O--------------------------------------O | | | DOUBLE DRAGON NEON - FAQ/Walkthrough | | Version 1.17 | | Created by Mythril Wyrm | | | O--------------------------------------O Table of Contents I. Update History II. Legal Notice/Disclaimer III. Playing the Game A. Controls 1. Basic Moves 2. High Fives B. Making Progress C. Helpful Hints D. Enemies 1. Williams 2. Linda 3. Abobo 4. Hoverbizzle 5. Ichisumi 6. Tape Worm 7. Shun 8. Roxy 9. Missile 10. Bimmy 'n' Jammy 11. Jiang Shi 12. Bao Boshi E. Mission Walkthroughs 1. Main Street 2. Back Alleys 3. Space Lair 4. Airlock 5. Countryside 6. Assault Zone 7. Some Kind of Lab 8. Genetic Research 9. Haunted Forest 10. Neon Fortress F. Shop Inventories 1. Mission 2 2. Mission 3 3. Mission 5 4. Mission 8 5. Mission 10 IV. Mix Tapes A. Stances 1. Balanced 2. Training Wheels 3. Power Gambit 4. Magic Gambit 5. Stunner 6. Rage 7. Weapons Up 8. Successive Strikes 9. Desperation 10. Absorb B. Sosetsitsu 1. Knee Drop 2. Bro Dozer 3. Spin Kick 4. Fireball 5. Dragon Swarm 6. One Inch Punch 7. Bomb Toss 8. Lightning 9. Healing Touch 10. Song Snatch V. Secrets & Unlockables A. FuzzFace B. Secret Mission C. Others VI. Questions & Answers VII. Special Thanks VIII. Contacting Me To skip to a specific section, press Ctrl + F, type in a section name, and press Enter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Update History v1.00 - Completed all lists and walkthroughs for missions. Will expand Controls section, Secrets and Unlockables section, analyses of mix tapes, and perhaps some of the boss strategies after further experimentation and/or receiving e-mails from readers. May also add drop lists for enemies. v1.10 - Revised the Controls, Helpful Hints, Enemy List, and Questions & An- swers sections, changed the formatting of the Secrets & Unlockables section and the enemy encounter lists in the Mission Walkthroughs section, and made numer- ous minor changes. v1.11 - Added drop lists for enemies and a missing area to the walkthrough for Mission 8, revised some boss strategies, and made numerous minor changes. Will revise drop lists if any new discoveries are made. v1.12 - Revised the Helpful Hints section, enemy drop lists, some of the boss strategies, and some of the mix tape descriptions. Added a link to a site with the song lyrics to the Questions & Answers section, and made numerous minor changes. v1.13 - Revised the Enemies section to include missiles and list the missions in which each enemy appears, and made a few minor changes. v1.14 - Added a drop for Bimmy 'n' Jammy and a reader tip for the first fight with Skullmageddon, updated the Special Thanks section, and made some minor changes. v1.15 - Revised the walkthroughs for Missions 5 and 6 and the strategy for the second fight with Skullmageddon, and made a few minor changes. v1.16 - Added two new Helpful Hints, revised the Enemies section and some of the enemy encounter lists and mix tape analyses, and made some minor changes. v1.17 - Updated Questions & Answers section, changed a subsection name, and made some minor changes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- II. Legal Notice/Disclaimer This FAQ is copyright 2012-2015 by Devin McCain. At this time, only the sites on the list below have my permission to host this FAQ: GameFAQs (http://www.gamefaqs.com) IGN (http://www.ign.com) Neoseeker (http://www.neoseeker.com) Super Cheats (http://www.supercheats.com) Please notify me as soon as possible if you find it posted anywhere else. If you want to post this FAQ on your own website, you may do so only if you obtain my permission in writing and agree to leave the FAQ completely unchanged. If you post it without my explicit permission or change it and try to pass it off as your own, there will be unpleasant consequences when I find out. Feel free to print a copy of this FAQ for personal use, but do not publish or distribute it with intent to turn a profit on it. I'm sharing it free of charge, so please respect that. All other copyrights and trademarks mentioned in this FAQ are the property of their respective owners. I neither claim nor challenge their ownership. This FAQ may contain spoilers. Continue reading at your own risk. I take no responsibility for any embarrassment, injuries, or deaths that result from the use of this FAQ or any of the information contained herein. If you're that stupid, it's your own damn fault. Got that? Good. Now, let's move on to the fun stuff... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- III. Playing the Game A. Controls 1. Basic Moves S = Square T = Triangle O = Circle U/D/L/R = Up/Down/Left/Right F = Forward S | Light attack; chains into a one-two punch. When holding a weapon, | uses the weapon. T | Heavy attack; chains into two kicks followed by a spinning kick. S + T | Hold down to break dance or beat box. X | Jump or enter a doorway. To jump farther, get a running start. X + S | Dive kick. Propels you forward quickly. X + T | Axe kick. Propels you upward slightly. O | Pick up items or grab and throw enemies. You can grab two enemies at | once if they're close together. When holding a weapon, throws the | weapon. D + S | Use a karate finisher on a downed enemy. L2 | Duck. Allows you to avoid high attacks. A well-timed duck will trig- | ger the Gleam, a red flash that doubles your attack power for a few | seconds. L2 + L/R | Dodge roll. Allows you to avoid incoming attacks. A well-timed dodge | will trigger the Gleam, a red flash that doubles your attack power | for a few seconds. L2 + S | Foot sweep. L2 + T | Flying knee. R2 | Run in the direction you're facing. To stop running, tap the analog | stick or control pad in the opposite direction. R2 + S | Slide tackle. R2 + T | Shoulder bash. R1 | Use your equipped Sosetsitsu. You'll hear a tone if you try to use | it with insufficient energy. D, D, L2 | Prone stance. F, F, S | Sucker punch. Start | Pause the game. Allows you to quit a mission and access the menus. Select | Bring up the mix tape menu. Allows you to switch your Stance and | Sosetsitsu. 2. High Fives These moves can only be used during a two-player game. U/D/L/R = Up/Down/Left/Right RA = Right Analog U on RA | Life split. Shares some health with the other player. L/R on RA | Gleam. Instantly gives the other player the Gleam. D on RA | Psych. Steals some health from the other player. B. Making Progress You start each mission with three lives, though you can usually find more. The number of lives you have in reserve is displayed by your health and energy bars in the upper left. If you have a life in reserve when your health is depleted, you'll respawn and be temporarily invulnerable to enemy attacks. If you run out of health with no lives in reserve, you'll have to start the mission from the beginning. Your game will be automatically saved each time you access the mission select screen, leave a shop, or visit the Tapesmith. You can replay completed missions at any time. Throughout your search for Marian, you will come across several items that can help you: Weapons | They come in many shapes and sizes. All except the whip can be | thrown, and many can be used in melee. The durability of melee | weapons decreases with each hit, and they will flash yellow, | then orange, then red as they get closer to breaking. Cash | Gives you money to spend at the shop. Single bundles are worth | $100; piles of cash are worth $300 or $700. Dragon Kick! | A soda that's good for martial artists. Cans restore a little of | your health, bottles fully restore it, and the rare Crystal | Dragon Kick! fully restores your health and energy. Batteries | Keep you fully energized and able to use Sosetsitsu. Individual | batteries restore a little of your energy; stacks of batteries | fully restore it. Extra Life | A neon 1-Up symbol. Adds another life to your reserve. Mix Tapes | Give you additional Stances or Sosetsitsu to choose from, or | level up one that you already have. The maximum level of each | mix tape starts at 10 and can be increased at the Tapesmith. Keys | These unlock treasure chests, which contain mix tapes and large | amounts of cash. If you find a key, do your best to hold on to | it until you find a chest to open. Dragon Orb | Appears at the end of odd-numbered missions. It will drop a mix | tape or cash and fly high into the air every time you hit it, | shattering and ending the mission when it hits the ground. Keep | it airborne for as long as possible to maximize your rewards. Mythril | A mystical metal dropped by bosses. The Tapesmith can use it to | increase the maximum level of your mix tapes. You will need 2 | Mythril for the first upgrade, 6 for the second one, 10 for the | third one, and 12 for the last one. C. Helpful Hints Practice ducking and dodging. Almost any attack can be evaded with the proper timing, and the Gleam will help you beat down your foes. If you're trying to hone your ducking and dodging skills, equip the Rage or Successive Strikes tapes. They'll reward you well for not getting hit and help you get in the habit of fighting defensively. You can switch mix tapes at any time. Always use the Stance and Sosetsitsu that are best for a given situation. Most enemy attacks only hit on a horizontal plane. If you have trouble timing your ducks and dodge rolls, move vertically or diagonally to avoid attacks. With the exception of Hoverbizzles, only stunned enemies can be grabbed and thrown. Enemies won't stagger if you hit them while they're swinging a weapon. Avoid and counter their attacks to disarm them. Undead enemies can't be stunned, but they can be knocked down. Bomb Toss and Dragon Swarm are useful against them. Be aware of your environment. You can often use it against your enemies. Falling into pits is harmful to you, but lethal to your enemies. You might miss out on their drops, but knocking or throwing them into pits is a fast and easy way to defeat them. Don't be ashamed to replay earlier missions. It's a good way to practice your skills, level up your mix tapes, and collect Mythril from the bosses. Defeated bosses drop more Mythril on higher difficulty settings (3 on Normal, 7 on Dragon, 17 on Double Dragon). If you want great rewards, take great risks. D. Enemies The following is a list of all the regular enemies, their movesets, tips for fighting them, the missions in which they appear, and the mix tapes they drop when defeated or hit with Song Snatch. For boss strategies, look to the walk- through of the appropriate mission. 1. Williams Skullmageddon's ubiquitous servant and whipping boy attacks with a two-punch combo, cartwheel kicks, and dive kicks. Alone, he's a pushover, but he becomes more of a threat in groups. It's usually wise to take him out last. Sometimes uses baseball bats, knives, boomerangs, or guns. If he has a hair pick, he'll drop it when defeated. Appearances: Missions 1-10 Drops: Absorb, Balanced, Knee Drop, Lightning, Training Wheels 2. Linda An alluring female fighter who really knows how to use her legs. Her kicks have good reach, are fairly powerful, and can knock you out of the air with ease. Stay on the ground, dodge her attacks, and counterattack while you're Gleaming. Often uses whips or grenades. Appearances: Missions 1, 2, 4, 7-10 Drops: Fireball, Spin Kick, Stunner 3. Abobo This bald brute is slow, but very strong. His arsenal includes a headbutt, an uppercut, a kick, a powerful throw, and a two-directional punch that he uses at close range. He's resistant to stuns and knockdowns, and he can't be grabbed. Land a few punches on him, then dodge his counterattack and hit him while you have the Gleam. Appearances: Missions 1-6, 9, 10 Drops: Power Gambit, Rage 4. Hoverbizzle A hovering robot that spins toward you to attack. Dive kicks or throws will smash it with ease. Watch out for the red ones, which can self-destruct. Appearances: Missions 3-8, 10 Drops: Bomb Toss, Successive Strikes 5. Ichisumi A geisha who teleports about in a shower of cherry blossoms. She can throw her fan high or low, and will use a spin attack if you stand next to her when she appears. Dodge roll to avoid her fan, then pummel her. Don't bother trying to stun her or knock her down. She drops her fan when defeated. Appearances: Missions 3-6, 8-10 Drops: Desperation, Magic Gambit 6. Tape Worm When this overgrown parasite bursts through a wall, cheer. It has no offensive ability and can't be killed, but you'll get cash, Dragon Kick!, batteries, or mix tapes each time you hit a segment of its body. It's almost like a piņata! Appearances: Missions 4, 8-10 Drops: Variable 7. Shun A kunoichi (lady ninja) who fights with kunai, kicks, and ninja magic at close range. She's fast, aggressive, and deadly on the ground and in the air. Wait for her to attack, then dodge and beat her down while you're Gleaming. She's fairly easy to stun, but she recovers quickly from knockdowns with a spinning kick. Approach her with caution when she first appears or has been downed. She drops her kunai when defeated. Appearances: Missions 5, 6, 8-10 Drops: One Inch Punch, Song Snatch, Weapons Up 8. Roxy A flying female who attacks with dives and a rocket-powered charge. The charge takes a bit of time to execute, but will knock you across the screen if it hits. Use dive kicks and axe kicks to hit her until her jetpack malfunctions. Flying knees are effective, as is trapping her at the edge of the screen. Appearances: Missions 7-10 Drops: Bro Dozer 9. Missile I have no idea what fires it, but it tends to appear en masse at inconvenient times. It's small, fast, and knocks you down on contact, but one good hit will destroy it. Dive kicks work wonders. Appearances: Missions 7, 10 Drops: Dragon Swarm 10. Bimmy 'n' Jammy Imperfect clones of the Lee brothers who rely on brawn rather than brains or finesse in a fight. Their flying knees are rather quick, but their fighting style is otherwise similar to Abobo's, and the same tactics can be used to take them down. Appearances: Missions 7, 8 Drops: Knee Drop 11. Jiang Shi A hopping vampire of Chinese folklore that attacks with its claws, fangs, and feet. It flies to pieces when struck, so land a few quick hits to dismember it and finish it off at your leisure. It can't be thrown, but its head can be used as a projectile weapon. Appearances: Mission 9 Drops: Healing Touch 12. Bao Boshi An evil magician who floats around and attacks with lightning and explosive magical orbs. Dodge his swinging staff and attack him at close range to defeat him with minimal difficulty. Appearances: Mission 10 Drops: Lightning, Magic Gambit E. Mission Walkthroughs All of these walkthroughs were written while playing through the game alone on various difficulty settings. Enemies on Dragon and Double Dragon difficulty have higher stats and use powerful attacks more often, but the same strategies will get you through the missions. 1. Main Street The game begins, in classic Double Dragon style, with Marian being punched in the gut and carried off. You'll emerge from the garage to save her, which you can do by heading right. Beat the 2 Williamses and press on to fight the fol- lowing foes: Williams (x2) Williams (w/bat) Williams (x2) Defeat them all and keep going right to meet a whip-wielding Linda. Defeat her and continue on to confront: Williams, Linda Linda (x2, 1 w/whip) Williams (x2), Linda After beating them, continue to the right to find a key for the nearby treasure chest. Proceed to meet a Williams and a whip-wielding Linda. Abobo will burst through the wall after you defeat them. Beat him down and enter the makeshift door. Upon entering the new area, you'll notice a conveyor belt at the bottom of the screen that empties into a pit. You'll face: Williams (x2) Williams (x2) Williams (x2), Abobo You can choose whether to defeat them by luring them into the pit or pummeling them with your fists and feet. Break the dragon orb to complete the mission. 2. Back Alleys This is a small step up in difficulty from the last mission. Head right, and you'll meet: Williams, Linda Williams, Linda (x2) Williams (x2), Linda (x2) Defeat them all and press on, getting some soda from the mailbox if you need it. When you see the two explosive barrels, more waves of enemies will appear: Williams (x2) Williams (x2) Williams (x4, 1 w/knife) Use the barrels to make quick work of them. Afterward, break the lamppost for a soda and climb up the ladder. There's a shop on your left, and 3 Williamses on your right. Defeat the terrible trio and go through the door. On the rooftop, break the trash can for an Extra Life and pick up the bat as you head to the right. You'll face: Williams, Linda (w/whip) Williams, Linda (x2) Williams (x2), Linda (x2, 1 w/whip) Beat them into submission and enter the shack to leave the area. Climb down the ladder to return to the streets, then knock the distracted Wil- liams into the pit. Continue past the Tapesmith to meet: Williams (w/knife), Linda Williams (x2, 1 w/bat), Linda Williams, Linda, Abobo Defeat them all, continue to the right, and watch the dojo blast off as you step through the door. Once inside the dojo, collect the Crystal Dragon Kick! and one of the weapons. Proceed to the right and prepare for your first boss battle. BOSS: Skullmageddon He'll start the fight by teleporting to the edge of the screen and launching a flaming skull when he's lined up with you. Dodge roll to avoid it as you close in. He also has a two-slash combo, a three-slash combo that ends with a fiery explosion, and a fire blast that he uses at close range. His three-slash combo and taunt leave him vulnerable, so get behind him and go crazy when he uses them. Slide tackles are good for closing the gap. He often attacks when recov- ering from a knockdown, so you have to be quick if you want to land a finisher on him. When he leaps off the screen, run to the opposite side and stay cen- tered, then move to a different plane when his hat comes flying in. If you get caught under it, he'll impale you with his sword, lift you up, slam you to the ground, and breathe fire in your face for major damage. Keep attacking until he falls. One reader suggests using the hair pick against Skullmageddon: "If you throw it at him and it connects, it causes his hat to become 'stuck' which leaves him vulnerable to attacks for a few seconds and prevents him from doing that face attack move. Another plus to doing this is hearing what he says while trying to remove the pick from his hat." 3. Space Lair Skullmageddon may have escaped, but he left you with a dojo full of minions to battle. Destroy the monitors and avoid the spike traps as you proceed to the right. You'll encounter: Hoverbizzle (x2) Hoverbizzle (x3) Destroy them, run past the spike traps, and dismantle 3 more Hoverbizzles. Con- tinue on to meet: Williams (x2), Hoverbizzle Williams (x3) Williams (x2), Hoverbizzle (x2) After defeating them all, kick out the grate under the barricade tape to access the shop. Continue to the right, break the container for an Extra Life, and jump over the gap. You'll meet: Ichisumi Ichisumi (x2) Williams (w/knife), Ichisumi Beat them all down, then jump the gap and climb up the ladder. Defeat the Wil- liams, jump across two more gaps, and defeat the Williams and Ichisumi. Jump across another gap to meet: Williams, Ichisumi Williams (x2, 1 w/bat), Ichisumi Williams (x3), Ichisumi Jump another gap, knock out the Williams, and climb down the ladder. Break the left container for a key and the right container for a soda, and continue to the right to find a treasure chest. Soon after, you'll meet 2 Hoverbizzles and 2 Ichisumis, all of which you should dispatch. Avoid the spike traps, then de- feat the following waves: Hoverbizzle (x4) Williams (w/bat), Hoverbizzle (x2) Williams (w/bat), Hoverbizzle, Abobo Break the dragon orb to complete the mission. 4. Airlock Unsurprisingly, this mission begins in an airlock. The doors at the top of the screen will open every few seconds, sucking everything nearby out into space. Stay away from them when this happens; it's hazardous to your health. Survive the waves of Williamses and Hoverbizzles until you're able to proceed. You'll find yourself on a catwalk on the outer wall of the rocket dojo. The platforms with holes in them will start shaking when you step on them and col- lapse about three seconds later, so don't dawdle. Defeat the Williams and make your way across the catwalk until you reach a section with a gap in the middle. You'll face: Williams, Ichisumi Williams, Ichisumi Williams (x2), Ichisumi (x2) Throw the Williamses into the gap to make quick work of them. Continue to the right, beat a Linda into submission, then pick up the key and pass through the door. In the second airlock, you'll face waves of Lindas and Hoverbizzles. Many of the Lindas are armed with grenades, and it's easy to lose your key here if an explosion knocks you down. Try to lure them near the airlock door when it o- pens, or else duck and dodge liberally and attack whenever you have an opening. Use and abuse Spin Kick and the invulnerability it grants to survive. You'll know you're almost done when a Williams appears. If you still have your key, use it to open the treasure chest in the next area. A Tape Worm will burst through the wall as you work your way to the right; pum- mel it for prizes. Continue along to face: Williams (x2), Ichisumi (x2) Williams (x2), Linda Break the container for a soda, then continue until you reach a door. Break the bottom container for an Extra Life and go through the doorway. There's an Extra Life in the third and final airlock, as well as a slew of Wil- liamses, Hoverbizzles, Lindas, and a couple of Abobos. Fight defensively, and try to lure troublesome foes near the doors to dispose of them quickly. After leaving the airlock, go right and climb up the ladder. Get the soda, pro- ceed to the right, and take a deep breath as you prepare for a boss battle. BOSS: Mecha Biker Your android adversary starts the battle on a hoverbike. He attacks by zooming across the screen and trying to ram you, or roasting you with his afterburner. Stay near the center of the screen and move vertically to avoid both attacks as you wait for his bike to break down, then beat on him while he repairs it. A few combos will knock him off the bike, and he'll fight you on foot. His main attacks are a three-shot burst and a charged shot with his pistol, and a slide tackle that he often uses after jumping. On higher difficulties, he'll use a flash kick at close range that does high damage and knocks you back, so don't go too crazy with combos. His attacks are pretty easy to dodge, and the charged shot leaves him open for several seconds. Wail on him when you can, and he'll be reduced to scrap metal in no time flat. 5. Countryside The rocket dojo has crashed in the country, leaving you to continue your pur- suit of Skullmageddon on foot. Put the knife-wielding Williams who falls from the sky out of his misery, then prepare to face 2 Hoverbizzles followed by 4 others. Continue to the right to meet: Shun Williams, Shun Williams, Shun (x2) Press on, get the soda, and climb up the ladder. There's a boomerang to your left and a Shun to your right. Knock her out, then jump the gap and defeat the knife-wielding Williams. Proceed a little farther, and you'll meet a new foe. MINIBOSS: Killacopter The Killacopter will fly back and forth, dropping Williamses and attacking you with homing missiles and showers of bombs. You can hit the missiles to destroy them, or dodge them to get the Gleam. Once you beat down 5 Williamses, the Killacopter will attack you with a salvo of missiles; watch the crosshairs to avoid getting hit. 4 more Williamses will jump out of the Killacopter to fight you. Punch their lights out, and it will fly away. A soda awaits you after the Killacopter fight. Jump the gap, pummel the Shun, and climb down the ladder. The shop is to your left, and there's a Williams to your right. In the middle of the field with the six planks, you'll face: Williams (x2) Williams (x2) Williams (x4) If you can lure them onto the planks, step on the X marks to catapult them into the air. Beat up the Williams, bowl the Shun over with the barrel, and continue on to confront: Williams (x2) Williams, Ichisumi (x2) Shun, Abobo You can use the planks on either side of the screen to juggle your foes to death. After defeating them all, break the dragon orb to complete the mission. 6. Assault Zone Pick up the shuriken near your starting point and throw it at the Williams by the crevice. Jump over it and avoid the rain of arrows as you face another Wil- liams. Continue to the right, pick up the sickle, and throw it at the Williams on the other side of the crevice; he and one of his clones will cartwheel to their deaths. There's one more Williams on the other side of the crevice, as well as another old friend. MINIBOSS: Killacopter This time, it starts the fight by trying to blow you into the crevice. Walk or run against the wind, being careful not to touch the rotors. It will soon take to the sky and launch homing missiles while you fight 3 Williamses, then 2 Wil- liamses and a Shun. Some of the Williamses carry knives or boomerangs, so be on guard. Defeat them all, and the Killacopter will launch salvos of missiles at you; watch the crosshairs and avoid them with timely dodge rolls. Next, you'll face 3 Williamses and a Shun as the Killacopter flies upside down and tries to chop you up with its rotors. It will come from the left first and then from the right, so stay out from under it. Finally, it will revert to its missile and bomb routine as you fight 2 Williamses, an Ichisumi, and a Shun. Take them all down, and the Killacopter will fly off. Next, you'll face a Williams and 2 Hoverbizzles. Defeat them and jump the gap, then grab the soda. Avoid the arrows, blow the Shun away with the explosive barrel, and continue to reach a field with arrows raining down in the middle of it. You'll encounter: Williams (x2) Williams (x4) Abobo (x2) To make your job easier, lure them into arrows and hit them with finishers as they lie on the ground. Continue to the right, break the tombstone on the right for a soda, and climb up the ladder. When you reach the section with the two elevated platforms and the rain of arrows, you'll face: Williams (x2), Shun Williams (x3) Williams (x2), Shun (x2) Stay under the elevated platforms and let the arrows soften up your foes before moving in for the kill. Once the screen is clear of enemies, climb the ladder and use running jumps and axe kicks to traverse the elevated platforms; you'll be rewarded with extra cash and two Extra Lives. Finally, proceed to the right to meet the boss. BOSS: Giant Tank This expensive experiment has to be taken down one step at a time. Avoid its various attacks and use the platforms to destroy its three turrets. Climb up and to the right, destroy the steampipes, and avoid the Williamses who emerge from the doorway. Destroy the main gun and the two mortars, then leap onto the scaffolding to the right and hurl an explosive barrel at the glowing red weak point. The Killacopter will fly in from the left to join the fight. Dodge the falling satellite, then climb back to the top of the tank while avoiding the Killacopter's missiles and the tank's Williamses. Leap back onto the scaffold- ing and toss another exploding barrel at the weak point. Dodge another satel- lite, and the tank will supplement the Killacopter's missile volley with mis- siles from its own launchers. Use dive kicks to ascend the platforms and smash the missiles that come at you from below as you make your way up to the scaf- folding again. One more explosive barrel will blow the Giant Tank away. 7. Some Kind of Lab The explosion from the Giant Tank knocked you unconscious and got you kidnapped by Skullmageddon's scientists! To find out what they did with you, break out of your glass cell, head right, and descend the ladder. You'll face: Roxy (x2) Linda (x2) Williams (x2), Roxy Press on to meet another Roxy, and take out the 2 Lindas you meet next. Contin- ue on to confront: Williams (x2) Williams (x2, 1 w/bat), Hoverbizzle (x2) Williams (x2, 1 w/bat), Linda, Hoverbizzle Go right and ascend the ladder. Dodge or destroy the missiles that fly in from the right and run under the ceiling-mounted claws. Lay a Linda to rest and con- tinue on to reach a dark area where you'll face 3 Williamses, then 4 more. Use the claws to help dispatch them. Climb down the ladder, break the machine for an Extra Life, and defeat the Williams. Proceed right to face: Williams, Linda, Roxy Williams, Linda (w/grenade), Roxy (x2) Clear them out, and Bimmy 'n' Jammy will break out of their specimen tanks and come after you. Show these two wannabes how a real Lee brother fights, then break the dragon orb to complete the mission. 8. Genetic Research This mission begins on an elevator. Before it reaches its destination, you'll have to defeat the following enemies: Williams (x2), Linda (x2) Williams (x2, 1 w/bat), Roxy (x2) Linda (x2), Ichisumi (x2) Williams (x2), Shun (x2) Roxy, Bimmy 'n' Jammy Fight defensively, and save the barrels and melee weapons for use on the most bothersome foes. The bottom right barrel holds an Extra Life. After getting off the elevator, beat on the Tape Worm that bursts through the wall. Break the machine for an Extra Life, defeat the gunslinging Williams, and climb up the ladder. You'll face: Williams (w/gun), Hoverbizzle Williams, Hoverbizzle Williams (x2, 1 w/gun), Hoverbizzle Climb up another ladder and avoid the claws as you proceed. Fight the Shun, then 2 more Shuns with the help of the claws on either side, then drink the Dragon Kick! and go through the door. You'll find yourself in an area with collapsing platforms. Defeat the Roxy by the first one, then press on until you see an arrow sign. Step onto the plat- form next to the sign, let it collapse, and jump off when you see a platform on the right. You'll see two doors; the one on the left leads to the shop, and the one on the right leads to the next area. Run past the claws and step onto the conveyor belt. As it slowly carries you to the right, you'll encounter: Williams, Hoverbizzle Williams, Linda Williams, Linda, Hoverbizzle (x2) If you throw them under the claws on the far right, they'll have a hard time escaping in one piece. After eliminating them all, run under the claws and exit right to reach the boss area. Use the Dragon Kick! to heal up before the fight. BOSS: Marian II This Little Shop of Horrors reject starts the battle with two bulbs on long tendrils. It will try to crush you with them, first from the sides and then from above while the main mouth spits bones at you. It sometimes spits power- ups instead of bones, which you should collect with haste. Avoid the plant's attacks and pound on the bulbs, which will burst open and reveal surprises af- ter taking enough damage. The bulb on the left contains a tyrannosaurus head that spits an energy beam at you, and the bulb on the right contains a shark head that shoots incendiary missiles. Both heads have wickedly powerful bites. The beams are harder to avoid than the missiles, so I suggest focusing on the left head first. After you crush both of the heads, the main mouth will open to reveal a core. Pulverize it to put an end to Marian II. 9. Haunted Forest The hardest part of this mission is the beginning. You'll be coasting down a rocky slope on Marian II's jaw while Williamses, Lindas, Shuns, and Roxies as- sault you. You have very little room to maneuver, and it's almost as easy for the enemies to knock you off the platform as it is for you to knock them off. Duck frequently, and use One Inch Punches, Dragon Swarms, or a combination of Spin Kicks and throws to send your enemies flying to their deaths. Be extremely careful when the Roxies appear; their rocket dash WILL knock you off the plat- form if it connects. If you see one preparing to dash, either jump out of her way or hit her to interrupt it. The gauntlet of enemies ends with an Abobo. Once you're in the forest, break the two statues on the left for Extra Lives and the two on the right for sodas. You'll meet a lot of undead enemies here, so use Healing Touch if you've got it. Advance to the right to meet: Jiang Shi (x2) Williams (x2, undead) Williams (x2, undead), Jiang Shi (x2) Watch for falling bones as you proceed to a part with a crevice in the middle. Here, you'll face: Linda (x2, undead w/whips) Williams (x2, undead), Ichisumi (x2) Ichisumi (x2), Shun (x2, undead) Continue on to fight: Linda (undead w/whip) Linda (undead w/whip), Jiang Shi Williams (undead), Linda (undead w/whip), Jiang Shi Ascend the ladder, avoiding the spiked rollers by running, jumping, or rolling appropriately. You'll reach a section with rollers on both sides, where you'll face: Williams (undead), Shun (undead), Jiang Shi Williams (undead w/bat), Jiang Shi (x2) Use the rollers to help flatten them, then grab the key and descend the ladder. Avoid the falling bones and move on until you reach an area with planks, where you'll fight: Williams (x2, 1 undead), Linda (undead) Williams (x2), Shun (undead) Williams (undead), Linda (undead), Shun (undead) Knock them all out and enter the cave. Once inside, pummel the Tape Worm that bursts through the wall. Use the key to open the treasure chest, pass the Tapesmith, and exit the cave. You'll soon come to a section with planks and two rollers, where you'll meet: Linda (undead), Shun Linda (x2, undead), Shun (undead) Williams (w/gun), Abobo Avoid jumping and try to use the planks to launch your foes into the rollers. Break the dragon orb to complete the mission. 10. Neon Fortress You're so close to Skullmageddon, you can practically taste his fear! Advance to the right to face: Williams (w/gun), Linda (w/whip) Bao Boshi Williams (w/bat), Bao Boshi Continue to the right, knock out the lone Linda, and smash the vase on the right for an Extra Life before going through the door. You'll find yourself on a bridge. The pillars obscure your view, which is lim- ited to silhouettes anyway. You'll fight: Williams (x2) Williams, Linda Williams, Linda, Abobo After beating them into submission, exit to the right. Run under the three sets of claws as you proceed to the right. In the section with a plank in the middle and a gap on the right, you'll face: Williams (w/gun), Shun Williams (x2, 1 w/gun), Shun Shun, Bao Boshi Beat them all down and jump the gap, then avoid or destroy the missiles as you work your way past the claws. Timely dodge rolling will help. When you reach the end, go through the door. You'll soon reach a section with spiked rollers on both sides. You'll fight: Williams (w/gun), Hoverbizzle (x2) Williams (w/gun), Hoverbizzle (x2), Roxy Williams (w/gun), Roxy, Bao Boshi Defeat them all and continue to the right. Smash the vases to find an Extra Life and some soda, and exit through the door. In this area, climb the ladder and beat down the gun-wielding Williams. Climb another ladder and ride the third collapsing platform down to find a shop and an Extra Life. Go through the door on the right. You'll find a soda in the vase at the beginning of this area. Proceed to the right and defeat: Hoverbizzle (x3) Hoverbizzle (x2), Bao Boshi (x2) Hoverbizzle (x2), Abobo Smash all of the vases near the door; most of them contain grenades, but two of them contain Extra Lives. Exit through the door when you're ready. You'll find yourself on an elevator with gaps near the sides. As it descends, you'll face the following waves of enemies: Williams (x4, 2 undead, 2 w/guns) Roxy (x4) Hoverbizzle (x4) Hoverbizzle (x4) Williams (x2, 1 undead, 1 w/gun), Hoverbizzle (x2), Roxy (x2) Ichisumi (x2), Abobo (x2) The enemies appear in quick succession, so don't let your guard down. Take care of the Roxies quickly, and try to knock your enemies into the gaps to save time and health. After getting off the elevator, smash the vase on the left for an Extra Life. Proceed to the right, beat the stuffing out of the 3 Tape Worms that appear, and use the key to unlock one of the three treasure chests. Flex your thumbs, crack your knuckles, and prepare for the penultimate boss fight. BOSSES: Evil Marian and Skullmageddon Your worst nightmare is back, and he's backed up by a magically empowered and brainwashed Marian. He's faster than he was when you first fought him, and some of his attacks have changed - he can now launch multiple flaming skulls at you, and when he leaps off the screen and throws his hat, it will linger in the mid- dle of the screen for several seconds before he reappears. His three-slash com- bo still leaves him wide open, so seize the opportunities to beat on him while avoiding Marian's energy bolts and energy fields. Ignore the sweet nothings they whisper to each other, but watch them both carefully - she can create an aura of darkness around Skullmageddon that draws you towards him, and when he surrounds himself with green fire and the screen starts to shake, Marian is preparing to unleash her ultimate attack. It's impossible to avoid, but landing a hit on her will disrupt it. The best defense is a good offense in this fight, so attack Marian as necessary and keep Skullmageddon under heavy pressure until he falls. After his second defeat, Skullmageddon will escape through a portal and dare you to follow him. Marian will be restored to normal and use the power of love to help you pursue Skullmageddon safely. You'll arrive in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic wasteland...in a new, robotic body. Awesome! Immediately head left, gulp down the Crystal Dragon Kick!, and climb down the invisible ladder right below it. You'll find a secret area with two keys, three treasure chests, and three Extra Lives, which will be a huge help in the near future. Climb back up the ladder, head to the right, and hit the Williams who stands in your way. A single blow will send him hurtling off into oblivion, and you'll be able to inflict the same kind of pain on the 4 Williamses, 2 Bao Boshis, and 4 Abobos who appear next. After knocking them all into next week, proceed to the right to begin the final battle! FINAL BOSS: Giga Skullmageddon A robotic lich against a robotic martial artist? Man, what a finale! Watch out for Giga Skullmageddon's sword slashes; they create flaming skulls, and if the sword itself hits you, you'll go flying across the screen and probably get caught in a combo that will end with you getting a faceful of fire and losing a ton of health. In addition to these attacks and the fire blast that he uses at close range, he can shoot lasers, hurl waves of flaming skulls at you from the side of the screen, or teleport to the middle and summon bombs, lightning, mis- siles, bones, or the occasional cache of power-ups while he protects himself with a fiery shield. If he dashes off the side of the screen, watch the cross- hairs to determine where he's going to attack. He teleports around a lot, but he has to stand still when firing lasers or hurling flames. Run and dodge roll past these attacks; if your timing is good, you'll be Gleaming when you reach him and you'll really be able to lay the smack down on him. You can also attack him when he drops his shield after a summoning. As always, approach him with caution after knocking him down; he'll attack in a wide area as he stands up. As Giga Skullmageddon gets weaker, he'll move faster and start using deadlier attacks. The most dangerous one is indicated by four huge crosshairs that ap- pear and converge on your position. When you see them, run and jump out of the way IMMEDIATELY or he'll slice you into atoms. Keep dodging and attacking when- ever he leaves himself open, and don't let impatience get the better of you. He'll give you fewer opportunities to attack as he weakens, and you'll have to be fast to seize them, but they will come. Fight like the dragon you are! When Skullmageddon is one hit away from defeat, he'll dash to the edge of a nearby cliff. Finish him off with a move of your choice, and enjoy the ending theme as you watch him fall. Congratulations on saving Marian and vanquishing the forces of evil once again! F. Shop Inventories A list, complete with prices, of all the items and mix tapes sold in the shops. 1. Mission 2 Crystal Dragon Kick! $200 Extra Life $500 Fireball $900 Spin Kick $900 Dragon Swarm $1100 Balanced $1100 Training Wheels $900 2. Mission 3 Crystal Dragon Kick! $200 Extra Life $500 Bro Dozer $1000 Bomb Toss $1000 Magic Gambit $1200 Successive Strikes $1200 Desperation $1200 3. Mission 5 Crystal Dragon Kick! $200 Extra Life $500 Spin Kick $900 One Inch Punch $1000 Song Snatch $900 Power Gambit $1200 Weapons Up $1100 4. Mission 8 Crystal Dragon Kick! $200 Extra Life $500 Dragon Swarm $1100 Bomb Toss $1000 Healing Touch $1000 Rage $1300 Desperation $1200 5. Mission 10 Crystal Dragon Kick! $200 Extra Life $500 Knee Drop $900 Lightning $1100 Stunner $1200 Successive Strikes $1200 Absorb $1300 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. Mix Tapes The following is a list of all the mix tapes in the game and my analyses of their usefulness. A. Stances 1. Balanced Effects: Powers you up evenly across all stats! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: If you're looking for stat bonuses without bells or whistles, this is a good tape to use. I default to this tape, switching for special situations. 2. Training Wheels Effects: Increases stats with a focus on defense! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: As the name implies, this a good tape to use when you're learning the ropes. The huge health and defense bonuses will help you survive longer, but you'll probably want to swap this tape out for a more offense-oriented one when you become more proficient at the game. 3. Power Gambit Effects: Increases stats with a focus on attack! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: Good if you're a button masher, but there are better tapes out there. 4. Magic Gambit Effects: Increases stats with a focus on magic and increases your magic re- generation rate! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: Good if you rely heavily on Sosetsitsu. Try using it with Lightning to rain electric death on your enemies. 5. Stunner Effects: Melee attacks Stun enemies more easily! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: Another one of my favorites. Stunned enemies won't retaliate against you and can be thrown or beaten down with combos. It also gives a nice attack boost, making it a good default tape if your style strongly emphasizes offense. 6. Rage Effects: Increases your Gleam time, giving you Double Damage for longer! Level Up: Increases Stats and Gleam time! Analysis: Once you get the hang of ducking and dodging, this is a great tape to use. I can't overstate the usefulness of the Gleam, and this tape makes it more useful still. 7. Weapons Up Effects: Increase damage and durability of weapons! Level Up: Increases Stats and improves weapon durability! Analysis: This is a great tape to equip if you're fighting in an area where a lot of weapons are available. It gives a nice boost to defense, but it doesn't provide much energy and it's too specialized to be a good default tape. 8. Successive Strikes Effects: Become stronger as you hit enemies! At 50 consecutive hits, become more than twice as powerful! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: Equipping this tape adds a counter below your energy meter. The more hits you land without being hit yourself, the higher the counter gets and the stronger your attacks become. It's a great one to equip once you master the art of evasion. 9. Desperation Effects: Get a huge damage boost when below 50% health! Level Up: Increases Stats! Analysis: I haven't used this one, but it could be useful if you're willing to take some hits or you're not going to try or expect to collect any Dragon Kick! for awhile. Outside of those situations, I wouldn't recommend it. 10. Absorb Effects: Regain some health with each hit! Level Up: Increases Stats and absorb rate! Analysis: Another one of my favorites. The stat boosts are similar to Balanced, but a little smaller. It's good for keeping your health up if you're low on lives, especially when combined with a multi-hitting Sosetsitsu like Spin Kick. Note that it also works when attacking inanimate objects. B. Sosetsitsu 1. Knee Drop Effects: Drop from the air to hit enemies! Only works while airborne! Level Up: Increases Damage! Analysis: Fairly damaging, hard to interrupt, and can be used against airborne or downed enemies. Not terrible, but there are better tapes to use. 2. Bro Dozer Effects: Dash repeatedly across the screen with a flying elbow! Level Up: Increases Damage! Analysis: "Across the screen" is an exaggeration. The range isn't that great, but it can be chained and does good damage for its energy cost. A solid choice. 3. Spin Kick Effects: Knock many enemies around with an invincible spin kick! Level Up: Increases Damage and knockback force! Analysis: This one is awesome! It hits multiple times, knocks enemies back, and provides you with a few seconds of invincibility. It can be used while jumping, which makes it effective against airborne foes. The energy cost is fairly high, but it's worth it. I default to this tape, switching for special situations. 4. Fireball Effects: Conjure a powerful fireball! Level Up: Increases Damage and blasts through multiple enemies! Analysis: This one is pretty good. It's got good range and can blast through a line of foes when leveled up, and the energy cost is reasonable. Good to use on bosses or enemies you don't want to approach closely. 5. Dragon Swarm Effects: Call the spirit of the Dragon to aid you! Level Up: Increases Damage! Analysis: It looks amazing, it freezes enemies when used, and it damages and knocks down everybody on the screen. The big drawback is its tremendous energy cost - when you first get it, you probably won't have enough to use it without equipping Magic Gambit or a leveled-up Balanced tape. It's great for giving you a breather when you're facing down a crowd, but watch the timing when using it against Ichisumis and Shuns. 6. One Inch Punch Effects: A short range but very powerful attack! Level Up: Increases Damage and meteors enemies across the screen! Analysis: The damage and knockback make up for its lack of speed and range. Good to use against large, heavy enemies, but it becomes outclassed by multi- hitting Sosetsitsu at the highest levels. 7. Bomb Toss Effects: Bust out a bomb that can be thrown at foes! Level Up: Increases Damage! Analysis: This one is interesting. The bombs can be dropped or thrown, and they damage every enemy in their blast radius. They also score knockdowns easily and are able to damage downed enemies. On the downside, it requires good aim and has a high energy cost. It works well against undead and slow enemies, but I generally prefer Sosetsitsu that do immediate damage. 8. Lightning Effects: Summon homing magic that is fast, but weak! Level Up: Increases Damage and hits more enemies! Analysis: It's guaranteed to hit its target, it costs very little energy, and it can be spammed. Works very well on crowds, and against stronger enemies at higher levels. Just don't use it when there are no enemies on the screen, or you'll strike yourself. 9. Healing Touch Effects: Heals your bro or the enemy! Also great against the undead, liches, and super liches! Level Up: Increases Damage! Analysis: I haven't used this one very much. In single-player games, it's only useful in three missions, but I can see it being a great boon in co-op games and against Skullmageddon at higher levels. 10. Song Snatch Effects: Use this move to make the enemy drop an item...maybe! Level Up: Increases Damage and loot yield! Analysis: It costs next to no energy and does very low damage, but it's a good way to get extra mix tapes from regular enemies or an extra piece of Mythril from a boss. Don't expect it to work very often until you level it up. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- V. Secrets & Unlockables A. FuzzFace When you see the two tombstones at the foot of the ladder in Mission 6, stand between them and duck seven times to reveal FuzzFace. This strange furry faerie will follow you from mission to mission, flying overhead and periodically drop- ping Dragon Kick! and batteries to help you out. FuzzFace disappears when you quit the game or return to the title screen, so you'll have to revisit Mission 6 each time you play if you want his help. B. Secret Mission At the beginning of Mission 7, hit the punching bag exactly 87 times. When you hear the tone, wait for 5 seconds to access a secret mission where you and all the enemies have Yoshihisa Kishimoto heads. The mission is short, but pretty tough. Start by heading right, and you'll face the following waves of enemies: Williams (x6) Hoverbizzle (x6) Hoverbizzle (x6) Abobo (x4) Defeat them all and continue heading right. Smash the machine for a Crystal Dragon Kick!, then ascend the ladder. Walk under the eight spiked rollers, and you'll come to a wide pit. To reach the other side, you have to cross four col- lapsing platforms as missiles fly at you from the right. The best way to over- come this challenge is by standing on the left edge of each platform, doing a dive kick, then walking to the right edge of the platform and doing another dive kick. You should plow through any missiles in your way and reach the other side in good health. Continue to the right, defeat the 3 Abobos who show up, then exit through the door to return to the beginning of Mission 7. C. Others Beating the game on Normal difficulty will unlock Dragon difficulty and the Concept Art gallery. The last piece of concept art has a special code on it. To play as a Ro-Bro, press and hold L1, L2, L3, R1, R2, R3, Select, and Start on the mission select screen. You'll hear a tone if you input the code correctly. To reverse the ef- fects, input the code again. Beating the game on Dragon difficulty will unlock Double Dragon difficulty, the ultimate test of your fighting prowess. Just for a laugh, pause the game during the fights with Skullmageddon. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VI. Questions & Answers Q: Why a Double Dragon Neon FAQ? A: It hadn't been done yet, and I enjoyed playing through the game. Q: Should I get this game? A: If you like the Double Dragon series, beat 'em up games, or the music and culture of the 80s...yes. Yes, you should. Q: This game is too hard! What can I do to make it easier? A: Practice ducking, dodging, and reading your foes' attacks. It takes time to get the hang of it, but you'll take a lot less damage and be able to dish out much more (with the Gleam) once you do. Leveling up your mix tapes also helps, but you'll need to master the art of evasion if you want to survive the higher difficulty settings. Q: I can't reach one of the monitors in Mission 3! How am I supposed to break it? A: Use Bomb Toss. Q: Where can I find lyrics for the songs in the game? A: Right here: http://virt.bandcamp.com/album/double-dragon-neon Q: Do you think Evil Marian is hot? A: Yes. She's also pixels. Q: Who's your favorite girl in the game? Mine is... A: Please don't finish that sentence. Q: Is it just me, or does FuzzFace kind of look like the botched Jesus fresco? A: It's not just you. Q: Skullmageddon sucks! He's nothing but a cheap ripoff of Skeletor! A: That's not a question, and Skeletor could only dream of being as competent or likeable as Skullmageddon. (This, by the way, is coming from a lifelong fan of He-Man.) Q: Your FAQ sucks! I've crapped out better FAQs than this! A: As soon as you find a way to upload excrement, you should post your wondrous creation for all to see. Q: I posted my FAQ, and everyone I know thinks it's better than yours! Your FAQ really DOES suck! A: Congratulations! I am in awe of your superior FAQ-writing skills! Now go away. Q: This is the best FAQ I've ever read! You're a genius and a god among men, and I want to know more about you so that I can immortalize you! A: Yeah, I get that a lot. My contact info's listed below. Q: A: See the second sentence of my previous answer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VII. Special Thanks I would like to thank... ...WayForward Technologies and Majesco, for bringing us Double Dragon Neon. ...Technos and Taito, for bringing us the Double Dragon series. ...Winston Hasado (ssj4goku050682@hotmail.com), for his reminder about throwing the hair pick at Skullmageddon in Mission 2. ...GameFAQs, for posting this FAQ. ...Neoseeker, for posting this FAQ. ...Super Cheats, for posting this FAQ. ...the folks at IGN, for posting this FAQ. ...you, for reading this FAQ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIII. Contacting Me If you want to get in touch with me, send an e-mail to the following address: mythrilwyrm[at]gmail[dot]com Be sure to replace [at] and [dot] with the appropriate symbols, and put the word "FAQ" in the subject line of your e-mail to ensure that it doesn't wind up in my spam folder. I check my e-mail every day, so you should receive a reply quickly in most cases. I happily accept praise, corrections, and constructive criticism, and will give you credit for any information you share with me that I decide to add to the FAQ. Rude, crass, or unintelligible e-mails will be ig- nored or mercilessly ridiculed as my mood dictates, so keep your e-mails clear and polite if you want me to respond in kind. I also use Skype and various IM clients occasionally. If you want my contact information, ask for it via e-mail. Happy gaming!