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You spin me right 'round baby, right 'round...
If you’ve read my reviews for Guardian Heroes and Golden Axe, it’s pretty clear that I’m a big fan of the classic arcade-style beat ‘em up. Many critics will say that this genre is an irrelevant dinosaur and has no place in modern gaming, but I disagree. While the old “quarter muncher” design philosophy no longer works today I truly believe that the side-scrolling brawler can still be a viable genre with the right updates to the formula. WayForward comes frustratingly close to bringing this genre into the modern age, but doesn’t quite get the job done with Double Dragon: Neon.
Available next week from the PlayStation 3's PlayStation Store, and as an Xbox LIVE Arcade title on the Xbox 360.
It’s all '80s, all the time.
Double Dragon is one of those games that everyone has played, or at least heard of. From its humble beginning as an arcade brawler, the franchise has gone on to make an appearance in some form in almost every console generation. The original title was ported to nearly every available system at the time, including the Atari 2600 in 1988. (And you thought this console generation was long!) Brothers Jimmy and Billy have been in one on one fighting games, have teamed up with the Battletoads on the SNES, and had the Double Dragon world predominantly featured in a completely over the top fan tribute to the NES called Abobo’s Big Adventure. Needless to say, Majesco and WayForward have some pretty big shoes to fill.
The reboot will feature an '80s neon style.
Double Dragon has already seen several reboots over the years. There was the Game Boy Advance title, Double Dragon Advance, that released back in 2003, an XBLA HD version from 2007, and an iOS version released just this past year. All of them are based on the original arcade game, which turns 25 this year. Enter Double Dragon: Neon, the latest remake in the series.
Available now for the Xbox 360 to be played with Kinect.
A sneak peek at the variety of dance styles within Zumba Fitness Rush.
A behind the scenes for Zumba Fitness Rush with Erica Pierce.
This is what happens when the old and new collide.
Does anybody remember Body Wars at EPCOT? It was one of those simulator rides that had the passengers shrunk down in order to enter a human body and carry out some kind of mission. I honestly can’t remember what that mission was or even if it was successful, but I do remember how amazed I was as a young child, flying through a complete stranger’s cardiovascular system, red and white blood cells zooming by my head. It was an awe inspiring experience that has stayed with me, perhaps through the nostalgic lenses of rose colored glasses, and it’s a memory tapped by Nano Assault on the 3DS.
An augmented reality game that turns the player into a real-life creeper. What could go wrong?
Picking up my pace, trying not to run, but rushing to get safely back home – I glance over my shoulder to see if anything is behind me. I am freaked out. Paranoid. Skittish. I’m not looking for otherworldly critters or anything, I’m worried I might get arrested or -- at best -- confronted by a pissed off neighbor. I’ve been skulking around my neighborhood at odd hours and spending minutes at a time spinning in front of strangers’ homes, occasionally taking pictures. I should be put in the slammer just based on appearances. But really, I’ve just been playing The Hidden and hating every minute.
