Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons

 Switch
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons Image
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67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

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  • Summary: It's the year 199X, and nuclear war has devastated New York City leaving its citizens to fight for survival as riots and crime engulf the streets. The city has been overtaken by criminal gangs who terrorize its ruins as they fight for total dominance. Unwilling to endure these conditions anyIt's the year 199X, and nuclear war has devastated New York City leaving its citizens to fight for survival as riots and crime engulf the streets. The city has been overtaken by criminal gangs who terrorize its ruins as they fight for total dominance. Unwilling to endure these conditions any longer, young Billy and Jimmy Lee take it upon themselves to drive the gangs out of their city.

    Tag in and out as the classic duo Billy and Jimmy, switch it up with Marian and Uncle Matin, or experiment with 9 additional unlockable characters, each with their own special moves and unique playstyles. With 2 player local co-op, the action quadruples as you and a friend clean up the mean streets.    … Expand
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Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons - Gameplay Announcement Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. App Trigger
    Aug 8, 2023
    85
    While I didn’t go into this game with high hopes my expectations were shattered as it turned out to be a creative and fun take on the type of game I spent the last several decades somehow never getting bored of. From a return to unlockable characters without microtransactions to a really clever, almost rouge-like stage set up, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragon is a must have for fans of beat ’em ups.
  2. SpazioGames
    Aug 7, 2023
    75
    A well crafted return for the legendary franchise, that mixes in an interesting way its beat'em up soul with some roguelike elements.
  3. NintendoWorldReport
    Jul 27, 2023
    70
    After throwing my share of punches and delivering a healthy dose of kicks, I can safely say that I did enjoy my time with Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. This latest entry in the brawling brothers series employs some sound tactics to keep the gameplay feeling good across multiple playthroughs. Its lack of staying power holds me back from offering a full-throated recommendation, but beat-'em-up fans will definitely be able to squeeze some juice out of this muscle-bound orange. Even if I'll always prefer Bimmy to Billy, Double Dragon Gaiden has enough moves to make it worth a look.
  4. Shacknews
    Jul 27, 2023
    70
    Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons is not just another punching, kicking, and grapple combo adventure with Billy and Jimmy Lee. They brought back a ton of nostalgic features and worked it into a new rogue-lite approach to the franchise.
  5. Pocket Tactics
    Jul 27, 2023
    70
    While engaging gameplay, roguelike concepts, and a big replayability factor bring Double Dragon back from the dead, Rise of Dragons’ late-game struggles and a skew-whiff lives system slightly detract from a promising revival.
  6. Vgames
    Aug 20, 2023
    70
    In the past years we have seen a lot of great and ambitious attempts at the Beat-em-up genre. Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of The Dragons is mostly a step backwards towards more traditional arcade ways, and it pays of in his unique, quite rough-like, take on the story - whileֲ the basic combat and non-existing other game modes making the game feels empty.
  7. The Jimquisition
    Jul 28, 2023
    30
    It’s cheap from both a visual and combat standpoint, it’s unpleasant to control, and the incentives for enduring multiple “runs” are among the worst rewards and unlocks I’ve ever seen. All it accomplished was getting me to replay Shredder’s Revenge and Streets of Rage 4, two games that completely embarrass this sorry little thing...Damn fine soundtrack, though.

See all 16 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 7
  3. Negative: 1 out of 7
  1. laoyu2100
    Aug 31, 2023
    10
    It sounds like your initial hesitation about the roguelike elements in the game turned into a positive experience once you gave it a try. It'sIt sounds like your initial hesitation about the roguelike elements in the game turned into a positive experience once you gave it a try. It's great to hear that you had a blast playing the game! The challenging nature of the final boss level adding a lot to deal with can indeed be frustrating yet incredibly satisfying when you manage to overcome it.

    Your observation about the fighting mechanics and the wish for more safe options like invincibility frames during grappling is noted. Feedback like this can be valuable for both players and developers to understand how to enhance the gameplay experience.

    Your recommendation to give the game a try is valuable for others who might be considering playing it. Each player's experience can vary, but your positive outlook on the game and its fun mechanics can inspire others to explore and enjoy it as well.    … Expand
  2. NU668
    Aug 7, 2023
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm glad to hear that you give this game a perfect 10! It sounds like you enjoyed the gameplay and tag team action in the game, and you appreciate the inclusion of playable character Marian and the storyline where you have to reject the mayor, face off against the 4 gangs, and ultimately confront the unknown boss. It sounds like a thrilling and awesome gaming experience for you! If you have any more thoughts or questions about the game or anything else, feel free to share!… Expand
  4. KingGilda
    Aug 6, 2023
    10
    I don't know why this game has such a low score. I am a huge fan of beat-em-ups, and as such, I consider this one to be a very solid one, withI don't know why this game has such a low score. I am a huge fan of beat-em-ups, and as such, I consider this one to be a very solid one, with deep and fun mechanics for the genre. It takes some getting used to, and feels "heavier" than Streets of Rage or the Turtles games - not to mention the weird mechanics of customization and non-linear levels.
    However, now that I got used to it, I find this to be an AMAZING game for fans of the genre. Very versatile and deep. The game keeps the perfect balance between arcade experience and the ability to save progress - but not saving it for too long - and the roguelike feel of "temporary" leveling up is very cool.
    If the last TMNT game went all-in on a home console adventure that couldn't be finished in one sitting, this one gives an arcade feeling with quality-of-life improvements. As a huge fan of the genre, I think this one is the greater game.
    Obviously - like all beat-em-up - if you played it single-player, you missed 90% of the fun.    … Expand
  5. benzodeus
    Aug 16, 2023
    10
    Great game! Ever since the new tmnt cme out I've been playing the old double dragons, this game came with awesome timing! I'm glad it managesGreat game! Ever since the new tmnt cme out I've been playing the old double dragons, this game came with awesome timing! I'm glad it manages to maintain the old double drafon feeling somewhat while also bringing it to modern times, the additions a breath of fresh air.
    Great new game, definitely recommend!    … Expand
  6. LOBEI
    Aug 4, 2023
    9
    Really fun game. Remember you have to cancel your attacks recovery into run or jumps in order to have good mobility. Try to get as muchReally fun game. Remember you have to cancel your attacks recovery into run or jumps in order to have good mobility. Try to get as much special KOs and crowd controls too.… Expand
  7. CapybaraBJJ
    Aug 8, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Having played through the game a handful of times already, and collected all the bosses, one of the things I've realized already is how bored quickly I've gotten with this game. I do love the mechanics of the game. I love the interesting rogue lite system added to keep things challenging and exciting. Between stages, players are given an option to spend the money they earned (which can also be used to buy tokens and unlock cool Easter eggs in the game) to buy power ups for future stages. I think what this game still suffers from is the crux of every beatem-up/fighting game on the market, and that's still replayability. You complete all the stages, you've watched all the cutscenes, you've taken out the final boss.. And that's it, that's the whole game. The developers tried to remedy this by adding four different paths and bosses you can take out in any order you want. The levels in each stage are different depending on which order you've picked them to complete them. After you've ran through all the levels and stages, playthroughs become monotonous. Even more so, with how quickly the difficulty levels ramp up. Taking out Lady Okada as a stage four boss was an absolute joke. I died once, and the second my new playthrough attempt respawned, my characters were juggled into oblivion by the huge lynch mob of enemies appearing on the screen. I quit immediately after this. There are times when the difficulty level for even normal or easy setting gets ridiculous. You're cornered in every direction with mini boss level enemies with no way to defend yourself, so you're juggled around and that's it. You've no control over your character while they're being constantly hit. I will also add that it takes very few hits before your character meets his or her demise. In stage five, you're faced with a scenario of having to fight all four bosses at once. The other problem I had with this game was the lack of recognition that I had for the bosses in the game. It would have been nice to see some of the characters from the cartoon or previous games, such as Jawbreaker, Trigger Happy, Ice Pick, Countdown, or Shadow Master. It was refreshing to see that Abobo was added; however, I was unfamiliar with Anubis or Lady Okada. It just doesn't seem very canon when you compare it to the Double Dragon cartoon from the nineties. With the look and feel of the game, that's what it seems like this game is trying to accomplish. This is a part of the reason why the latest TMNT beatem up, Shredders Revenge has become so wildly popular. Many of the bosses such as Dirtbag and Leatherhead made an appearance, and a few others that haven't been around since TMNT 3: Manhattan Project on NES. It was very refreshing to see these characters reanimated and brought back to life in this latest sequel. Overall this game was a promising attempt at the Double Dragon franchise, and with all the flaws set aside, it is still fun to play. This game would definitely suit a more seasoned beatem up player though, over someone who hardly ever plays video games.… Expand
  8. Mogmog000
    Aug 9, 2023
    2
    I get bored with few techniques.
    The body size is low, and it doesn't feel like a double dragon.
    It is disturbing that defeated enemies do    I get bored with few techniques.
    The body size is low, and it doesn't feel like a double dragon.
    It is disturbing that defeated enemies do not disappear.    … Expand

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38
#38 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2023

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