The NES version was much more negatively received. A reviewer from German magazine Power Play rated the NES version at 39% and wondered why Quaid is so stupid, trying to get rid of every bad guy on the right path and lure them into dark alleys only to offer a boring fight. He commented that these sequences should not have been programmed at all, and that a lot of parts seem like a graphically strong, stripped-down Double Dragon.
The NES version of the game was widely panned by critics, with one reviewer from German magazine Power Play expressing frustration over Quaid's actions, which seemed to involve pursuing enemies down dark corridors only to engage in dull battles. The critic felt that these sequences were poorly designed and that the game suffered from parts that resembled more polished versions of Double Dragon.