Double Dragon is a side-scrolling beat 'em up where you control martial artist Billy Lee (or his brother Jimmy in two-player mode) fighting through four stages to rescue Marian from the Black Warriors gang. Combat uses a joystick and three buttons—punch, kick, jump—which combine for grabs, elbow strikes, and hair-pulling throws. You'll face recurring enemy types across a city slum, factory, woods, and gang hideout. Enemies sometimes wield baseball bats, whips, knives, or dynamite; knock weapons from their hands and use them yourself. Environmental objects like oil drums and rocks also become tools. In co-op, players can grab each other's opponents, but enemies use the same trick. Lives deplete when your health bar empties or time runs out. If two players reach the final boss together, they must fight each other for Marian's affection—an unusual competitive twist after cooperative play.
