Battletoads, Byte Size Review (Xbox One X)
Rash, Pimple, and Zitz are the Battletoads. Heroes from another era, back to show gamers how we rolled in the early 1990s. Created to take on those other green anthropomorphic creatures of the 1980s and 90s, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Battletoads first arrived in 1991 on the NES. From there we had several games on different systems and even an attempt at an animated TV series which never saw more than a half hour pilot. So how will our toads fare today? Will they hop to success? Or will they just turn turtle?
Cowabunga!
This latest iteration of Battletoads is a reboot of the franchise but it holds on tightly to the style and humour of the 1990s releases. The majority of gameplay is in the form of a side scrolling beat ‘em up. There are some other styles thrown in to mix things up a bit but get us to using the different styles of Rash, Pimple, and Zitz in good old beat ‘em up fashion. There is no online multiplayer but, again just like the 1990s, there is couch co-op for up to three players. This makes Battletoads a great family, or drinking buddies, game.
More Than A Skin Condition.
Visually Battletoads isn’t going to wow anyone with its stylised cartoon look. But this is a look that fits perfectly with the game, its roots, and allows it to run super smoothly. With all the huge open world games currently available to us it is nice to to have a game that is direct and old school. I might be talking through rose tinted nostalgia glasses but having a game that can be finished and put aside is nice. In the current age of gaming a almost feel obligated to log in to some games to get the daily login rewards or complete the new batch of quests. Games like Battletoads hark back to a simpler time, a time of Saturday morning cartoons and Coco Pops.
I Remember When…
For those who remember the original Battletoads the humour is still there. Good old fashioned cartoon humour. The cut scenes really do come across as a 1990s cartoon. And the level of humour really sat well with me. The only down side I can think of when it comes to Battletoads is the slight feeling of repetitiveness in some areas. It is not a big deal and doesn’t detract from the overall experience but it is there. Thanks to Game Pass there will be a much greater player base for Battletoads which I believe is important for a title like this. I don’t know how income makes it way back to the developers from Game Pass but I hope they still get the rewards for their great work.
Closing Comments.
Battletoads will be loved by older gamers thanks to the memories we have of the Battletoads franchise. Younger gamers will love Battletoads thanks to Game Pass. It is a great throw back rebooted correctly. Once you get your head around the controls you will be hooked. There is a fair bit of game to play and some collectables to return for. Just remember you can punch you mate in the brain but don’t punch the baby.
