I like what I see!
It looks kinda difficult, particularly when you’re paralysed (for too long, in my opinion), after being hit. On the other extreme, the whip seems to make you nigh-on unstoppable, Indiana Jones-style (kinda funny, given that it used to be pretty much useless).
Notable points:
- Abobo now has a new Captain Commando-like super move (the floor-cracking ground punch), and the ability to block. The definitive Big Bad Boss just got even badder! Also, it seems that Brizo has gone after the NES version, and made Abobo the bald sprite, rather than the mohawked one.
- It’s pretty cool that there are now three generic thugs, rather than just the two. There’s the white, blonde guy (I’ll assume he’s Williams), the black, bald guy (Roper – or is it Gibson?), and some new, pink-haired punk, in a white skivvy and sunglasses.
- On the downside, the fact that these guys can punch through walls does take some of the oomph out of what was once Bolo’s classy entry.
- Also nice to see familiar faces Linda, Burnov and Steve, as well as a re-done (and older looking) Willy.
Another couple of vids of this game worth checking out are KaduZeebo’s “Double Dragon personagens extras” parts one and two, at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3N3j-30 ... re=related and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHK5G-Bm ... re=related .
The camera is a little tilted, but it’s well worth it. It seems that the enemy characters are unlockable and playable (Heck Yeah!), and Kadu Zeebo demonstrates them all, on the opening segment of stage 1. When a villain is being used, the enemies where they would usually appear are palette-swapped.
I figured I’d give my own opinions on them (and add new names, where necessary). SO, in order of usage, they are:
Billy, Jimmy, Williams (?);
Afrobo (took that name from Dojo Master’s review of DD Advance. He’s a new mid-boss that kinda resembles Andore from Final Fight);
Abobo (Let me say that again: YOU CAN USE ABOBO!! YEAH!! This was an idea that was unfortunately scrapped from DD Advance, but at least it’s here. Also, you can use his new ground punch, and block! YEAH!);
Roper (?);
Steve (more resembles his DDA-Matrix incarnation, than the original Super DD look. Has some pretty cool kicks, and his lethal-combo-to-tie-adjust from DDA, which you can also use. YEAH!);
Wyatt (the new, pink-haired punk. I named him after W.Riot, the pink-mohawked thug from the Combatribes (stage 4). He’s quite slow and appears pretty useless, but given that he’s a generic thug, would you really expect more?);
Bolo (The mohawked Abobo. Another mid-boss, not really used for very long. He’s slow, but seems quite powerful. Not half as cool as Abobo, though, and no special moves.);
Burnov (very slow, but has a new E.Honda-like hundred-hand-punch-to-elbow-charge move, which I’ve never seen before. Looks dangerous! The elbow charge can also be used by itself, like the Double Dragons’ flying knee.);
Afroper (the sprite variations begin. This guy looks like Roper, with an Afro and a skivvy. Nothing special, nothing expected.);
Rove (Steve, with Roper’s head, and his suit re-paletted red. Has a lethal roundhouse kick which I’m sure Steve can also use, but I didn’t see it demonstrated with him.);
Dave (Dark haired Steve. Also has a shorter haircut, and a re-paletted suit);
McGuire (Doesn’t really resemble McGuire, but it’s the closest thing I could find. The new boss of mission 3, he’s a big, fat guy in 80s streetwear. He’s surprisingly acrobatic, and seems to have the largest number of moves, with a cartwheel manoeuvre, a multi-kick attack, a targeted dive-flying kick, and a rolling attack [along the ground, unlike the original McGuire’s].which can also be used to launch a sliding sweep. A welcome new addition to the series in my opinion, and should be tough to defeat.);
Rei (The new boss of mission 4. A gothic, anime chick with silver hair, who always has her sword [Katana? Saber? I’m not sure]. Can visibly charge up her Ki, leading to an attack where she sprouts angel wings. Also has a three-slash-combo and a charging slash. Sounds cool, but in practice she didn’t look so good. Her standing slash attack looks pretty useless, and charging Ki leaves her vulnerable and takes too much time);
Ninja (looks like the sword-wielding ninja from Bad Dudes vs Dragon Ninja, without the sword. Can throw a seemingly infinite number of shurikens, and has a smoke-bomb style teleport. Has very weird walking sprites, like he’s trying to meditate and jump at the same time. Interestingly, he wears a Rising Sun headband, like Roper’s in Super DD);
Ninja (exactly like the other Ninja, only wearing red);
Linda (oddly, starts unarmed, without her trademark whip. For some reason, her hair is now blue.);
Oni (The new boss of mission 5. Dresses like the original Roper [open vest, etc], but has an Oni mask, long hair and a weapon that looks like a leg of lamb! Has a move where he smashes the ground [and anyone in his way], causing debris to fall from above.);
Big Boss Willy (yes, you can use the gun).
All in all, a colourful cast with some nice new additions. The only criticisms I have are relatively minor:
1. Williams and Roper use the same sprite, just palette- and head-swapped. They originally had different bodies.
2. Jeff is absent. While he was originally a head-swapped Double Dragon, he’s often just a palette swap. In my opinion, there is therefore no good reason to keep him out of ANY DD game – except perhaps the NES version, where the end boss was a palette-swap of the player, so having another, similar villain would lessen that impact.