The third entry disappoints compared to the first two. Fewer moves, punitive difficulty, frustrating progression. Acceptable for series die-hards, disappointing for others.
Your verdict
Category
Beat-'Em-Up2 players12+
Description
Third Double Dragon in which Billy and Jimmy battle female warriors across the world. Published by Technos Japan, released in the USA in 1991. Billy and Jimmy travelling across multiple countries, enriched combat and female bosses. Third Double Dragon on NES.
Double Dragon III - The Sacred Stones review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
2/5
Story
★★★★★
"Classic"
Gameplay
"Decent"
Fun
"From the very first seconds"
The third street-brawling entry widens the journey across the world and adds a choice of several fighters with distinct styles. Switching characters and techniques renews the interest at every stage. Two-player co-op stays the heart of the fun, between synced beatdowns and mutual aid. More ambitious, a generous beat-'em-up built for challenge.
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Difficult"
Lifespan
"Short"
Technical info
💾0,14 MB📅21/11/1990
Published by Acclaim
Double Dragon III - The Sacred Stones (NES) price, value & rarity
The American edition of the third Double Dragon by Acclaim, a late 1991 release on an NTSC market already drifting toward the Super Nintendo. Against the PAL version, it stands out with a higher complete valuation, as the US market prizes intact boxes of these final NES beat-em-ups. That demand for clean complete copies is what widens the gap between the two regions.
Is Double Dragon III - The Sacred Stones still worth playing in 2026?
The third entry in the series, Double Dragon III sends Billy and Jimmy around the world to face new threats, with shops to buy weapons and techniques, and additional playable characters. The added progression and the variety of backdrops contrast with the previous games, but an abrupt difficulty and questionable design choices divide. The beat-em-up stays decent in two-player. A curiosity for fans of the Double Dragon saga and lovers of retro beat-em-ups, without expecting the first's brilliance.
