You asked for it! Here’s my ranking of Double Dragon ports:
Double Dragon Advance (GBA) - This port is absolutely fantastic. Incorporating elements from Double Dragon II and Super Double Dragon, this GBA port is not only the best version of Double Dragon, but one of the very best beat ‘em ups.
Double Dragon (Arcade) - The arcade original is a stone-cold classic that remains fun to this day. Distinctive graphics and a rocking soundtrack combine with revolutionary gameplay to make for a great experience. Not available outside of arcades (or MAME emulation) for decades, this title is now widely available through Arcade Archives and the Double Dragon Trilogy.
Double Dragon (Sega Master System) - At first, I wasn’t a fan of this port due to some perceived input lag. I have come to appreciate it more than the NES port, however, after playing through it a few times. Despite looking a lot like the NES port, it plays more like the arcade game. It also lacks the painful platforming found in the NES version, and it allows two players to play the game simultaneously.
Double Dragon (NES) - This port is quite different from the arcade game. The graphics are, obviously, downgraded, but it still sounds great. Moreover, the game also has some intriguing light RPG elements, and you get new fighting techniques as you get a higher score. Although it generally tracks the arcade game, the levels are very different, however, and some platforming sections (especially in Level 3) really drag it down. Nonetheless, it is probably the most popular port, and I suspect more people have spent more time with this game than any version of Double Dragon.
Double Dragon (Genesis) - This is a relatively faithful port of the arcade game, looking almost identical to the arcade original. The sound is way off, though, and the gameplay is off too. It’s fine, but if you have access to the arcade original, there’s really no reason to play this version.
Double Dragon (Gameboy) - The Gameboy version is less a port of the arcade game than a port of the NES port. The monochrome graphics are fine, and it sounds OK for a Gameboy game. Like the NES port, some frustrating platforming sections really drag it down, however.
Double Dragon (7800) - A very downgraded port of the arcade original, the 7800 version of Double Dragon is a frustrating slog with atrocious hit detection. As far as I can tell, it mostly tracks yo the arcade game with regard to level design. I can’t get very far in it, however; so, I don’t know much about the later levels.
Double Dragon (2600) - It’s amazing Activision even tried porting this game yo the 2600. While it’s an interesting curio, it really just doesn’t work, both literally and figuratively. The hit detection is even more atrocious than the 7800 port, and the enemies will break you, making it one of the most lifelike beat ‘em ups on the market. (That is, as in life, if you try to fight two guys at the same time, you’re going to get your ass kicked, and it makes for a terrible time.)
I have not played the Lynx port, the various microcomputer/PC ports, or the iOS and XBLA remake. (The iOS and XBLA remakes have been delisted; so, I’m not sure I’ll ever get to play those, sadly.)