The first time I laid my hands on Double Dragon Neon, I was not impressed. The bright '80s colors weren't doing it for me. The character models for protagonists Jimmy and Billy looked hunched and unnatural. Their attacks were stilted and limited. The enemy designs were silly and altogether over the top.

The second time I played it, however, I slipped on a pair of headphones and something happened. The classic Double Dragon music washed over me, reworked with 80s synth and electric guitar, and I saw something I hadn't noticed before: potential.