Double Dragon One brings classic beat ’em up action to Neo Geo and is now complete

Double Dragon did make it to Neo Geo back in 1995, but not in the form many players would expect. Instead of a scrolling street brawler, the system got a one-on-one fighting game. Double Dragon One takes a very different approach. Created by OzzyOuzo and Johnny16bit, this unofficial Neo Geo release goes back to the structure of the 1987 arcade original. You walk from left to right, deal with groups of enemies, pick up weapons and keep moving until the stage boss gets in your way. It’s simple, direct and immediately recognisable as Double Dragon. More importantly, it’s built as an actual Neo Geo game.

Back to the streets

Double Dragon One follows the basic layout of the original arcade game, taking Billy and Jimmy Lee through familiar locations including the slums, factory, forest and enemy base. There are seven playable stages in total. The last three main areas have been split into separate sections, which stretches the original four-stage structure without turning the game into something completely different.

A full playthrough takes around 25 minutes. You’ll face roughly 20 enemy types and four bosses along the way. Weapons are scattered throughout the stages too, including knives, bats, a whip, dynamite and even a drum. Solo players control Billy. Add a second player and Jimmy joins the fight. There’s also a scoring system for anyone who wants more than simply reaching the ending.

Neo Geo buttons change the combat

The biggest mechanical difference comes from the controls. The original Double Dragon arcade cabinet used three buttons. Neo Geo gives the developers four, so Double Dragon One makes use of all of them. A handles punches. B jumps. C kicks. D controls power attacks.

That extra button opens up a much wider move set than you might expect from a game based on the 1987 design. Billy and Jimmy can throw jabs, uppercuts, high kicks, low kicks, roundhouse attacks and running punches. Grappling enemies gives access to knees, throws and headbutts. You can also pull off jumping attacks, diving kicks, rising knees and spinning techniques. There are around 20 moves altogether.

It doesn’t turn Double Dragon into a technical fighting game, though. The basic rhythm remains straightforward. Walk into a group, control the space around you, grab whoever gets too close and keep moving. Two-player mode adds another trick. Billy and Jimmy can juggle enemies between them, which gives co-op fights a little more room for experimentation.

Bigger sprites on familiar hardware

Visually, Double Dragon One doesn’t copy the original arcade graphics. The main character sprites come from the 2011 iOS version of Double Dragon, created by Brizo Interactive. Those sprites were drawn at a much higher resolution than the 1987 originals, so they fit comfortably with the Neo Geo’s ability to push large characters around the screen.

The stages combine artwork from several arcade-style sources rather than reproducing one specific version of Double Dragon. Music also comes from multiple contributors. The result isn’t a straight port. It’s closer to a rebuilt interpretation of the original game, assembled specifically around Neo Geo hardware.

Designed for real Neo Geo systems

This is where Double Dragon One gets particularly interesting from a technical point of view. It isn’t just a PC game dressed up to look like Neo Geo software. The project has been built to run on Neo Geo hardware and compatible setups.

Versions are available for AES and MVS machines, along with packages prepared for NeoSD, Darksoft and BackBit flash cartridges. There are also builds for MAME, MVSX, Analogue hardware and MiSTer FPGA systems.

Plenty of difficulty options

Double Dragon One includes eight difficulty settings. That gives players a fairly wide range to choose from, whether they want to work through the stages casually or try to finish the game on one credit. Continuing doesn’t throw you back to the beginning of a level. You can keep feeding in credits and push ahead in traditional arcade fashion.

The game is distributed free of charge and is considered complete, although some files and in-game material still carry beta wording. It’s also completely unofficial. There’s no involvement from Arc System Works, Technōs Japan, Brizo Interactive or SNK.

What Double Dragon One offers is easy to understand. It isn’t a remake of the 1995 Neo Geo fighter, and it isn’t the 1987 arcade ROM running through an emulator. It’s a new Neo Geo beat ’em up built around the original Double Dragon formula, with four-button controls, larger artwork, two-player action and support for real Neo Geo hardware. For a system famous for fighting games, shooters and oversized cartridges, that makes for an interesting addition to the library.

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Back to the streets

Neo Geo buttons change the combat

Bigger sprites on familiar hardware

Designed for real Neo Geo systems

Plenty of difficulty options

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