: Once the final boss is low on health, the creepy final boss theme is replaced by a more epic theme.
75	* TriumphantReprise: In the intro to the PC Engine version, a somber version of the ''Double Dragon'' theme plays as Marian dies in Billy's arms--before going back to the main theme tune as Billy and Jimmy Lee head out to fight the ''Gen Satsu Ken'' clan.
76	* UnderwaterBase: Mission 4 is titled the "Undersea Base".
77	* TheWallsHaveEyes: A large, sinister pair opens in the wall of the Mansion of Terror and stares directly at the player, for no particular reason aside from RuleOfScary.
78	[[/folder]]
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Context VideoGame / DoubleDragonII