Double Dragon, developed by Technos Japan and published in 1987, follows brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee in their crusade against the Black Warriors gang, who kidnapped Marian. With up to two simultaneous players, melee combos, and weapons picked up off the ground, it established much of the visual and gameplay grammar that would define the beat 'em up for an entire decade. Its influence is hard to overstate: without Double Dragon there would be no Final Fight, no Streets of Rage, and none of the side-scrolling brawlers that came after. It also remains surprisingly playable: the hits land hard and the melee combat has an uncommon depth for its time.
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