I admit, I’m not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to Arc System Works, but even I know it’s a big deal when I heard that they have acquired the rights to several classic Technos Japan Corp games. In case you aren’t familiar with that name, they are the people behind such classics as Double Dragon, Super Dodge Ball, Kunio-Kun and River City Ransom. So, in essence, Arc System Works now owns a large chunk of my childhood.
It might seem a strange move, since Arc System Works is mostly known for fighting games, whereas all those Technos properties are mostly side scrolling beat-em ups or sports games. But I personally think it is a stroke of genius. Technos went bankrupt in 2001 and was purchased by Million, who themselves were seemingly doing little with these properties. I doubt Arc System Works would be so lax with these games. Who knows, maybe we’ll see Double Dragon characters make it into BlazBlue or Guilty Gear, or perhaps they’ll make a River City Ransom style game populated with Arc System Works’ trademark over the top, visually beautiful characters? After all, Arc System Works has proven they can do amazing things with other franchises, as seen in Persona 4 Arena, and I am excited just thinking of the various possibilities this could hint at.
Are you excited by this move? Nonplussed? Don’t know what Double Dragon is? If so, please leave a comment and let us know what you think about this. These retro titles could bring a lot of diversity to the Arc System Works brand.
