ReMix: Super Double Dragon 'No. 5 (Snapdragon)'

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Game: Super Double Dragon (Tradewest, 1992, SNES)
ReMixer(s): ParagonX9
Composer(s): Kazunaka Yamane
Song(s): 'Mission 4'
Posted: 2006-04-30, evaluated by the judges

Changes to OCR continue as the recently implemented "Quick Search" feature, accessible via the left sidebar, allows searching for mixes by composer, game, remixer, and title. There's more to come, but things are a little rough right now with classes winding down and finals ensuing, hence the temporary sloth. ParagonX9's last ReMix was posted way back in October of '04, so it's been a good while. Like his coverage of Koopa's Road from SM64, this piece from Super Double Dragon is good, clean funtronica, which doesn't hesitate to employ the staple foods of four-on-the-floor cuisine, but does so with a certain skill and refined flavor. Back in their heyday, the Lee brothers were the original dynamic duo of street-brawlin', ass-kickin' action, with roundhouse kicks rivaling those of He Who Walks Among Us for velocitude and punishifiyingment. Then Data East came along, and all of the sudden the Lee brothers didn't seem so tough, fighting dozens of Abobo clones to save Billy's girlfriend, compared to Dudes (Bad) fighting NINJAS to save RONNIE. Their "Super" SNES outing was a bit of a letdown in this regard, as one felt the twilight of the DD franchise setting in, their fraternal order of Abobophobia waning in potency.

Paragon is here to mitigate this fall from grace and render unto the Lee brothers what is theirs, through the healing power of beats + synths. zircon writes:

"I could make some nitpicks here about a few production aspects (mids-highs are a bit muddy at times, reverb/delay is sometimes excessive, and the wind instrument doesn't sound so hot), but for the most part, the synths are well-designed and executed, the beats are hot, and I LOVE THAT 3/4 CHANGEUP!!! Very creative! The switch to 'hardcore' all of a sudden is also unexpected, but welcome. The arrangement factor is most definitely there given the simplicity of the original. I've heard a lot of electronic mixes and I can safely say this is one of the most unique and well-made ones of the lot."

What stands out the most to me is how breakbeat, trance, hardcore, etc. are segued between. They're blended a bit, too, but there are discrete changeups where a hardcore kick will enter and later disappear. The ReMixer's gone to great lengths to take a simple original and achieve variation less through harmonic/melodic means and more through rhythm and genre convention, and it works well. Damn solid stuff; creative in a specific way that's not as common, both juxtaposing and blending electronica genres, while the core remains the same.

― djpretzel

Discussion: Latest 15 comments/reviews; view the complete thread or post your own.

Coming back to this thread to re-affirm my love for this mix. Excellent.

- Less Ashamed Of Self on March 18, 2010

Unbelievably sick- not even close to a missed opportunity here, just legendary levels of pwnage. Tons of style, good overall production, and a top notch arrangement, solid transitons, good synth usage, a classy source; I could go on, but i'll just say that this is easily one of the top 10 OCR mixes of all time.

- OA on December 3, 2009

Great mix! True to the song but with a lot of style. Please say there's more coming :)
Return of the Double Dragon had, surprisingly, a very memorable sound track.
Anways, thanks for the great mix. Keep it up!

- Injuis on August 21, 2009

fantastic! One thing though.. why did you leave out that chorus thingy. I dont know how else to explain what I mean. If you would chop the original song in parts there would be 3 parts.. you only used the 1st 2. Didnt the 3rd fit in? For me that was the climax of the song..

GOOD JOB, LUV THAT SONG!

- KeysersozeH on May 10, 2009

One of my favorites-- very dynamic, love the transitions (especially 2:31), love the variety, love the melodies even though I'm not familiar with the source. Hope to hear more!

- vindkast on April 18, 2009

This remix is great.
Nice intro, as you think it would start on the beat (first note), but it isn't, because of the drums coming in.
1.50 Really amazing change into 6/8. Not only that, but the bass + drums makes it sound terrific.
Overall, definitely need this on your playlist, even if you don't know the song.

- Mekanos on March 16, 2007

six years later and this mix is still on my playlist
props on making a fantastic piece of work

- Aro on June 28, 2006

Familiar with the original super Double Dragon, and a favourite. Well done, true to the original. The faster pace really does it justice. Ok, now can we have all the others from the Super Double Dragon game remixed or is that too greedy?
Great Remix, thanks.

- Hillsy on June 5, 2006

Instead of having a long, slow intro, the song is fast-paced from the beginning, and that is always a plus. It has some nice changes, and at 2:25, I was pleased when it got a little slower. And then...OMG, Hardcore! Unfortunately, the hardcore part is rather short, so that was kind of a disappointment. Also, just like someone before posted, in the end, it became a little repetitive imo.
Overall, nice work, and I'd sure as hell like to hear more from you.

- Martin Penwald on May 29, 2006

I remember this now... around 52 sec, the melody kicked in. I can't remember what the stage was, but I recognize the song well.
The combination of beats, melody, 4/4 and 6/8 (3/4) change-up in the middle, trance, and anything I missed comes together beautifully.
The melody reminds me of the twins fighting with the grace of martial masters, that middle switch a group of ninja surrounding them, and the techno beat they use kick-ass, high speed style to, well, kick ass.
In other words, awesome remix.

- Lunaqua on May 24, 2006

I have known ParagonX9 From the first submission he ever posted on Newgrounds.
This remix by far is his most unique submission.
ParagonX9 has some real talent when it comes to composing and remixing.
I hope to see future submissions from him.
- DJ Fadeliss

- oxxenking on May 16, 2006

But this deserves one from so bad so I gotta lay it down. Just seeing No.5 gave me an idea of what to expect, because I've been thinking for the longest time this song needed to be remixed as it was my favorite from playing the game. I never expected THIS though. Loving the electronic tranced out intro, that gives you no sense of the song until about 0:52. The fast rhythm makes you imagine the game in the future, at really high speeds, and probably high from too much sugar and caffine. then the change up at 1:50 is like fighting a boss in distortion, before it picks back up to the melody at 2:02 in an ambient swing. Its so freekin' awesome that its a much for Double Dragon Song fans as well as remix and electronica fans. Everything is nice about this.

- Jonathon Striker on May 13, 2006

I really like this beat. It sounds very positive to me and I like the style switching. It's good, not too strong as to take away from the already established goodness.
My only complaint is the song is little dead at 4:20 to the end. I know it is a bit nit picky to complain about the least 30 seconds of the song. The song keeps getting better and better until 4:20 where it just reapets a litte previous section.
It's like watchnig a marshmellow in the microwave get bigger and bigger and waiting for the explody. Yet it doesn't happen.
But if I was gonna rate this song
A for sure!

- Seph on May 13, 2006

Impressed by the anthemic qualities and subtle style-switching. Very well done, Paragon, 2 out of 2.

- Sega. on May 9, 2006

I never expected to see a Super Double Dragon remix here... I was really impressed, though. :)

- Citan on May 8, 2006