Battletoads (video game)

Battletoads is a video game of the game developer Rare, which was launched as a competitor to the then successful games of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series on the market.

The game was published by Trade West for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Sega Mega Drive in 1991. This was followed by porting to other platforms: 1992 for Amiga 1993 for Sega Game Gear and Game Boy (the latter as Battletoads in Ragnarok 's World ) and finally in 1994 for Amiga CD ³ ². Implementations for the IBM PC and Atari ST were planned but not published.

Battletoads was one of the most graphically advanced games for the NES, at the time of the video game market struck the direction to Sega Mega Drive and Nintendo SNES. The game gained popularity due to its exceptional difficulty and the unusual methods to beat in exaggerated comic effects his enemies.

Action

After their defeat by the Galactic Corporation at the battle for Canis Major, the evil Dark Queen pulls together with their renegade troops back to the most remote areas of the galaxy. Meanwhile, on board the Vulture escort Professor T. Bird and the trio of Battletoads - consisting of rash, chintz and Pimple - Princess Angelica to her home planet, where her father awaits her safe arrival. Move decides Pimple, the greatest of the Battletoads, take the princess out for a spin on the Toadster to a nearby Leisure Station. Before you get there, however, they are surprised from behind by the Dark Queen and after Ragnarok 's World, the home planet of the Dark Queen, kidnapped. Professor T. Bird sends the Battletoads two remaining after Ragnarok to save Pimple and Angelica. On their journey through the dangerous environment of the planet await the two cunning traps and the forces of the Dark Queen, while they struggle through the planet's surface through underground caves and dangerous steppes up to the Tower of Shadows, where they expected the Dark Queen herself.

Game mechanics

Nearly every level has a different style of play. Thus, there are a few 3D and traditional 2D beat ' em up levels, where the player progresses by defeating enemies and precipices and obstacles to overcome. Among the most difficult level include the race and obstacle levels that demand the player due to the extremely high speed and the extravagant sensitivity a high degree of reaction. Typically, it is necessary for the player to remember in such levels, the order of upcoming obstacles to overcome them in the next round without difficulty. At another level styles include the traps and taxes à la Snake, an underwater level with lethal spikes and dangerous monsters, and two difficult Tower Climb Level down to the last climb of the tower of the Dark Queen.

Another feature of the game series is the special style to defeat opponents in the final blow. One of these is a Sap, where the player Rammhörner appear at the top (or pimples case a football helmet in the arcade version ), a hit with extremely long fist, a two-handed Mighty Blow into the ground, the only sticking out the opponent's head leaves; Occurs with an extremely large boots and climbing and case level, the ability to be a wrecking ball.

Reception

The original Battletoads was considered by most game critics for good. Memory value is reached mainly by its extreme difficulty, even for experienced players. The game has been categorized into a number of occasions among the hardest games of all time and was even elected by Gametrailers in the first place.

While two players to progress more easily in normal Beat 'em up levels as one, the obstacle levels are for two much more difficult, as both players have to start all over again, if one of the two touches an obstacle. Another focus in terms of difficulty is the lack of option to turn off the " Friendly Fire ". During a co-op game, it is possible the other player deliberately attack as unintentionally. The latter is not uncommon, while a player attacks an opponent and the second arises in the way.

The game also suffers from some bugs. The most serious occurred in level 11 ( Clinger Winger ). During a co-op game is the second player may not be possible to move - and is thus forced to lose all lives before player one can continue the level. Another point of criticism is the fact that the players are only three available Continues with whom he has a chance to continue the game after he was defeated. Also, there is no password, and memory function, which the player would have the option to continue the game at any other time at the appropriate place.

However, some features provide some relief. By using a cheat code, it is possible to obtain five lives instead of the usual three. In addition, fast players in the second level can grab many extra lives by hitting her opponent multiple times without throwing them off the screen. Finally, there are four hidden warp points, with which the player can jump over two levels.

Despite these benefits Battletoads for the NES is considered as one of the hardest games of all time. The Sega Mega Drive version reduces the difficulty unlike the NES version considerably by rewarding the player with more additional life and easier gameplay. A detailed review of the game was in 1992 in Dragon magazine by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in our The Role of Computers held in which the game received 5 of 5 stars.

Titles available

• Battletoads ( Game Gear, Amiga, CD ³ ²)
• Battletoads in Ragnarok 's World ( Game Boy ) - Implementation of the NES game from 1991

• Battletoads ( Arcade ) - Electronic Arts

Successor

Battletoads developer Rare programmed two follow-up titles for Trade West, which appeared in 1993:

• Battletoads in Battlemaniacs ( SNES, Master System)
• Battletoads & Double Dragon (crossing - NES, SNES, Mega Drive, Game Boy)

To date, no tracks Battletoads series appeared.

Trivia

• The protagonists of the series are in accordance with the skin disease rash ( exanthema), chintz (acne ) and pimple ( pustule ) named.
• In the Game Boy version of 1991 Professor T. Bird says after the end of the 7th level: " You're a green machine, toad! I love the smell of blasters in the morning -! They smell like ... victory ", which purports to be an allusion to Apocalypse Now.