Battletoads (2020 video game)

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Battletoads
Battletoads2020.jpeg
Developer(s) Dlala Studios [lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s) Xbox Game Studios
Director(s) AJ Grand-Scrutton
Producer(s)
  • Gemma Foster
  • Victoria Webb
  • Chris Jones
Designer(s)
  • AJ Grand-Scrutton
  • Grant Allen
  • Miljan Glenny
  • Daniel Gonzalez
Programmer(s)
  • Ben Waring
  • Chris Rickett
  • John-Evans Wagenaar
  • Luke Amer
Artist(s)
  • Loukia Kyriakidou
  • Rory Jobson
  • Yeonjae Lee
  • Mike Dietz
  • Ed Schofield
Writer(s)
  • Tom Kauffman
  • Kelsy Abbott
  • Wade Randolph
Composer(s)
  • David Housden
  • Paul Housden
Series Battletoads
Engine Unity
Platform(s)
ReleaseAugust 20, 2020 [1]
Genre(s) Beat 'em up
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

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.

Contents

Gameplay

Like the original Battletoads, the game is a side-scrolling beat 'em up. Up to three players can play cooperatively as the Battletoads; Rash, Pimple and Zitz, [2] each with distinct playstyles. [3] The game's graphical style is hand-drawn [2] and has more of a cartoon-styled aesthetic than prior series games. [4]

The game has an obstacle course reminiscent of the original game's notoriously difficult Turbo Tunnel, [3] but instead of the original's side view, the one in the reboot has the camera behind the bikes. [4] The rebooted sequence retains its nostalgic difficulty, with its game over screen providing the player with messages of encouragement, but it also features a range of selectable difficulty settings. [3] [5]

Plot

Trapped in a fantasy simulator bunker for 26 years, the Battletoads awaken to discover they are no longer intergalactic heroes and have fallen into modern-day obscurity. In a bid to reclaim their glory, they set out to once again defeat their old longtime nemesis, the Dark Queen. But when they confront the queen, they end up teaming up with her to take down an evil alien race called the Topians, who have not only stolen the queen's powers but also were the ones who trapped the toads in the bunker.

Development and release

The reboot [3] was developed by Dlala Studios with the assistance and supervision of series creator Rare. [6] [7] Dlala Studios previously worked on Overruled, a platform brawler. [4] Prior to the game's announcement at E3 2018, [4] the Battletoads series had been dormant for decades[ citation needed ] and was last displayed in the 2015 retrospective compilation Rare Replay . [2] Rare's intention was to remake classic Battletoads gameplay without the limitations of 1980s hardware. [3] The game received its first gameplay trailer at the June 2019 E3 [4] and was playable at Microsoft's November X019 trade show. [8] The game was originally anticipated for a 2019 release as an Xbox One exclusive, [4] [6] but was later set for release on August 20, 2020, for Windows and Xbox One. [1]

Reception

In a preview of the game, IGN wrote that the game lacked the difficult platforming for which the original was known, though the game itself remained difficult. [3] GamesRadar praised Dlala's progress on the game at a mid-2019 demo. [9] Two months after its release, Rare reported that the game had reached over a million unique players. [10]

Critical response

Battletoads received mixed reviews. Aggregating review website Metacritic gave the PC version 66/100 [11] and the Xbox One version 72/100. [12] Chris Scullion of Pure Xbox gave the game 8 out of 10, praising the animation, dialogue, soundtrack and wide variety in difficulty, but was more critical of repetitive levels, limited moveset and puzzle sections. [20] Joe Juba of Game Informer rated the game 5/10 and described it as "a shallow swamp", criticizing the game for its "aggressively unfunny" writing, poor story and "average" combat as well as stating the game felt unfinished, though being appreciative of its controls and lack of technical issues. [15]

Notes

  1. ↑ Rare assisted on development.

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>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.

<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.

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<i>Battletoads</i> Video game franchise

Battletoads is a video game media 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. 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.

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