Peep Double Dragon's XBLA makeover
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Jan 26th 2007 at 8:56AM }
According to the Netherlands' Xboxworld (via NeoGAF), Double Dragon is headed to Xbox Live Arcade in March, for 400 MS points. Like other aging classics before them, the Lee brothers and foes look to be receiving a visual touch-up. But as is often the case with real-life makeovers (and we're talkin' the scalpels, staples, and tubes kinda makeovers), the "enhanced" look just seems to always miss the mark. Never mind how jarringly flat the characters appear, just look at that "English Tear" sign, it's pristine! This is no longer a rumble through the ghetto, it's a prance around some sterilized ghost town infested with botox mutants. Can we get an "A-men!"?
We'd much prefer the time and resources be spent on tuning the online co-op, which continues to be a frustrating ordeal with each XBLA release.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Frank @ Jan 26th 2007 10:06AM
I welcome the better graphics. These original games werent meant for 42" plasmas.
nick @ Jan 26th 2007 9:09AM
If I'm not mistaken, Time Pilot lets you play both the original (crappy looking) version and the newer better looking version.
I personally like the enhanced graphics.
As far as multiplayer on the retro games, I'm not really interested if was wasn't multiplayer originally. The whole split screen vs game play is lost on me I guess. And the only reason I tolerate it is to make achievements.
Kevin D @ Jan 26th 2007 9:18AM
Why does it look in the left picture like she's performing a certain 'act' on the dude?
Mike @ Jan 26th 2007 9:20AM
I disagree. I like seeing the visuals brought up to HD resolution. If I can see razor-sharp edges instead of jaggies, I'm all for it. It's not like the visuals are completely different. They are just cleaned up, which I welcome. You see text on a sign that is now too clean...I see, no jagged edges, and better textures on the rocks in the background, which also appear to have some interesting specular highlights. I guess it's a matter of opinion, but when I see a million Street Fighter 2 remakes with the same antique pixilated sprites, I am disappointed.
Now as far as what Sega did not to long ago by redoing their old classics in 3D, that sucked. But, freshening up the old 2d sprites, like done here is fine by me. I have a HDTV, and am playing on a video game system that touts itself as being for HD games. I'd expect the game to be cleaned up a bit (as long as the integrity of the original graphics isn't lost, which I don't feel it has here).
Yatrik @ Jan 26th 2007 9:27AM
I disagree also. I actually think this is a perfect example of how to redo a game and not betray it at the same time. This graphical update stays true to its roots while making the visuals a little less painful to watch for us spoiled HD gamers. You can't preach the wonders of HD and at the same time complain about old games getting some much needed touch ups. And I'm assuming thats all this is-- a touch up that effects the game play in no way whatsoever.
JodyAnthony @ Jan 26th 2007 9:27AM
While I think the original version looks better, who cares? It's Double F'n Dragon!
Martin @ Jan 26th 2007 9:27AM
Wait ... is this a visual makeover of the NES classic? If so, that is a travesty. It looks like Siegfreid and Roy playing the part of the Lee brothers.
If that's the case, there is no way that she is doing what you think she's doing, Kevin D.
VanGogh @ Jan 26th 2007 9:33AM
The enhanced version looks like a shitty Newgrounds game. The door looks like clip art.
Though I do commend the effort, I think all XBLA games should try to do SOMETHING so I don't have to rebuy the exact same game I bought 15 yrs ago.
MrPolarBare @ Jan 26th 2007 9:33AM
It appears to be from the screens a remake of the arcade version, not the NES classic. The arcade version have much better graphics.
Also, you have to remember there is a population of gamers that don't want to pay for games that they are already playing for free on their emulators. This graphical update gives those gamers a reason to buy this title. Whether nor not it is worth it is up to them.
Thrawn @ Jan 26th 2007 9:34AM
You have to be out of your mind if you think the visuals are just "cleaned up." They basically took the game's artist's work and took a giant dump on what he/she could do with their tools and tech at the time.
It looks absolutely terrible. Online co-op aside, I'm glad Nintendo is keeping Virtual Console games true to their originals.
If they "cleaned up" some game like Toejam & Earl, someone would have to die.
Oobgarm @ Jan 26th 2007 9:34AM
While I personally don't find the updated graphics appealing, I understand why it's being done.
As long as companies allow the switching between enhanced and retro graphics, I'm fine with it. Some may prefer the new look, but the fact that I can play an exact replica of a game that I loved as a youth on my large TV at home is what makes me excited.
Evan @ Jan 26th 2007 9:37AM
I think the new version look amateurish. It appears the artist just traced over the original sprites, without thinking about the character's forms. The original art is manipulated so that edges and features are aligned to pixels. The new art retains that +/- 1/2 pixel distortion, which makes it look disfigured.
Slaziman @ Jan 26th 2007 9:42AM
Looks like the girl is performing a blowjob.
I would've liked a NSFW tag.
Karmakin @ Jan 26th 2007 10:04AM
The old screens look like an old-loved classic. (I once beat Double Dragon (arcade) solo with one life. And I could routinly beat it duo with one quarter)
The new screens look like one of those horrible looking games that bad developers made when they got a bit of power under their belts. No charm at all.
Farseer @ Jan 26th 2007 10:22AM
@ Frank
Good call. I hope the makeover also takes aspect ratio into account. I'm not a fan of fullscreen bars (4:3 on a 16:9 Monitor), so I hope it was adjusted when they touched up the graphics.
TheKingInYellow @ Jan 26th 2007 10:37AM
The lady on the right is wearing a rather sheer top, or am I seeing things?
jt_bombtrak @ Jan 26th 2007 10:39AM
I definately like the absence of jaggies, but boy do those 'tough guys' look like sissypants! There's a fine line between improving the quality of the graphics and changing the aesthetics and art direction of the piece...and this definately makes it look as though Billy and Jimmy are prancing along the shopping district of their lovely neighborhood.
Unit @ Jan 26th 2007 10:41AM
lol @#7, that's exactly what my friend told me after he played it. "it looks like a cheap ass newgrounds game, and that the controls were not on point" he also said it's like they knew the controls were ass cuz there's a part in there were you get acheivment points if you can jump over one of the gaps or chasms in the game.
dybot @ Jan 26th 2007 10:45AM
At last!
I have been waiting for this since Xbox Live Arcade was originally announced, they have been using false adverticements before when they call upsclaed sprites designed for QVGA resolutions, high definition games. That was just wrong.
If all the classic games would get a touch up like this I would not feel like I wasted money on a old game I could have gotten for far less money
People who don't like the enhanced versions probably don't even have HDTVs. The old school graphics are fun for 5 minutes when you relive your old days but after that they just make you want to throw up, that's why all games should require enhancements if they were designed for QVGA at least use HQ2X or some filtering and please not use bilinear filtering it's even worse than the original.
Pedro @ Jan 26th 2007 2:42PM
amn, retro titles can't win. ON the virtual console, people complain that they haven't been updated. And on XBLA, people complain that they HAVE been updated.
pixelate @ Jan 26th 2007 10:57AM
i don't understand why (if you click through to the forum you can see) they'd go through the trouble of updating the graphics like this and not go ahead and make it widescreen as well.
in general though, i do prefer the original graphics if they're not really changing the game. that said, i wish more developers would try to create 2D games in the retro 'spirit' but with all original graphics from the ground up. the Sonic franchise, for example, could use something like this, in the "new super mario bros." vein.
Shmil @ Jan 26th 2007 11:21AM
You see, when the developers were first making the games they wanted ATAT imperial walkers to be in the background along with some dance numbers and better resolutio, they just couldn't afford it at the time so they had to use pixels, now they can go back and add all that magic in
Arno @ Jan 26th 2007 11:41AM
Looks fine. What are you people complaining again about? That the game you'll be will actually look decent on you 42+ inch HDTV?
Eric @ Jan 26th 2007 11:50AM
I'm pretty sure all "enhanced graphics" games give you a choice of new or original. This is the first one I've seen where the original graphics actually look better, at least in a still photo.
dantebk @ Jan 26th 2007 12:13PM
On the one hand, I already have access to the original Double Dragon.
On the other hand, playing it again and getting points for it sounds very appealing.
I'm not a points whore that will play ANY game for points, but if I can replay a classic game I love (that I wouldn't mind replaying anyway) and get points for it? Nice!
J.Goodwin @ Jan 26th 2007 12:38PM
Yes, every game that has been released by a publisher and ported by Digital Eclipse offers both old and new graphics (and sound in some cases), and you can switch between them at any time.
If you have a problem with that, then you're free to play the version of Double Dragon that isn't available on the Virtual Console, but if it was, it would be the NES version instead of the arcade version, it would still have shitty graphics (true to the original NES version), and it wouldn't offer online co-op, achievements, or live chat with people playing other games.
But it would still cost five bucks.
Your choice.
tentaclesex @ Jan 26th 2007 12:37PM
What the fuck did they do to the shading? The new graphics are awful.
leadbelly @ Jan 26th 2007 12:56PM
i personally think the artwork on the enhanced version could of been done better, but on the other hand, this has been enhanced more than any other classic XBLA game ive played so far.
it's actually quite a drastic enhancement of it. the artwork isn't great, but i can live with it. i will no doubt play the enhanced version on my HDTV.
http://www.xboxworld.nl/images/content/43481.jpg
kind of shows how much the game has been enhanced if you never bothered to check out the links. the thumbnails don't really show you that.
joe smith @ Jan 26th 2007 1:50PM
You know, I get it that Joystiq needs to rabble rouse to get comments and drive traffic, but does every single Arcade title need to get reamed over every little thing? If you don't like retro games, don't play them, if you don't like hte new graphics, play with the original ones. Jeesh -- get a life and learn to stop stressing over totally irrelevant non-issues. Or if you have to stress, pick something important like war, or poverty or baseball.
bub @ Jan 26th 2007 2:15PM
I wish they had just smoothed it, like the algorithm on certain Genesis emulators, whereby the game looks more like it did when you played it on your tv; those older games look so blocky on today's hyper resolution screens... I think 'stylistic' 'improvements' such as the one shown take something away from the original. They even went so far as to make curves straight. It looks sorta lazy.
bub @ Jan 26th 2007 2:55PM
@20, couldn't agree more, that is about all that would rescue the Sonic franchise at this point, and it would be welcome and awesome. They could call it Jurassic, or something, as 2d's at this point might as well be encased in amber as far as next-gen systems go. And just think, far less developer time and resources. Heck, it could even be downloaded. Sigh.
Frankie @ Jan 26th 2007 2:39PM
Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh.... you just got served by poster J.Goodwin!
Rootbeer @ Jan 26th 2007 5:21PM
If they 'upgraded' Abobo to look like some sort of handsome lad, I'm 'o RIOT. It's bad enough that they turned him into Richard Kiel in NES DD2!
ferrarimanf355 @ Jan 27th 2007 2:00PM
Although I anticipate this game, this article fails on the basis of using NeoGAF as a source. Please stop giving that abomination any credibility, please.