Double Dragon Advance (Game Boy Advance) Playthrough - NintendoComplete
337A playthrough of Atlus's 2003 beat 'em up for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Double Dragon Advance.
Played through on the hard setting.
Double Dragon Advance is a heavily updated remake of the original arcade title from 1987, blending elements from several later games in the series to create what is often regarded as the best game in the series.
Beginning with an intro heavily inspired by the one in Double Dragon II on the PC Engine (https://youtu.be/RgDb-clhL9g ), we catch up with the twin dragons as they're teaching martial arts classes in a post-apocalyptic New York. The Shadow Warriors are milling about, of course, and to absolutely nobody's surprise, Marian gets herself kidnapped.
This "Advance" version improves on virtually every aspect of its then fifteen-year-old base game. Several "new" levels have been added, including one based on the caves from the first NES game (https://youtu.be/UIDs_6QQd6w ), and a couple based on the truck and the Chinatown stages from Super Double Dragon (https://youtu.be/V7JpfAV8-oI ). Though it's still not a long game, it is about twice the length of any of its previous incarnations.
The fighting mechanics have seen some diesel upgrades - Billy and Jimmy have a larger and more diverse set of moves than ever before. In addition to the standard punches, kicks, combos, and throws, you get the crouching super moves (the faux-Tiger Uppercut and Knee) from the NES version of Double Dragon II (https://youtu.be/vZMDXe3ZlQs ), the wall jump and the pin-down attacks from Renegade (https://youtu.be/5NWByyxT9ak ), and even the rib-demolishing jumping stomp from The Combatribes (https://youtu.be/B_wo5RtDqLo ) is available. Technos might have no longer existed in 2003, but Double Dragon Advance more than did its part to keep the company's spirit alive just a little bit longer.
Double Dragon Advance is far more than a mere port for updated hardware. It is a reimagining that stays true to the classic feel and flow of the arcade game while incorporating all of the improvements and refinements that came with later installments - think of it as a "greatest hits" that slavishly celebrates the achievements of not just a popular gaming franchise, but also of a brilliant development studio that went defunct decades ago.
*This video was recorded using Retroarch LCD shaders to reproduce the look of the original hardware.
_____________
No cheats were used during the recording of this video.
NintendoComplete (http://www.nintendocomplete.com/) punches you in the face with in-depth reviews, screenshot archives, and music from classic 8-bit NES games!