Battletoads (USA)
Battletoads is a platformer video game created by Tim and Chris Stamper and developed by Rare as the first installment of the Battletoads series. It was originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991 and subsequently ported by Mindscape to the Amiga in 1992, by Arc System Works to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and Sega Game Gear both in 1993, by Rare to the Game Boy in 1993 (retitled as Battletoads in Ragnarok's World), and by Mindscape to the Amiga CD32 in 1994. Ports for PC DOS and Atari ST were planned by Mindscape but never released.
Battletoads is arguably one of the most graphically advanced video games ever released for the NES, at a time when the video game market was turning to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game became famous for its extreme difficulty and humorous ways of beating enemies, as during finishing attacks, the character's body parts transform into gigantic, exaggerated appendages for devastating attacks and comic effect.
The levels of Battletoads vary in gameplay style. Most prominent are "beat-em-up" levels that appear as either traditional side-scrolling stages or as isometric platforming stages, in which the players progress by defeating enemies. The players can finish off enemies in special ways, such as punching or kicking with an enlarged fist or boot, or by transforming into a wrecking ball.
In obstacle course and race levels, the character must dodge a series of obstacles while driving or flying at high speed, or outrun an enemy that can instantly kill a player's character. Other levels include a climbing/jumping "snake maze", an underwater level with lethal spikes and dangerous monsters, and two "tower climb" levels.
There are four "warp points" hidden in various levels that, when found, allow the player to automatically advance by two levels. The players start with three lives each time the game is started or continued after receiving a game over.
Battletoads is arguably one of the most graphically advanced video games ever released for the NES, at a time when the video game market was turning to the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis and Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The game became famous for its extreme difficulty and humorous ways of beating enemies, as during finishing attacks, the character's body parts transform into gigantic, exaggerated appendages for devastating attacks and comic effect.
The levels of Battletoads vary in gameplay style. Most prominent are "beat-em-up" levels that appear as either traditional side-scrolling stages or as isometric platforming stages, in which the players progress by defeating enemies. The players can finish off enemies in special ways, such as punching or kicking with an enlarged fist or boot, or by transforming into a wrecking ball.
In obstacle course and race levels, the character must dodge a series of obstacles while driving or flying at high speed, or outrun an enemy that can instantly kill a player's character. Other levels include a climbing/jumping "snake maze", an underwater level with lethal spikes and dangerous monsters, and two "tower climb" levels.
There are four "warp points" hidden in various levels that, when found, allow the player to automatically advance by two levels. The players start with three lives each time the game is started or continued after receiving a game over.
Battletoads (USA)
Technical
CPU
- maincpu Z80 (@ 3 Mhz)
Chipset
- Game Gear PSG (@ 3 Mhz)
Display
- Orientation Yoko
- Resolution 160 x 144
- Frequency 59.922738 Hz
Controlers
- Number of players 1
- Number of buttons 2
- Kind of controler joy (8 ways)
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Battletoads (USA) Screenshots
Clones of Battletoads (USA)
Plot
The plot of Battletoads is described in the instruction booklet and in the short cutscene after the title screen. Professor T. Bird and the three Battletoads, Rash, Zitz, and Pimple, are escorting Princess Angelica to her home planet using their spacecraft, the Vulture. Pimple and Angelica decide to take a temporary leisurely trip on Pimple's own ship. They are ambushed and captured by the Dark Queen and her troops, who were recently defeated by the Galactic Corporation and have retreated into hiding. Pimple sends out a distress signal to the Vulture, alerting Professor Bird, Rash, and Zitz that Pimple and Angelica have been taken to Ragnarok's World. The Vulture flies to Ragnarok's World, where Professor Bird releases Rash and Zitz. The two descend beneath the planet's surface, where Pimple and Angelica are imprisoned.
Reception
The game was well received by most gaming critics. It was nominated for the 1991 Nintendo Power Awards in nine categories, winning the 1st place in the categories: Graphics and Sound (NES) ("well-defined characters and backgrounds"), Theme and Fun (NES) ("extremely entertaining adventure"), Best Play Control (NES) ("again, tip of the hat to a fantastic game") and Best Multi-Player or Simultaneous (NES) ("no surprise here"), the 2nd place in the category Best Play Control (Game Boy), and the 3rd place in the category Best Challenge (NES); it was also given the title of the "by far" Overall Best Game for NES of 1990.
In 1997, Nintendo Power ranked as the NES version as the 89th best game on any Nintendo platform, commenting: "The graphics created by Rare were so exceptional by any standard and the game was so challenging and fun we devoted an unprecented 35 pages to it. Subsequent Battletoads games, such as Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, were also beautifully done, but they didn't have the impact of the original." In 2010, UGO included it on the list of the games that need sequels, also featuring the Arctic Cavern levels on the list of the coolest ice levels", while SPIKE ranked the game's ending as the sixth biggest letdown in video game history.Topless Robot ranked Battletoads as the number one "least terrible Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip-off" in 2008, also naming it as one of ten best beat-'em-ups of all time in 2010 and as one of ten video games that should have gotten toys in 2012.
However, Battletoads has been probably most remembered for its extreme difficulty, even for experienced players. The game has even been included in numerous occasions among the hardest games ever made, including the number one spot as determined by GameTrailers. According to Destructoid, "Despite the game's brutal and unbalanced difficulty, it is remembered as one of the most beloved titles of the eight-bit generation." In 2012, Yahoo! Games said that the game it is "still widely recognized as one of the hardest – if not the hardest – games ever made", particularly noting the ability for players to accidentally harm their partner in two-player mode. That same year, it was also listed among ten "classic videos games that deserve an HD remake" by Yahoo! News.
In 1997, Nintendo Power ranked as the NES version as the 89th best game on any Nintendo platform, commenting: "The graphics created by Rare were so exceptional by any standard and the game was so challenging and fun we devoted an unprecented 35 pages to it. Subsequent Battletoads games, such as Battletoads in Battlemaniacs, were also beautifully done, but they didn't have the impact of the original." In 2010, UGO included it on the list of the games that need sequels, also featuring the Arctic Cavern levels on the list of the coolest ice levels", while SPIKE ranked the game's ending as the sixth biggest letdown in video game history.Topless Robot ranked Battletoads as the number one "least terrible Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles rip-off" in 2008, also naming it as one of ten best beat-'em-ups of all time in 2010 and as one of ten video games that should have gotten toys in 2012.
However, Battletoads has been probably most remembered for its extreme difficulty, even for experienced players. The game has even been included in numerous occasions among the hardest games ever made, including the number one spot as determined by GameTrailers. According to Destructoid, "Despite the game's brutal and unbalanced difficulty, it is remembered as one of the most beloved titles of the eight-bit generation." In 2012, Yahoo! Games said that the game it is "still widely recognized as one of the hardest – if not the hardest – games ever made", particularly noting the ability for players to accidentally harm their partner in two-player mode. That same year, it was also listed among ten "classic videos games that deserve an HD remake" by Yahoo! News.
