Battletoads

Battletoads not only revives the long-dormant beat 'em up franchise, it makes it fun to play for everyone instead of only ultra-hardcore masochists. And if they made a TV show about these hilarious characters, I'd watch it.

There as much to enjoy as there is to frustrate in this short, sparky revival of the cult classic.

Even though it's technically a game, Battletoads is not a good time

Much like the NES original, Battletoads is an epic adventure with heaps of charm, fun combat and brutal challenge. While its fight system may be a little over convoluted, mastering it pays off with satisfying, hard-fought, snot-covered victory.

Battletoads is another one of 2020's infamous oddities. I suspect it's going to be highly polarizing (not only due to the adherence to retro style difficulty but the newness of the art and humor), but it somewhat won me over due to sheer force of will. I also can safely assume that I'm going to be on the higher-end of the spectrum of liking it: but if we never see these dudes again because this game was an absolute cacophony, I'll be a bit bummed.

Battletoads is without a doubt one of the funniest games of this generation, and it's a pretty nifty beat 'em up to boot. It does have the occasional lull when things start to feel a little repetitive, but by and large it's a hugely entertaining experience and well worth your time.

Battletoads does have its good moments, between its beat 'em up gameplay, metal-heavy soundtrack, and strong boss design. It's just drowned out by its awful pacing and poor comedy that gets maybe a couple of chuckles from the entirety of its brief five-hour adventure.

Battletoads is surprisingly successful at recapturing the spirit of Rare's beloved NES original. The game's striking visuals, wildly varied level design, and satisfying sense of challenge easily make up for the occasional frustrating moment or groan-worthy joke. If you've been waiting 26 years for a new Battletoads, Rash, Zitz, and Pimple's latest ought to scratch your itch.

Battletoads revives what was thought to be a long-dead franchise without missing a step.

The lack of online co-op in the new Battletoads is definitely the game's biggest flaw, so if fans can overlook that, they will find what is otherwise a great beat 'em up throwback with hilarious scenes, fun combat, and plenty of variety. And with it being on Xbox Game Pass, subscribers have no reason not to check it out. Overall, this Battletoads comeback is a major success and is sure to leave a smile on players' faces, and so hopefully fans don't have to wait 26 years for the next entry in the series.