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Oh no! Your girlfriend has just been mercilessly machine-gunned down by a gang of villains. There's only one thing to do - call your friend and go and avenge her death.

This sequel to the Tecnos coin-op includes all the features of the original Double Dragon - the heroes can punch, jump, do spin kicks and even get their enemies in a strange-hold - but the landscape is far bigger and there are far more baddies to bash. These guys come in an array of forms and some carry weapons, including knives, shuriken, chains and bats. One particular female duo leaves a bomb that is capable of blowing you right off the screen!

End of level guardians block the way at regular intervals, and it's up to you to discover the method to dispose of them. And once you've beaten them all you can take on the gang leader and get revenge...

The weapons can be grabbed to make life a lot easier for a short while. Knives can be thrown, so you don't have to get too close to your opponents, and baseball bats let you simply walk up to someone and start smashing.

The most fun is to be had with the lethal-looking chain - swing this a few times and most enemies lie down and die. Unfortunately the weapons disappear as soon as their previous owners do.

Double Dragon II has a two-player mode where both vigilantes travel across the landscape as a team. This is very useful for dealing with large gangs of bad guys - but watch you don't hit your friend in the melee, as both players are capable of hurting one another!

The game includes a sequence aboard a helicopter where quick action is required to avoid being sucked out and falling to your doom. This is just one of the many dangers you have to face as you avenge the death of your girl.

Although Double Dragon II looks a bit rough around the edges - the scrolling is jerky and the sprites flicker when things get busy - it's great fun to play.

The multitude of baddies to bash and the sheer variety of backdrops and weapons make this one stand head and shoulders above most Nintendo beat-'em-ups. The two-player mode is where the game really comes into its own - acting as a team with a friend is thoroughly enjoyable and very rewarding.

But even with a single player, Double Dragon is a highly entertaining game. If you've already got Double Dragon, I'd think twice before buying this as it's very similar to the original. If you haven't got it though, check it out.

I found Double Dragon II good fun, with plenty on interesting opponents and fast action. However, it is very similar to the first Double Dragon and gives the impression of just following straight from the latter. The scrolling is often poor and flickery but the sprites are well animated.

There's no doubt that this game will sell by the lorryload, and why not? It's a great game that deserves to do well, and will keep you coming back even when you've finished it. Well worth a look at least.

Presentation 87%
Two player mode and good in-game presentation.

Graphics 79%
Jerky scrolling and flickery sprites, but good backdrops.

Sound 78%
Reasonable tunes and effects.

Playability 86%
It doesn't take long to master the controls, and once you have it's fun all the way.

Lastability 77%
Loads of levels to conquer and plenty of gang members of bash.

Overall 80%
If you haven't got the original game, Double Dragon II is highly recommended.