Rash, Zitz, and Pimple all look almost exactly like they did in the SNES rendition of the game, albeit somewhat smaller. There's ludicrous amounts of color being pumped out at every given moment, not to mention a ton of the red stuff. Yes, that means blood. In a surprising turn, you can smash your rodent opponent into the ground with glorious blood splattering everywhere. There's a great sense of humor here as well and the entire experience is deliciously twisted. Just wait until the head of the snake boss pops off....disgusting in the best way possible.

The basic gameplay from the console versions has been retained which means this is a standard beat-em-up for 75% of the game. EA has tossed in a jet-pack stage reminiscent of the rope dangling stage from the first game. There's also a nifty bonus stage in which you must destroy an enemy jet fighter bare-fisted and the final stage is a shooter, something most developers wouldn't even bother to try.

Not only are the standard graphics exciting, but there's liberal use of mode-7 and other graphical effects. Late in the game, there's a moment in which these giant metal balls come rolling into the screen requiring precise moves to avoid. The effect is unparalleled. The weapons the toads can pick up include explosive boxes, humungous mallets, and the occasional firearm. Everything reeks havoc on the screen in immense detail. There's no denying this game looks better than almost anything that appeared in the arcade at the time.

As is the norm for an arcade game, there's almost no limit to the amount of voice in this game, but there is a limit for the music. The tracks are well composed, but with the overly long length of the stages, it constantly repeats itself. There are really only 4 stages and the compensation for this is the length. Some of these stages seem to have no end in sight and it can truly turn off some gamers. It may not seem so bad from the start, but the as the game progresses, it doesn't take long for this problem to make itself apparent. Oh, and this IS a Battletoads game so it's ridiculously difficult, just the way it should be.

With some hilarious enemies (just wait until you take on the demented reindeer in stage 2!), impeccable graphics engine, and great 3-player action, this is the best of the best as far as the Battletoads are concerned. Be prepared to either pump a ton of quarters into the arcade game or hit the credit button a lot in MAME to get through this one. Just know that it's worth the trouble.