By this point in time, HAMSTER’s Arcade Archives line of games must make up about half the Switch eShop. The company has been remarkably consistent in releasing new games on a regular basis, and no doubt helps to tide over retro fans still waiting for a Virtual Console of some sort to arrive on the Switch. Though many of the releases have been relatively niche arcade games, there’s still been plenty of gems, too, and one of the most recognizable names is about to see a release later this week.
HAMSTER has revealed that Arcade Archives Double Dragon will be hitting the Switch eShop on 18th January, for the usual Arcade Archives price. Featuring two-player co-op gameplay, this is a staple of arcades everywhere, and certainly will fit nicely on the Switch with its split Joy-Con capability.
What do you think? Will you be picking this one up? What’s your favorite beat ‘em up game? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments (64)
My younger brother will be pleased
God, I hope we get all these games on one cart one day.
I have very fond memories but it isnt fun today, slooooowdown is shocking.
Finally! Punch + Jump all day!
On a side note, did Magician Lord ever come back? Ever since it got pulled, I started wanting it. Oh, the irony!
Hooray! Been really looking forward to this one. A perennial favourite of mine and will make my first game purchase of 2018 (going to try and practice more restraint on that front this year, KIRBY STAR ALLIES was earmarked as my first '2018 Buy' but can't resist my cherished DOUBLE DRAGON).
Hopefully, Hamster will also release the sequel later in 2018. As for other arcade beat 'em ups I'd like - the entire Capcom and Konami back catalogue would be ideal.
@masterLEON I believe MAGICIAN LORD has been ever-present on the UK 🇬🇧 eShop. Perhaps grab it from there?
So the Switch only got roughly 1 game per week if the ACA arcade series makes up half the eShop on Switch?
@YamAsereht What? Where you getting the roughly 1 game per week figure from?
Had this WAYYYY back in the day on my very first computer the Attari ST, played it countless times before and I have very fond memories of it, would love to play through it again as it must be a good 25 years since my last game.
I'm guessing it wont have aged all that well though haha
Yes.
There are tons of great arcade games between 1992-1996 which never left arcade. I like to see these games and not titles which all gamers somehow played to death on consoles.
Cool, I played this a lot when it was released on Xbox Live Arcade. Hmm, I might get this on Switch.
I can't justify paying 8 dollars for these games, maybe 5 the most i would pay. I guess i have to wait for a sale.
I'm still hesitant about this game. People keep telling me it has terrible slowdowns and that Double Dragon II is much better. In other words, that the first entry has aged badly. I guess I'll wait for the review.
Anyway, when it was put on hold weeks ago I thought maybe they were doing a trilogy release, but apparently they weren't. Why the delay, then?
By the way, doesn't the lack of display options of these Arcade Archives bother anyone else? Scanlines aside, the only options are one thin white border and... nothing. Where are the cabinet-themed illustrated borders à la Namco Museum or Mega Man Legacy Collection style at least? Would've been nice.
@masterLEON yeah, that’s strange when it got pulled. I bought it before then but still.
@Lroy @masterLEON It returned around a couple weeks ago.
I think it is type lame really seeing as how you can buy all 3 game collection on your cellphone but I guess they have to make that money eh? 0_0
@kitroplious Oh, that's good news. I think I'll go for it on my next batch of ACA purchases. Thinking back, I really liked the music in that.
@Lroy Not that I can't do it, but I'm struggling to think of other UK eShop-only releases that I'd be able to get in order to go through the process in case this happens again.
@Moroboshi876 Cabinet borders on Hamster arcade releases like the NAMCO MUSEUM for Switch would be ace. 👏
I'm okay with Double Dragon 4 atm but I will keep my eyes open if Super Double Dragon ever hit Switch.
People complaining about why the Steam trilogy doesn't come to Switch maybe shoud know that Hamster ports are faithful to arcade versions, whereas the Steam trilogy has changes and "enhancements" as well as a new soundtrack. It's not the same. A trilogy for Switch? All right, but not that trilogy.
Man, I wish we'd be receiving arcade titles which still play well today, not dated (while iconic) brawlers. For example, Final Fight, NOT Double Dragon.
@masterLEON Magician Lord is the worst game I own, very badly designed. Its as if the jumping and shooting of the hero was designed for a different game. no enemies move or attack in a way that can be defended. YOu will need a huge pile of 10p's to get enough credits to get anywhere.
Say what you will about the NES port of Double Dragon. At least the NES soundtrack was better. The gameplay of this arcade version looks cool but the music is awful.
Picked this up for PS4, but it would be handy to have on the go.
@thewoosp Believe me, I know, lol. It shook me down of many of my spare quarters from my lunch money back in the day. And I think I've only made it to the 2nd stage on one credit. Even the transformations weren't that helpful, from the ridiculously short range of the dragon-man's fire breath, or the ninja (I think, I forgot) whose shots were just bigger than normal, IIRC. They were only ever useful to give you another couple hits before dying. In hindsight I believe Magician Lord was very rushed and it didn't get thoroughly playtested. No, I don't see myself actually trying to beat it if/when I do get it. This'll end up being one of those pure nostalgia purchases for me.
Nice, love me a good Double Dragon run...now it can be done on my lunch break! Day1
How many 10p's did I spend on this game in the arcade back in the day ?!? I think I'm gonna have to get it for Switch for auld lang syne.
Yeah, Denim on Denim!
@masterLEON it’s back and I grabbed it right away!!
Ok now that that’s settled, what happened to Crazy Climber?? Thought it was last week?
@Pazuzu666 yea I agree. There are a lot of good looking and more “playable “ arcade brawlers and they keep giving us late 80 games which did not age well and in a way unplayable. They rely on nostalgia for money and not playability.
@YamAsereht @FragRed It's a bit of a snarky exaggeration on the article writer's part, given that there's been an Arcade Archives/ACA NEOGEO release every week since the Switch was released. In one instance, in Europe at least, the only game that came out one week was an ACA NEOGEO title (The King of Fighters '94 to be precise).
@Pazuzu666 Final Fight (arcade) can be purchased from PSN. I have it on my PS3!
This game was everywhere for the better part of a decade after it released. Arcades, skating rinks, gas stations, grocery stores, laundromats, pubs and restaurants. I’ve fed it hundreds of quarters. Just played it a few weeks ago, and the slowdown is beneficial, as it is in many arcade games. If you want to complain about something in this game, complain about some of the platforming elements. Brutal.
Nostalgia hit me hard with this.
Huzzah!
With the help of the Hori Real Arcade Pro fightstick and Hamster, my Switch has turned into a mini arcade cabinet. Once Capcom releases their Street Fighter Collection, I will be complete.
Loved this game 30 years ago - lots of 10ps in Rhyl with my sister!
@retro_player_22
Me too. I would love a chance to play Super Double Dragon again. I was hopeful we would have got it on Wii U virtual console since Arc System Works had released all of the other Technos games.
@SethNintendo It was only one player but the music is so much better.
I hope it'll stay this time. This game MUST be in my collection, and the wait was TORTURE. Will be getting no matter what
@NESlover85 I remember renting this game back in the day after I had already played Double Dragon II for NES, as I didn't know an NES Double Dragon I existed at first. I thought it was a competent brawler for what it was, but no 2P is no Double Dragon for me, which I felt was one of the key selling and fun points of the series. The music was actually decent iirc, but I can't say I hated the arcade music all that much... it's how we got some of the more now famous DD tracks
As a kid, there was nothing more exciting than dropping 10p in a coin-op for two minutes intense gaming with sound and graphics far in excess of anything home computing could offer. Taken out of time and context, a lot of these titles just aren't the same at home.
Will wait to see if the crippling slowdown is fixed on this before buying it
Wonder what the delay was all about?
@MeloMan I agree that without the arcade version we wouldn't habe those awesome tunes. But the NES version is all I knew of Double Dragon. I got it when I was like 4 or 5 and I played it a lot. I didn't know what I was missing by it not being 2 player. The NES soundtrack is ingrained in my brain and watching the video for the arcade version was a shock to my system.
Day one.... again
@antster1983 Yup it sounded very snarky though doesn't make much sense either, when a) there are already loads of eShop game coming out. And b) If/When Nintendo decides to add VC titles, does that mean they will get the same snarky response?
I want the second episode too!
@Hen1roc Depends on the game. Brawlers aren't my game of choice, but I will gladly pay $8 for Moon Patrol.
Favorite Beat 'em Up? 'Turtles in Time', 'X-men', 'The Simpsons'...geez those are probably the most common answers. All Konami and I guess they would be a problem with licenses.
Just use elbow attacks, takes less than 20 min to finish the game with one "coin"
Since I've never had the arcade version, it would be nice to have that in the collection.
Who needs Arcade Archives when they have this baby
@VinnieMii
Hmmm, River City Ransom Underground just might take the title for that one. This is a game that is just asking to be on the Switch. Only available on Steam seems like a waste of potential
Besides lacking coop the NES game is much better.
@bezerker99 that's, good for you?
@bezerker99
final fight double impact.
I remember playing the NES version a good bit. I might pick this one up.
I just bought the game - but at the 2nd level in, there is extreme amounts of slowdown. I know this is from the arcade version being an exact replicate but seriously 2018 is here and this isn't 1985 hardware. The slowdowns are so bad it actually makes the game unplayable to an extent!
@ogo79
@Pazuzu666 Thought you might have a PS3...........
@bezerker99
lol
@bezerker99 I did. Traded it for a PS4.
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