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Double Dragon Advance

Double Dragon Advance is a 2003 side-scrolling beat-’em-up video game developed for the Game Boy Advance. It’s a comprehensive remake of the original Double Dragon, enhancing the classic arcade experience with additional content and features.

Gameplay

Players step into the roles of Billy Lee, or his brother Jimmy, martial arts masters on a mission to rescue Billy’s girlfriend Marian from the clutches of the Shadow Warriors gang. The game can be played solo or cooperatively with another player using the Game Link Cable. An innovative mode also allows a single player to control both Lee brothers alternately, with one character active while the other awaits command.

Double Dragon Advance retains all the classic moves from the original arcade game and incorporates new techniques inspired by later versions and other Technōs beat-’em-ups, such as Renegade and The Combatribes. These include the Hyper Uppercut and Hyper Knee from Double Dragon II: The Revenge (NES version), and unique attacks like the sit-on punch and the jump stomp. The arsenal is further expanded with new weapons such as nunchakus and double kali sticks.

New Content

The game introduces four new stages, increasing the original game’s breadth and providing fresh challenges. These stages include:

A bustling Chinatown.
A high-speed brawl atop a moving truck, reminiscent of Super Double Dragon.
A cavern stage akin to the first NES Double Dragon game.
A fortress stage before the final showdown, inspired by Double Dragon II: The Revenge, featuring a new final boss named Raymond, modeled after the Mysterious Warrior from the arcade sequel.

In addition to these new stages, Double Dragon Advance brings back most enemy characters from the first two arcade installments and introduces new adversaries such as the Twin Tigers Hong and Huang, Kikucho, and the Five Emperors. The game also improves combat versatility, allowing moves previously restricted to certain enemies, like the hair-pull move on Abobo, to be used universally.

With these enhancements, Double Dragon Advance offers a robust and refreshed experience, making it a cherished addition to the Game Boy Advance library and a must-play for fans of the beat-’em-up genre.