The long-awaited new Battletoads title may be back from the dead, with the game reportedly popping up on Brazil’s video game rating board.
Developer Rare’s reboot of the 1991 classic beat ’em up Battletoads might be back on track following a long period of silence since its showing during Microsoft’s X019 show.
According to gaming publication Gematsu, the Battletoads name surfaced on the Brazilian rating board, which is common for titles nearing release.
Rare has yet to make any mention of the brawler’s progress, though they did recently feature a pretty awesome piece of fan art on their official Twitter page.
It's all smiles in this week's #FanArtFriday, starting with this particularly ripped Battletoads piece by DeviantArt's Morpheus306. The grins continue in our gallery with a pair of jolly skulls in Mumbo and Flameheart respectively. Enjoy all that and more: https://t.co/UWsUXcDyNh pic.twitter.com/izkeZFCjBD
— Rare Ltd. (@RareLtd) July 3, 2020
Battletoads reboot
The upcoming reboot will be a joint effort between the game’s original developer Rare and British video game developer Dlala Studios.
Similar to its predecessors, the Battletoads re-imagining will retain its side-scrolling beat ’em up gameplay but will feature a hand-drawn art-style as opposed to its original pixelated look. A cooperative multiplayer will be available, supporting up to three players at a time.
#X019 has Battletoads! We're still working hard with @DlalaStudios to bring the turbulent trio back, but for now we invite everyone at the show to test their nerves in the Turbo Tunnel! Don't forget to grab a snap with our custom-built Rash ride while you're there. Toadtastic! pic.twitter.com/dwfPwronV0
— Rare Ltd. (@RareLtd) November 15, 2019
Moreover, the reboot is bringing back the infamously difficult Turbo Tunnel level that the original is known for, but with a few significant tweaks.
The contemporary version is ditching the side-view just for the rage-inducing level, opting instead to place the camera behind the toads’ speed-bikes in a racer-like fashion.
It’s worth noting that the developers have no plans on dialing back the level’s difficulty, so fans may want to invest in some extra controllers. The Battletoads reboot was playable at the Microsoft X019 show and was fairly well-received by critics and gamers.
The origins of Rash, Zitz, and Pimple
Battletoads was originally released back in 1991 for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), having been developed by Rare and published by Tradewest.
It was subsequently ported to the Game Boy, Sega Mega Drive, and Sega Game Gear a couple of years later, followed by Amiga and Amiga CD32 versions in 1994.
The beat em’ up featured three humanoid toads named Rash, Zitz, and Pimple as its protagonists, created to rival the then extremely popular Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise.
It's not that hard. #Battletoads #retrogaming #videogames #TMNT #NES #Nintendo pic.twitter.com/TQJwCQ3reO
— Brian McGuinness (@laughatbrian) July 1, 2020
Its debut was met with generally favorable reviews, with a majority of critics praising the title’s graphics, which were deemed incredibly vibrant and well-animated for its time, in addition to being commended for its challenging gameplay.
Battletoads ended up taking home multiple awards, including Graphics and Sound and Overall Best Game for NES of 1990. While no new info has surfaced regarding its reboot, the upcoming game’s recent rating gives fans some hope regarding its development.
Image courtesy of Xbox