Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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A playthrough of Tradewest's 1991 action game for the NES, Battletoads.

Battletoads, a late generation NES game owing much of its style to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, is among the best of prolific developer Rare’s offerings for Nintendo’s eight-bit console.

Battletoads stars three bipedal amphibians named after unsightly skin blemishes and their mutant avian mentor, Professor T. Bird.

Pimple has taken Princess Angelica out for a pleasure cruise in space. The Dark Queen, however, knows a golden meal ticket when she sees one. The space dominatrix waylays the unsuspecting pair and transports them back to her home planet, Ragnarok. Realizing what has happened, Professor Bird prepares to lower Rash and Zitz down to the surface so that they may stage a rescue.

The variety of gameplay styles incorporated across Battletoads‘ twelve stages is staggering for a game on a two-megabit cartridge. Upon finishing the initial Double Dragon-style beat ’em up stage, the toads will find themselves rappelling down a bird infested crater, riding hover bikes at breakneck speed through an underground tunnel, surfing mined rapids, hitching rides on the backs of giant snakes, and more as they make their way toward the Queen's citadel. Every level introduces a new mechanic, and no two play alike.

The moment-to-moment play is smooth and lightning quick. In addition to standard jumps and punches, the toads have a plethora of contextually activated attacks. You might finish a combo with a huge punch that will send standard foes flying or a double-axe handle that'll smash 'em through the floor. You can turn yourself into wrecking ball to dash baddies against the wall of a chasm, and you'll headbutt rats out of the way as you scramble to reach a time bomb before it goes off.

There's a ton to see and do, but Battletoads makes you work to experience it all. I don't think I'd call it the hardest NES game - it's not janky enough to win that title - but among the well-made NES action games, the difficulty level is certainly up there. The continues are limited, the enemies hit hard, and until you know its twelve long stages inside and out, you'll regularly fall victim to one hit kills. It can be infuriating, but it's incredibly satisfying to see your efforts pay off as you improve with each attempt. (And if you're serious about getting through it, do yourself a favor and forget about the 2-player mode!)

Finally, the presentation is superstar-level stuff for a 1991 release. The backgrounds are loaded with parallax scrolling, the sense of speed in the vehicle stages is incredible, and the fluid character animation gives the game a ton of personality. The catchy (and often intense) music compliments the action nicely, the sound effects are crunchy and heavy, and who doesn't love that stomp/clap loop that plays when the game is paused?

Battletoads was made by an experienced team whose ambitions knew no bounds, and it's one of the best action games on the NES. The level of craftsmanship is easy to appreciate, even when the game makes you want to smash your controller.

You can find the Sega Genesis version here: youtu.be/WkcB4xeAefw

And here's the Sega Game Gear version:
youtu.be/k2FvReZmXKo
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No cheats were used during the recording of this video.

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