Double Dragon III: The Sacred Stones

The Good
The graphics have been overhauled and the backgrounds are quite a bit more detailed over one and two though the character sprites for Billy and Jimmy look almost the same as The Revenge

Enemies use tactics now! They try to keep you on the ground with punches and kicks. No more stuffing them!

Controls have been reverted back to Double Dragon 1 fare. no more sides where one punches forward and one kicks back. Some may hate this change but I like it since it leads to more variety in the moves.

You finally get other characters other then Billy and Jimmy Lee! Ranzou and Chin are all good characters to use provided you can master their use.

The most challenging out of all the double dragon games.

The Bad
Some people may complain that it's unfair you only get one life though I find this adds to the challenge.

Some people may also find the improved enemy AI cheap

Game is incredibly hard especially the final boss who takes heaps of damage with her moves. It also doesn't help that she can HIT you without even being near you with her invisible hand of pain. The Homing Pigeons also are a slap in the groin.

The Bottom Line
I remember this game like it was yesterday. Clammoring for more Double Dragon back in days past this game came to sate our thirst back in the early 90s. Being a kid at that time the game was far too difficult to even beat the first level. Hell most people can't beat the first level since you get only a moderate amount of energy to take hits and one life. After many weeks of playing I finally got past level one! Then Level 2 showed even MORE challenge with Chinese warriors who did more damage and had more Finesse then the street fighters of the US in the game.

Besides that little story the game is what's to be expected of Double Dragon Fare. Jump kicks, hurricane kicks head grabbing and Billy and Jimmy Lee kicking much butt. The game also has curious new additions like using special weapons a finite amount of times and combining together to do special moves like the double hurricane kick or jumping on one partner to throw yourself at a bad guy with a harder jump kick and so forth. The game is the hardest of all the double dragons with it's one life and no continues but this adds challenge and fun to the quest to finding Marion!

Overall I give this game a 9/10 for the sheer fun it gives me and for not being a pushover. Some may hate this game for being difficult but I love it! Took me years to give this game the beating it deserved and after beating it I literally jumped for joy.