Battletoads is a video game series created by Rare. It began in 1991 with the original game, Battletoads, which is a beat 'em up style game. The characters are three human-like toads named Rash, Zitz, and Pimple, whose names come from skin conditions. The series was made to compete with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games. The first Battletoads game for the NES was known for being very challenging, but it gained a small but dedicated fan base. This led to more games on different platforms, including a collaboration with the Double Dragon series and a new version released after 25 years. In every game, the goal is to defeat the toads' enemy, the Dark Queen, and her group of space mutants.
Video games
The Battletoads must defeat the evil Dark Queen on her planet and rescue their kidnapped partners, Pimple and Princess Angelica. The game was first released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1991 by Rare. It was sold by Tradewest in Europe and North America, and by Masaya Games in Japan. Later, the game was released for the Sega Genesis and Game Gear by Arc System Works in 1993, and for the Amiga and Amiga CD32 by Mindscape in 1994.
An LCD version of the game was released by Tiger Electronics in 1991. A Game Boy version, also released in 1991, is a separate game from the original NES version, even though it shares the same title and box art.
Battletoads in Battlemaniacs was released for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in 1993. It was developed for the Master System in 1994 but was not released until 1996. In this game, Zitz and the daughter of Psicone Industries’ CEO are captured, and Rash and Pimple must save them from the Dark Queen. Each character has unique abilities and special moves. Pimple is strong and uses punches, while Rash is fast and uses kicks. Players can team up or play alone as Rash by using a second controller.
Battletoads in Ragnarok’s World is a simplified version of the original game for the Game Boy, released in 1993. Battletoads/Double Dragon is a crossover game that combines characters from the Battletoads and Double Dragon series. Players control five heroes, including the three Battletoads and the Lee brothers from Double Dragon, to stop the Dark Queen and Shadow Boss. This game introduced a character selection screen and was released for the NES, Genesis, SNES, and Game Boy in 1993.
Battletoads Arcade, also known as Super Battletoads, was released in 1994. Unlike other versions, it includes voice-overs and more violence. It features the three Battletoads, Zitz, Rash, and Pimple, each with unique abilities and special moves. Rash is fast and small, Pimple is strong, and Zitz is balanced. The game includes levels where players fight in vehicles instead of avoiding obstacles.
In 2020, a new version of Battletoads was released for the Xbox One and Microsoft Windows by Dlala Studios and Rare. It includes three-player cooperative play and high-resolution hand-drawn 4K 2.5D graphics.
The Battletoads appear as a bonus boss in the Xbox One and PC versions of Shovel Knight. Battletoads and Battletoads Arcade are included in Rare Replay, a collection of 30 Rare games released for the Xbox One in 2015. Rash appears as a playable character in the third season of the fighting game Killer Instinct, available on Xbox One and Windows. Rash is also featured as an action figure in Grounded.
A sequel or remake for the Game Boy Advance was planned but canceled. In 2013, Phil Spencer from Microsoft’s Xbox team expressed interest in bringing back Battletoads. In 2014, the game was re-trademarked in the United States. In 2015, Spencer wore a Battletoads T-shirt, shortly after Microsoft Studios’ Ken Lobb mentioned plans to revive classic Rare games “someday.”
The Battletoads: The Official Battlebook, a guide to the Battletoads console games, was written by Steve Schwartz and published by Prima Publishing in 1994. It includes tips, strategies, and secrets for the following games: Battletoads (NES and Genesis), Battletoads in Battlemaniacs (SNES), and Battletoads/Double Dragon (NES, Genesis, and SNES).
Animated special
The Battletoads animated television special was created by DIC Animation City to take advantage of the popularity of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This special was meant to be the first episode of a full series. It was shown in the United States on Thanksgiving weekend in 1992 as part of a program called "Kids' Day Off" by Bohbot Entertainment. However, the special was not chosen to become a series, even though ads in GamePro magazine claimed it would be.
Buena Vista Home Video released the special on VHS in January 1994. In 2014, the special was officially posted on YouTube by DHX Media (now known as WildBrain), a Canadian company that owns many of DIC's cartoons.
The story is a prequel to the Battletoads video game series. It takes place in Oxnard, California, and follows three junior high school students who gain the power to transform into human-like toads with superhuman strength. These toads can change their arms and legs into weapons using techniques called "Smash Hits." Their mission is to protect Professor T. Bird and Princess Angelica from the Dark Queen, who wants to steal Angelica's magical amulet to take over the world.
The cartoon was written and adapted by David Wise, who is not the same person as the composer of the Battletoads video games. A comic book that explains the Battletoads backstory was also published in Nintendo Power magazine and written by Guy Millar, an employee of Rare.
Voice actors in the special included:
• Ian James Corlett as Zitz / Morgan Zigler
• Jason Michas as Rash / Dave Sharr, Psyko Pigs, and Basketball player
• Scott McNeil as Pimple / George Pie and General Slaughter
• Kathleen Barr as The Dark Queen, Giblets, Dave Sharr's girlfriend, and junior high students
• Lalainia Lindbjerg as Princess Angelica
• Michael Donovan as Professor T. Bird, Principal, and computer geek
• Alvin Sanders as Mr. Thorpin
• Andrew Kavadas as Scraf'n Donuts Man
Reception
In 2010, Game Informer added Battletoads to a list of ten video game series that should return, suggesting a high-definition sequel. In 2012, Forbes included it among five video game franchises that need to be revived, stating that a modern version should keep its side-scrolling gameplay but use a 2.5D style similar to the game Mark of the Ninja. Other media outlets, such as Complex, Maxim, and GameRevolution, also encouraged the series' return.
However, the animated version of Battletoads was not well received. In 2008, Topless Robot listed it as one of five "worst one-shot TV cartoons ever made."
Prank call
In early 2011, users of the website 4chan planned a large prank by calling the Gold and Silver pawn shop, which is where the television show Pawn Stars is filmed. The callers kept asking the employees if they sold a game called Battletoads. This caused Rick Harrison, the star of Pawn Stars and the store's owner, to yell and swear at the callers. The callers recorded these interactions and shared the videos online. This event inspired many similar videos in which pranksters called other businesses and asked about Battletoads. The game's creator, Rare, recognized the prank by including an achievement called "Do You Have Battletoads?" in their 2015 game collection Rare Replay.