Bad Dudes

Bad Dudes

Bad Dudes Vs. DragonNinja, often referred to simply as Bad Dudes (in the American NES port of the arcade original) and known in Japan simply as DragonNinja, is an arcade game developed and published by Data East in 1988. It has also been ported to many computer and game console home systems. Bad Dudes is a side-scrolling beat 'em up in which players take on the role of the titular duo tasked with saving "President Ronnie" from ninja kidnappers. The game was a commercial success and received generally positive to mixed reviews from critics. Since then, it has become best known for its gameplay and introductory cutscene.

Story

The game starts in New York City, where President Ronnie (based on former US President Ronald Reagan) has been kidnapped by the nefarious DragonNinja. The intro says, "These days, ninja crimes are piling up.... Whitehouse is no exception...". No sooner is that said than a Secret Service agent (who resembles Arnold Schwarzenegger from The Terminator) asks two smart street fighters named Blade and Striker, "President Ronnie has been kidnapped by the ninjas. Are you evil enough to save Ronnie?". This quote became an infamous meme and is often mocked on the Internet. However, in the Japanese version, the words are quite different. After hearing it, the Bad Dudes confirmed it by chasing the DragonNinja through the city streets, the highway, the sewers, the transport train, the forest, the cave, and into the secret ninja base to save President Ronnie.