This is the best looking version of Double Dragon ever released for a home console, but it has some problems.
In terms of gameplay, Double Dragon always was a little more complex than many of the other sidescroller beat 'em up games that both preceeded and came after it. Take the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game, for example, which is another recently released sidescroller beat 'em up. TMNT the arcade game only allows players a few basic attacks, and you can't pick up additional weapons. Double Dragon, on the other hand, allows players to perform throws, special punches and to use weapons. As a result, Double Dragon, at least in my opinion, presents a richer gameplay experience than many of its clones. To this day, it remains the grand daddy of all sidescroller beat 'em ups. It certainly set the bar for a list of impressive games that followed it, such as Final Fight, Streets of Rage, etc.
While Double Dragon looks great , you might wonder how it plays. From my early impressions, I can honestly say the controls are hit or miss. The game doesn't feel as responsive on the Xbox 360 controller as it did for the Nintendo Entertainment System, and I continue to debate whether it's my imagination or not, but it seems particularly less responsive in the enhanced mode.
Some of these control issues may stem from the fact that when you run the game in enhanced mode, the framerate too often takes a big hit, especially when too many enemies are onscreen. The slowdown affects your ability to control your character, and for me, this is a big let-down. The Xbox 360's hardware should be overkill for running this game.
From a sound standpoint, the game features a slightly re-worked version of the arcade theme music. It's nostalgic, but nothing fantastic. Overall, if you love Double Dragon, you will probably enjoy the Xbox 360 version, but be aware that it does have some technical issues, such as inconsistent framerates and spotty controls. Some of these problems seem better in the "un-enhanced" version of the game, but you may not like the pixelated visuals in that version. For $5, fans may find Double Dragon a great value and a nostalgic purchase, even with some its problems.