Battletoads

Last updated
Battletoads
Battletoads logo.png
Genre(s) Beat 'em up, platform game
Developer(s) Rare
Dlala Studios (2020)
Publisher(s)
Creator(s) Tim and Chris Stamper
Platform(s) NES, LCD game, Game Boy, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Master System, Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Amiga CD32, Arcade, Xbox One, Windows, Nintendo Switch
First release Battletoads
June 1, 1991
Latest release Battletoads
August 20, 2020

Battletoads is a video game franchise by Rare that began with the original beat 'em up game Battletoads in 1991. Starring three anthropomorphic toads named after skin conditions, Rash, Zitz, and Pimple, the series was created to rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games series. [1] The original Battletoads game for the NES was renowned for its extreme difficulty, but still received a cult following, spawning sequels for various platforms including a crossover with the Double Dragon series and a modern reboot after a 25-year gap in releases. In each of the games, the objective is to defeat the toads' nemesis the Dark Queen and her army of space mutants.

Contents

Video games

Series

The Battletoads appear in a bonus boss encounter in the Xbox One and PC versions of Shovel Knight . [7] [8] Battletoads and Battletoads Arcade are included in Rare Replay , a compilation of 30 Rare games released for the Xbox One in 2015. [9] Rash appears as a playable guest character in the third season of the fighting game Killer Instinct , available on Xbox One and Windows. [10] Rash also appears as an action figure in Grounded . [11]

History of production

A sequel/remake game was being developed for the Game Boy Advance, but was ultimately canceled. [12] [13] In 2013, Phil Spencer from Microsoft's Xbox team mentioned his fondness for Battletoads while asking the fans what Rare games should be brought back for the Xbox One. [14] In 2014, "Battletoads" was re-trademarked in the United States. [15] Spencer appeared publicly in a Battletoads T-shirt in 2015,[ citation needed ] just days after Microsoft Studios' Ken Lobb (creator of 2013's Killer Instinct reboot) said they have plans to bring Battletoads and other classic Rare series back "someday".[ citation needed ]

Other

Battletoads: The Official Battlebook, the Tradewest-authorized guide to the Battletoads console games, was written by Steve Schwartz and published in 1994 by Prima Publishing. Detailed playing tips, strategies, and secrets were provided for the following games: Battletoads (NES and Genesis), Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (Super NES), and Battletoads/Double Dragon (NES, Genesis, and Super NES).

Animated special

Battletoads
Battletoads cartoon title screen.jpg
Title card
Genre Comedy
Created by Tim and Chris Stamper (original characters)
Written by David Wise
Directed byKent Butterworth
Voices of Kathleen Barr
Ian James Corlett
Michael Donovan
Andrew Kavadas
Lalainia Lindbjerg
Scott McNeil
Jason Michas
Alvin Sanders
Theme music composerKip Lennon
Ron Hicklin
Susan Boyd
Jon Joyce
Jim Haas
Opening theme"Battletoads"
ComposersMurray McFadden
Michael Watts
Country of originUnited States
Canada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes1
Production
Executive producers Andy Heyward
Robby London
ProducerKent Butterworth
EditorsMark A. McNally
Cindy Horness
Running time22 minutes
Production companies DIC Animation City
Tradewest, Inc.
Rare
Original release
Network Syndicated
ReleaseNovember 1992 (1992-11)/Thanksgiving weekend 1992

Battletoads spun off a half-hour animated television special produced by DIC Animation City in an attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (DiC would try this again later on when producing Street Sharks and Extreme Dinosaurs ). Intended as the pilot for a full-fledged series, the special was syndicated by Bohbot Entertainment in the United States on the weekend of Thanksgiving 1992 as part of their "Kids' Day Off" package. It was never picked up for a series however, despite comic-style ads in GamePro magazine claiming otherwise.

Buena Vista Home Video released the pilot on VHS in January 1994. It received an official YouTube release on August 5, 2014, [16] on a YouTube channel run by the Canadian company DHX Media (now WildBrain), which currently owns the rights to most of DIC's cartoon library.

The story served as a prequel to the video game franchise. Set in Oxnard, California, it stars three junior high schoolers. The trio is given the ability to transform into anthropomorphic toads with superhuman strength and the ability to change their arms and legs into weapons in techniques called "Smash Hits". They are charged with protecting Professor T. Bird and Princess Angelica from the Dark Queen, who wants to steal Angelica's magical amulet for her plans of universal conquest.

The cartoon was adapted and written by David Wise (no relation to the Battletoads video games' composer of the same name). A comic with the backstory of Battletoads, written by Rare employee Guy Millar, was also published in Nintendo Power .

Voice cast

Reception

In 2010, Game Informer included Battletoads among ten gaming franchises that deserve a revival, and precisely, "a true HD sequel". [17] In 2012, Forbes listed it as one of five video game franchises "that need to come back from the dead", adding that a modern Battletoads "should retain its side-scroller qualities while adopting the 2.5D style" similar to Mark of the Ninja . [18] The series' return was also demanded by other outlets, [19] [20] including Complex , Maxim and GameRevolution. [21] [22] [23]

On the other hand, the animated version of Battletoads was very badly received. It was included on the lists of five "worst one-shot TV cartoons ever made" by Topless Robot in 2008. [24]

Prank call

Beginning in early 2011, 4chan users organized a mass prank calling to the Gold and Silver pawn shop, home to the popular television show Pawn Stars . The callers would repeatedly ask the employees if they sold Battletoads. This call led Rick Harrison, star of Pawn Stars and owner of the store, to repeatedly swear and yell at the callers, who recorded this and uploaded it to YouTube. This originated a series of many other similar videos of pranksters dialing random establishments and asking about Battletoads. [25] [26] Battletoads developer Rare has acknowledged the prank via an achievement named "Do You Have Battletoads?" in their 2015 game compilation Rare Replay . [27]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rare (company)</span> British video game developer

Rare Limited is a British video game developer and a studio of Xbox Game Studios based in Twycross, Leicestershire. Rare's games span the platform, first-person shooter, action-adventure, fighting, and racing genres. Its most popular games include the Battletoads, Donkey Kong, and Banjo-Kazooie series, as well as games like GoldenEye 007 (1997), Perfect Dark (2000), Conker's Bad Fur Day (2001), Viva Piñata (2006), and Sea of Thieves (2018).

<i>Double Dragon</i> Video game series

Double Dragon is a beat 'em up video game series originally developed and published by Technōs Japan. It began with the release of the arcade game Double Dragon in 1987. The series features twin martial artists, Billy and Jimmy Lee, as they fight against various adversaries and rivals.

<i>Battletoads</i> (1991 video game) 1991 video game

Battletoads is a platform beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It is the first installment of the Battletoads series and was originally released in June 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was subsequently ported to the Mega Drive and Game Gear in 1993, to the Amiga and Amiga CD32 in 1994, and released with some changes for the Game Boy in 1993 in the form of Battletoads in Ragnarok's World. In the game, three space humanoid warrior toads form a group known as the Battletoads. Two of the Battletoads, Rash and Zitz, embark on a mission to defeat the evil Dark Queen on her planet and rescue their kidnapped friends: Pimple, the third member of the Battletoads, and Princess Angelica.

Dead or Alive is a Japanese media franchise centered on a series of fighting games developed by Team Ninja and published by Koei Tecmo. The gameplay of the series is primarily composed of fast-paced hand-to-hand combat in a 3-Dimensional playing field that began with the first game released in 1996, followed by five main sequels, numerous updates, spin-offs, printed media, a film adaptation, and merchandise.

<i>Road Rash</i> Video game series

Road Rash is a motorcycle racing video game series by Electronic Arts in which the player participates in violent, illegal street races. The series started on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and was released on various other systems over the years. The game's title is based on the slang term for the severe friction burns that can occur in a motorcycle fall where skin comes into contact with the ground at high speed.

<i>Battletoads/Double Dragon</i> 1993 video game

Battletoads/Double Dragon is a 1993 beat 'em up developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System and later ported to the Mega Drive/Genesis, Super NES, and Game Boy. The SNES version was released on Nintendo Switch Online in September 2024; it was the game's first re-release as it was not released on the Rare Replay collection.

<i>Battletoads</i> (Game Boy video game) 1991 video game

Battletoads is a 1991 action game originally released by Rare in 1991 exclusively for the Nintendo Game Boy. Despite having the same title as the original Battletoads game, Battletoads for Game Boy is a completely different game with unique levels. It was never ported to any other systems. A more faithful port of the NES game for the Game Boy was released later, in 1993 as Battletoads in Ragnarok's World.

<i>Battletoads in Battlemaniacs</i> 1993 video game

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is a beat 'em up platform game developed by Rare for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Part of the Battletoads series, the game was released in North America by Tradewest in June 1993, in Europe by Nintendo in October 1993 and in Japan by Masaya on January 7, 1994. It was also ported for the Master System and released exclusively in Brazil. It was released around the same time as Battletoads & Double Dragon, another installment in the series. The game received its first official re-release on the Nintendo Switch Online service on February 21, 2024, as it was not included in the Rare Replay collection for the Xbox One.

Tradewest, Inc. was an American video game company based in Corsicana, Texas that produced numerous games in the 1980s and early 1990s. The company was the publisher of the Battletoads and Double Dragon series in North America and the PAL region. In 1994, the company was acquired by WMS Industries and became Midway Home Entertainment when WMS spun off its video game operations as Midway Games.

<i>Killer Instinct</i> Series of fighting video games

Killer Instinct is a series of fighting video games originally created by Rare and published by Midway, Nintendo, and Xbox Game Studios. The original Killer Instinct was released for arcades in 1994; the game was then released for the Super NES and Game Boy in 1995. Its sequel, Killer Instinct 2, was released for arcades in 1996; the game was then released as Killer Instinct Gold for the Nintendo 64.

<i>Earthworm Jim</i> Video game series from 1994

Earthworm Jim is a series of platform games featuring an earthworm named Jim who wears a robotic suit and battles the forces of evil. The series is noted for its platforming and shooting gameplay, surreal humor, and edgy art style. Four games were released in the series: Earthworm Jim, Earthworm Jim 2, Earthworm Jim 3D, and Earthworm Jim: Menace 2 the Galaxy, with the first game released in 1994. The series had lain dormant for almost a decade before Gameloft remade the original game in HD for PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Arcade in 2010. Interplay announced Earthworm Jim 4 in 2008; little to no information surfaced until May 2019 and August 2020, and development was believed cancelled by the rights owners by 2023, as it had never left pre-planning stages.

<i>Killer Instinct</i> (2013 video game) 2013 video game

Killer Instinct is a fighting game, the third in the Killer Instinct series, originally developed by Double Helix Games, followed by Iron Galaxy, under supervision of Ken Lobb and Rare, and published by Microsoft Studios, released as a free-to-play launch game for the Xbox One in 2013. The game is a reboot of the series, though some plot elements from Killer Instinct and Killer Instinct 2 have been retained. Development of the game involves individuals with histories in fighting games on both the developmental and competitive sides. It received positive reviews for its mechanics and engine, but was criticized for its initial lack of content. A second season of downloadable content was released between 2014 and 2015. A third season, along with a port of the game for Windows 10, was released in 2016.

<i>Shovel Knight</i> 2014 video game

Shovel Knight is a platform video game developed and published by Yacht Club Games. Development was crowdfunded and the game was released for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Windows in June 2014. It was ported to OS X and Linux in September 2014, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox One in April 2015, Amazon Fire TV in September 2015, and Nintendo Switch in March 2017. Shovel Knight is inspired by gameplay and graphics of platformer games developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

<i>Rare Replay</i> 2015 video game compilation

Rare Replay is a 2015 compilation of 30 video games from the 30-year history of developers Rare and its predecessor, Ultimate Play the Game. The emulated games span multiple genres and consoles—from the ZX Spectrum to the Xbox 360—and retain the features and errors of their original releases with minimal edits. The compilation adds cheats to make the older games easier and a Snapshots mode of specific challenges culled from parts of the games. Player progress is rewarded with behind-the-scenes footage and interviews about Rare's major and unreleased games.

<i>Killer Instinct Gold</i> 1996 video game

Killer Instinct Gold is a fighting game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It is based on the arcade game Killer Instinct 2. Players control characters who fight on a 2D plane set against a 3D background. Players press buttons to punch and kick their opponent in chains of successive hits, known as combos. Large combo successions lead to stronger attacks and brutal, stylistic finisher moves underscored by an announcer. Characters—including a gargoyle, a ninja, and a femme fatale—fight in settings such as a jungle and a spaceship. Killer Instinct Gold includes the arcade release's characters, combos, and 3D, pre-rendered environments, but excludes its full-motion video sequences and some voice-overs due to restrictions of the cartridge media format. The Gold release adds a training mode, camera views, and improved audiovisuals.

<i>Battletoads Arcade</i> 1994 arcade game

Battletoads Arcade, also known as Super Battletoads or just Battletoads, is a 1994 scrolling beat 'em up arcade game in the Battletoads series developed by Rare and published by Electronic Arts. Up to three players, as the Battletoads, brawl aliens and mutant rodents through six levels to save the universe from the Dark Queen. The game also includes vertical and bonus levels. Each Toad has its own signature attack, and as customary for the series, players can knock enemies towards the screen, breaking the fourth wall.

<i>Viva Piñata</i> Video game franchise

Viva Piñata is a video game franchise created and produced by Xbox Game Studios and Rare. The series' first game, Viva Piñata (2006), was conceived as a mobile gardening game before Rare was acquired by Microsoft. It was released on Xbox 360. It launched alongside an animated series produced by 4Kids. The game received two console sequels: Viva Piñata: Party Animals (2007) and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise (2008), as well as a handheld release, Viva Piñata: Pocket Paradise (2008), for the Nintendo DS.

<i>Battletoads</i> (2020 video game) 2020 video game

Battletoads is a 2020 beat 'em up game developed by Dlala Studios with assistance from Rare and published by Xbox Game Studios. It is a reboot of the Battletoads series, and the first new entry in 26 years following 1994's Battletoads Arcade. The game was released on August 20, 2020, for Windows and Xbox One platforms.

References

  1. ↑ Battletoads Retrospective | What happened to Rare's popular hardcore beat-'em-up Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine , IGN, January 13, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Amazon.com: Battletoads, Famicom (Japanese Import): Video Games". www.amazon.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-28. Retrieved 2018-06-24.
  3. ↑ Juba, Joe (9 June 2019). "The Battletoads Are Back In A New Trailer". Game Informer . Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  4. ↑ "Battletoads announced for Xbox One, Windows 10". 10 June 2018. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  5. ↑ Good, Owen S. (10 June 2018). "Battletoads is coming back to Xbox One". Polygon. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  6. ↑ Bryant, Adam (12 June 2019). "The first proper trailer and gameplay details for the Battletoads Xbox One revival are here". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  7. ↑ "Yacht Club Games on Twitter: "The Battletoads drop in for a fight! Shovel Knight is headed to Xbox One and meets up with @RareLtd brawling trio!". Twitter.com. 2015-03-04. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  8. ↑ "Update Notes – Yacht Club Games". yachtclubgames.com. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  9. ↑ "David Arnold – OHMSS Orchestral Cover VERY RARE VERSION". YouTube. 2014-12-29. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  10. ↑ "Killer Instinct season 3 coming in 2016, Battletoads' Rash joins the game today". Polygon. 4 August 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-25. Retrieved 2015-08-24.
  11. ↑ "Look at this big-ass Battletoad in Grounded!". Destructoid. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Battletoads GBA – Proto / Cancelled". Unseen 64. 2 August 2008. Archived from the original on 2013-05-27. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  13. ↑ "Battletoads GBA". RareWareCentral. 2011-11-13. Archived from the original on 2013-12-02. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  14. ↑ "Microsoft asks fans what Rare should do next, points towards Battletoads". Gimmegimmegames.com. 2013-09-12. Archived from the original on 2021-01-29. Retrieved 2013-12-09.
  15. ↑ "New Battletoads Trademark Appears In United States Trademark Database". GamerInformer.com. Archived from the original on 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2014-11-10.
  16. ↑ "Battletoads on WildBrain Super Heroes". YouTube. 2014-08-15. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
  17. ↑ "Ten Franchises That Deserve A Revival – Features". GameInformer.com. 2010-06-30. Archived from the original on 2013-09-02. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  18. ↑ "5 Video Game Franchises That Need To Come Back From The Dead". Forbes. 2012-09-23. Archived from the original on 2013-10-10. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  19. ↑ Melton, Steve (2010-07-24). "XBLA's Most Wanted: Battletoads". Xblafans.com. Archived from the original on 2014-12-25. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  20. ↑ "Back from the dead: Five franchises the Xbox 360 could resurrect". Siliconera. 2006-02-16. Archived from the original on 2014-11-11. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  21. ↑ "Battle Toads — 20 Game Franchises We Want to See Make a Triumphant Comeback". Complex. Archived from the original on 2013-06-29. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  22. ↑ "5 Classic Video Games That Deserve Awesome Remakes". Maxim. 2013-10-04. Archived from the original on 2013-12-22. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  23. ↑ "Xbox One: A Rare Opportunity". Gamerevolution.com. 30 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  24. ↑ Rob Bricken (17 November 2008). "The 5 Best (and 5 Worst) One-Shot TV Cartoons Ever Made". Topless Robot. Archived from the original on 28 September 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2010.
  25. ↑ "ReadyToPrank". YouTube. ReadyToPrank. 11 September 2012. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  26. ↑ PrankCallsByReV (4 April 2011). "Prank Call ReV Calls (Pawn Stars) Rick Harrison Cellphone # "Battletoads"". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
  27. ↑ Good, Owen S. (June 27, 2015). "Rare Replay does offer 10,000 Gamerscore — from a certain point of view". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
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