The NES version, released in the end of 1989 and published by Acclaim in the West, was much like its NES predecessor: more of an adaptation of its arcade counterpart than a direct port. The game was a modest success in the arcades, but didn't have the same longevity as its predecessor due to its Mission-Pack Sequel nature. The difficulty was also increased significantly, with health refills between stages being less generous and the elbow attack from the first game getting completely nerfed. The control scheme was changed (it replaced the original's punch/kick setup with direction-based attack buttons), the graphics were redrawn (backgrounds were entirely new and almost every returning character had a new design), and each stage now has a new end-boss.
The game itself was an upgraded version of the original. With their beloved now gone, Billy and Jimmy set off to defeat the Black Warriors, this time for good. The Black Warriors, humiliated by their defeat at the hands of the Lee brothers, retaliate by murdering Marian. decided to follow it up with a sequel: Double Dragon II: The Revenge, released for the arcades in 1988 (only a year after the first entry). After the success of the original Double Dragon in arcades and on the NES, Technos Japan Corp.