Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja

1988 · Beat 'em up · Arcade

Overview

Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja (1988) is Data East's two-player beat-'em-up: 'Are you a bad enough dude to rescue President Ronnie?'

Deep Dive

After ninjas kidnap the President of the United States, two street brawlers, Blade and Striker, fight across rooftops, highways, sewers and a moving truck and train to rescue him. Punches, kicks and charged attacks take down waves of ninjas, with knives and nunchaku to pick up and bosses at the end of each stage. Its deadpan opening line and the celebratory burger at the end made it a cult favourite; home versions followed on many platforms.

Developer Story

Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja was developed by Data East in 1988. Two street fighters rescue the US President from ninjas — a premise so absurd it became legendary. The opening text "Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the President?" became one of gaming's most memorable questions. The hamburger reward at the game's end was equally iconic.

Did You Know?

"Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the President?" is one of gaming's most absurd and beloved opening questions.
The game was set during the presidency of Ronald Reagan — the manual explicitly names him as the kidnapped president.
Successfully rescuing the President results in eating hamburgers with him — one of the most anticlimactic endings in arcade history.
Bad Dudes was explicitly designed as an American-flavoured response to Japanese martial arts games — Data East's celebration of US culture.