Technos Collection 1

Technos defined the beat-'em-up genre in the late 1980s, and this Evercade collection brings together their most important work in a single, cohesive package. If you've ever wanted to walk right and punch things, this is your cart.

The Headliners

Double Dragon needs no introduction. The 1987 arcade game that launched a thousand brawlers arrives here in its NES incarnation — a different beast from the arcade original, but a classic in its own right. The NES version's single-player focus and RPG-like move unlocking system give it a distinct identity. Double Dragon II improves on the formula with better graphics, tighter controls, and genuine two-player co-op. Double Dragon III... exists. It's the weakest entry, with stiff controls and questionable design decisions, but completionists will appreciate its inclusion.

River City Ransom is the collection's secret weapon. Technos' open-world beat-'em-up RPG hybrid was ahead of its time in 1989 and remains brilliantly playable today. Punching gangs, earning money, buying stat-boosting food at the mall, learning new techniques from bookstores — it's a formula that wouldn't be widely replicated for decades. The two-player co-op transforms it from great to essential.

The Sports Brawlers

Super Dodge Ball takes the Kunio-kun template and applies it to dodgeball with delightfully violent results. Players hurl balls with superhuman force, triggering special power shots that send opponents spinning, bouncing, or flying off the screen. It's absurd, it's hilarious, and it's deeply competitive in two-player mode.

Crash 'n' the Boys: Street Challenge takes the sports-brawling concept further with events like roof-top jumping, swimming, and fighting-based athletics. It's rougher around the edges than Super Dodge Ball but equally entertaining with a friend.

Emulation and Presentation

The NES-era games in this collection emulate accurately. Controls are responsive, and the Evercade's d-pad handles the eight-directional movement these games demand. Audio reproduction is faithful — the iconic Double Dragon theme sounds as punchy as ever.

The collection benefits from its thematic consistency. Every game here shares DNA — the Kunio-kun art style, the beat-'em-up fundamentals, the emphasis on co-operative play. Playing through the collection feels like a guided tour through Technos' creative evolution.

Verdict

Technos Collection 1 is a must-have for beat-'em-up fans and one of the Evercade's strongest cartridges. River City Ransom alone is worth the price of admission, and the Double Dragon duo, Super Dodge Ball, and supporting titles provide excellent company. The narrow genre focus might not appeal to everyone, but for players who love the satisfaction of a well-timed punch, this cart delivers in spades.