Bad Dudes (Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja) is a side-scrolling beat ’em up, ported to the NES by Namco and published by Data East from the 1988 arcade original. Street brawlers Blade and Striker punch and kick through seven stages of the Dragon Ninja clan — switching between two ledge levels and using weapons — to rescue the kidnapped U.S. President.
How To Play Bad Dudes
Control
Action
D-Pad
Move; press Up/Down to switch between ledge levels; crouch
A Button
Jump
B Button
Attack (punch, kick, or use weapon)
A + B
Jump-kick / special attack
Start
Pause
About Bad Dudes
Release date
NES (JP): July 14, 1989 · NES (NA): August 1989 · NES (EU): 1990
Developer
Namco (NES port); Data East (arcade original)
Publisher
Data East (NES); Ocean Software (EU)
Platform
NES / Famicom; originally Arcade, plus many home computers
Genre
Beat ’em up (side-scrolling)
Series
Bad Dudes / DragonNinja
Modes
Single-player, multiplayer (2-player alternating)
Also known as
Bad Dudes vs. DragonNinja · DragonNinja (ドラゴンニンジャ) — Japan/Europe
Sheldon has spent over a decade immersed in retro gaming, from NES classics to arcade gems. He's deeply passionate about preserving gaming history and helping others rediscover these timeless titles. When he's not gaming, Shaun writes about the evolution of video games and their cultural impact.
