Battletoads - NES Review
One of the Most Memorable and Challenging Beat 'em Ups on the NES
Oct 23, 2009
After the success of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles video games, Rare developed a series that was to rival that of the Ninja Turtles. 1991 saw the release of Battletoads on the NES.
Essentially a beat ‘em up game, Battletoads stood out for its sense of humor, high difficulty, and good gameplay mechanics. To this day, fans still hope for a remake or sequel of some sort, and with good reason.
Battletoads Storyline – Rescue Princess Angelica and Pimple
Battletoads starts out with a cutscene that depicts Pimple (one of three Battletoads) cruising through space with Princess Angelica. All of a sudden, the Dark Queen appears and captures the two characters. This paves the way for the rest of the game. It is up to Rash and Zitz to save their fellow Toad as well as the princess.
Battletoads Gameplay – Difficult but Satisfying
The gameplay in Battletoads can best be described as unrelentingly difficult, frantic, and extremely fun. There is a solid beat ‘em up experience to be found in Battletoads. The game offers a mix of brawling, platforming, and racing elements that blend surprisingly well together. Truly one of the great beat ‘em ups of all time, Battletoads successfully mixes different gameplay elements together.
While not as frustratingly difficult as, say, the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game on the NES, Battletoads still provides an immense challenge. Fighting enemies is simple enough, but there are a number of parts in the game that can be downright grueling. The platforming areas in the game require the player to jump across gaps and onto narrow ledges, all the while avoiding enemy fire and other obstacles.
Then there are the racing sections in the game. Here, the Toads ride high-speed bikes through a series of obstacles. The player must dodge walls by shifting to the left and right, jump over low walls, and jump ramps. As the stage continues, obstacles appear more frequently, and enemies are added to the challenge. These sections, although fun at first, can become very frustrating after the fourth and fifth attempts.
The Toads have a set number of lives as well as a few continues, but due to the high difficulty of the game, these multiple chances won’t prevent players from seeing a game over screen. Battletoads is known for its high level of difficulty, and mastering the game takes numerous attempts.
Graphics and Sound
The graphics in Battletoads are on par with TMNT II: The Arcade Game. Stages are colorful, and there are a number of different character and enemy sprites. The Toads have a humorous appearance. Punches and kicks usually result in the Toads’ fists and feet appearing abnormally large. Also, whenever the Toads project fear, their jaws literally drop to the ground. These nice touches add a personality unique to Battletoads.
The game’s soundtrack is strong and full of cleverly-designed themes. Each of the tracks sounds like it belongs in a beat ‘em up game. Worth noting is the fact that during racing stages, the music intensifies as the player reaches the harder parts of the course. To be blunt, the action-themed soundtrack in Battletoads is worthy of many merits.
Lasting Value
Patient players will likely spend a good deal of time playing Battletoads. The game’s high level of difficulty, which is enough to put off the casual gamer, is best approached with a pugnacious play style. The game over screen will likely be encountered various times, and practice will be necessary in order to reach the end of the game.
Battletoads – An Iconic Beat ‘em Up Experience
Excluding the first game in the series, it would be easy to recommend one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games over Battletoads. Those games, while still challenging, don’t reach the high level of difficulty that Battletoads does. Still, for the truly dedicated and patient gamer, Battletoads is a must-play title worth the time and the effort.
Score: 7.5/10
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