Double Dragon is set in a post-apocalyptic New York where Double Dragon twin brothers Billy and Jimmy Lee have a martial arts training school. They teach their students self-defense but are drawn into a rescue mission when Billy's girlfriend Marian is kidnapped by the "Black Warriors", a gang led by Willy.
The game follows the Lee brothers as they use various techniques, such as punches, kicks, and invulnerable elbow strikes, to pursue the gang through different city environments before reaching their hideout. The ultimate goal is to confront the leader, Willy, and rescue Marian.
For the NES version of Double Dragon , an additional VS. fighting mode allows for one or two players to compete against each other. Players choose from six characters - including Billy and five enemy characters - and engage in a one-on-one fight, using punches, kicks, jumpkicks, and weapons until one player's health bar is depleted.