Collection essentials #170: Battletoads & Double Dragon (SNES)

I’ve talked about Battletoads in this series before.


I haven’t, though, showcased any Double Dragon games, which may come as a surprise as the Double Dragon games were quite popular “beat ‘em ups” from back in the day. The thing is, I don’t recall ever actually playing any Double Dragon games as a kid (unless this counts), and trying them out as an adult, I don’t find them particularly exciting. 


Crossovers in video games (and probably in general) weren’t nearly as common back then as they are now, so that’s something that stands out about Battletoads & Double Dragon right off the bat. It’s worth noting that the gameplay usually feels more like a Battletoads game that has Double Dragon characters thrown in rather than a proper fusion of the two series, but as someone who has never been into Double Dragon very much, you won’t find me complaining.


You could call this game a “beat ‘em up”, and the first level very much feels like one, but like other Battletoads games, there’s quite a bit of variety in level design. Sometimes you’ll be able to move in all four directions as is normal in beat ‘em ups, but in other levels you strictly move left and right on a 2D plane. Other levels have you piloting vehicles, such as one where you have to move and jump to dodge obstacles (a Battletoads tradition) and one where you have to fly around in a little spaceship and shoot things. The biggest problem with beat ‘em ups in my opinion is that it’s easy for them to feel stale and repetitive, so this variety in level design is something that I welcome.


Battletoads games in particular are known for being extremely difficult. This game is no walk in the park either, but thankfully the difficulty is not SO brutal that it makes the game unfun right off the bat. Two-player mode is where this game really shines, as teaming up with a buddy doubles the fun. And unlike the original Battletoads, you can have it so that your attacks won’t hurt each other, so you won’t have to worry about staying away from your teammate. I think this is the best game in either of these two series!


Battletoads & Double Dragon was a game I didn’t own as a kid, but people I knew often had it, so I have memories of playing it over friend’s houses. I always pegged it as a game I would pick up if I ever found it for cheap, and it took a while for that to happen, as I finally got it in my early 20s. It’s an easy choice when looking for co-op games to play.


One time I played this game with Gideon Zhi (founder of Aeon Genesis) and I found myself struggling early on, so I remarked, “I’m not doing well!” And he replied, “It’s Battletoads, you don’t ‘do well.’” That instantly became one of my favorite friends' quips from co-op gaming of all-time. 😆

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