My Played Video Games Review: Battletoads in Battlemaniacs for the Super Nintendo

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Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is a beat-'em up video game with platforming elements developed by Rare and published by Tradewest for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom, part of the Battletoads series. The game was released in North America and Europe in 1993 and in Japan in early 1994.

I liked the Ninja Turtles more than the Battletoads who were created to rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise. But the games based on them are good enough to give the Turtles some competition.

Super Famicom box cover art for Japan. (Image source)

The Story

The daughter of a respected scientist and Zitz, one of the Battletoads, have been abducted by the villainous Silas Volkmire and his accomplice, the Dark Queen. The remaining Battletoads, Rash and Pimple, must step in to save the captives and prevent the dangerous duo from taking over the world.

Box, manual and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

Pimple and Rash, the 2 playable Battletoads, are impressive characters with impressive moves in the game. The Orcs are portrayed as the antagonists in the game. The game's graphics are detailed and some parts of the game are interactive, such as when you step on something, it drops into the ground, or a volcano erupts when you get close to it. The game's graphics are particularly good for a Super Nintendo game. It would be great if they made a remastered 3D version of Battletoads in the future.

The game's music is fantastic and stands out as exceptional. It has a funky, cool vibe that can be described with all kinds of positive adjectives. Each level in the game has its own unique and cool music, and there is a satisfying "boink" sound when you strike an Orc. The music is so good that you can keep listening to it without getting bored, and it has a techno feel to it.

Gameplay video sample of Battletoads in Battlemaniacs in 2 player play. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

The Battletoads game series have good gameplay, which is particularly impressive in this game. The first level is a brawler, the second level is set in a giant hollow tree filled with traps and spikes, and the third level features the return of the speeder bikes, which are intense. Other levels also have snakes and a race.

However, level 6 here is incredibly challenging and may make players want to give up. Two new bonus stages have been added to the game, which involve riding on a checker and collecting red and blue bowling pins while avoiding black pins and rats on checkers. Players can earn extra toads by collecting points, with good players usually earning two extra toads.

The only downside to the game's gameplay is that the majority of the game involves dodging traps rather than fighting, with only the first two stages and the final battle against the Dark Queen featuring combat. It would have been great to see more fighting.

The enemies in the game are designed very well, with impressive artificial intelligence that is also evident in the game's bosses. Regular enemies are tough, but bosses are even tougher, and their difficulty can be so high that it may discourage some players from continuing to play. The game's difficulty level is quite challenging, and some players may find it excessive. However, there are three difficulty settings available to help players cope.

Regarding replayability, there isn't much to do besides playing the game over and over again. While playing the game again can be enjoyable, it may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the game's gameplay and replayability combined are good. Even more if played with 2 players.

My Verdict

Battletoads in Battlemaniacs is an okay game to play, but I would not recommend getting it unless you're a hardcore Battletoads fan or just a video games collector.

Play it on the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a great emulator. Play it wth a friend for fun.

Let's keep on gaming in the free world!