As with all HAMSTER retro releases you can add scanlines to the image, but the options here are a bit different to whatвЂ™s usually provided. While in the settings menu you may want to adjust the game to your liking, changing number of lives and difficulty.

Less enjoyable was the heavily distorted audio that occurred on a couple of occasions during our time with the game, but in both instances simply entering then exiting the settings menu fixed the issue. ThereвЂ™s the occasional beep and whine, but they are hummable pieces that work well. The music has an adventure sound, but occasionally goes with slower tracks. ThereвЂ™s a gap in a wooden bridge to hop over and the jump button is required to reach higher levels towards the end of the factory section, but otherwise jumping is not called upon to navigate the path to Marian.ДЄudio-wise thereвЂ™s a good range of simple sound effects as moves connect and groans from defeated characters and Abobo's growling add to the experience. In practice, they can be an irritant that you stick to when youвЂ™d just hoped to walk away from an attacker. A few ladders do make an appearance, but you donвЂ™t need to climb them, they just serve as a means of clambering on to a platform to escape a tricky situation. The NES and Game Boy versions also featured moments of ladder climbing and platforming sections, but thereвЂ™s little of that here. The way the locations are stitched together works well, but taken as a whole itвЂ™s actually a short trip to rescue Marian, with sections ending soon after theyвЂ™ve begun. Only when the Black Warrior base is reached is there a cut to inside, before the final battle begins. Time bonuses are awarded and health topped up after each section, but the factory is accessed from the streets which leads out into the woodland area that then takes you to the cliffs. Those ports also split into distinct levels (a typical approach within the genre), but here each area flows in to the next.

These locations also featured in the NES and Game Boy ports, but the more powerful arcade hardware naturally leads to more detail and colour. Your rescue mission begins in the streets, but takes in the sights of a factory, a woodland area and cliffs before entering the final base. As the game progresses four enemies being on screen is a more frequent occurrence, leading to an increase in slow-motion fights as you get nearer the end, lessening your enjoyment. It's extremely off-putting when the game speeds back up again as foes are dispatched it's disorientating and can lead to mistakes being made.

More powerful members of the gang also show up as you progress, including one with similar moves to your own and hulking brute Abobo who will grab and throw you if you are not careful.Д¬ombat is generally entertaining, but there is a big problem with slowdown, with performance dropping should three enemies appear on screen (and things slowing to a crawl should a fourth enter the fray). Get stuck between two thugs and you can quickly find your energy depleted as they take turns to give you a kicking.

ThereвЂ™s never more than four enemies on screen, but often there is limited space in which to manoeuvre, making combat tricky as you go to attack one foe, while avoiding the others. These combinations are helpfully mapped to SwitchвЂ™s Z buttons allowing you to perform them with ease. Pressing kick and jump when grounded will perform a spinning kick, or should you opt for punch and jump, your Lee brother will throw an elbow behind him to take out a would-be attacker. A jump button is also present, enabling you to perform a jumping kick, but it is also used for two other moves. ThereвЂ™s a button to punch and one to kick and should you get close to the criminal types you can knee them in the face or throw them. Apart from weapons and objects, Billy and Jimmy have their fighting skills to draw on in their battle against the gang members.

Double dragon 3 review