I will start out by saying that this game is great but is still not as good as the first
one on the NES and Genesis. The story starts out with the Dark Queen capturing one of the Battletoads
and its off to catch her and rescue your wart featured friend. Professor T. Bird is
demonstrating some new technology, and out jumps the baddies and captures Zitz, This time
the mad scientist Silas Volkmire jumps in and threatens you, and man if Silas ain't a
sweet lookin' villain, then no one ain't. So it's off to the digitalized world for Rash
and Pimple.Graphics are sweet in this game. They look nicer than some of the newer generation SNES games and the level animations and details are superbly drawn. Hands down the best visuals are the two bonus stages, which have checker board flooring, playing cards, and bowling pins in the background. They reflect off of the floor and are visually amazing.
The 'Toads look sweet as usual, and this time around each one has his own signature moves in the game. All are quite amusing to watch against the Psycho Pigs, even the speed perception handles perfectly and there is no slowdown at all. The SNES's processor makes it a breeze to watch unlike the previous entries which had some choppiness in high speed levels. Players are treated to the classic in-between stage cutscenes With Professor T. Bird who rips on the 'Toads and puts them down when they fail. The Dark Queen comes out with her jet black hair and flaunting her oversized rack as usual and taunts the toads and calls them the usual names, my favorite being "battlebarf." There is nothing wrong with the graphics at all.
Gameplay is the signature of the Battletoads series, and it really shines in this game. Each stage in the game is a remake or variation in some way shape or form of their previous games. The first level is a brawler, while level two is a giant hollow tree loaded with traps and spikes instead of a tunnel like the original. The speeder bikes return in level 3 and they are just as intense as the last game. Snakes from Karnath's lair return, as well as Scuzz to race to the time bomb just like stage 10 in the original game. Let me tell you fellow gamers if any stage will make you tuck your tail and run it is level six. This is a level that is truly unforgiving.
A new addition to this game comes in the form of two bonus stages, and you'll need them. You ride on a checker, and collect red bowling pins (1 point) and blue pins (5 points) and dodge the black pins, the rats ride checkers and each hit causes you to lose 5 points, for every 200 points an extra toad is earned. Decent players will usually earn two extra toads. The only thing keeping the gameplay from a perfect score is the fact that the only fighting is done in the first two stages, and then with the Dark Queen at the end; the rest is all dodging traps. I would've loved to see more fighting like the original game.
Sound and music is nothing less than awesome as each tune fits the stage perfectly (especially stage six, probably one of the best game tunes ever) and kicks your adrenaline into high gear for the pace of the stage. The sounds are all great every smack, fwack, and biff fit each move perfectly. The only complaint I have with the music is that each tune relies on the same instrument too much and that takes away from the otherwise perfect score.
This review sums it up.
Platform fans you need this game!
Battletoads fans you really need this game!
And how many times do we have to tell you Rare, you owe us a sequel to this game!
