One of the most beloved beat-'em-up franchises from the 1990s is returning in the form of a brand-new Battletoads game for Xbox One and PC.
A release date trailer shows Zitz, Pimple and Rash back in action for side-scrolling brawls and fast-paced turbo bike chases before confirming the game's Aug. 20 release date. The game will allow for three-player cooperative multiplayer and seess the three eponymous, gnarly toads team up with the evil Queen that antagonized them in the original games against a mutual threat to the galaxy.
Battletoads features hand-drawn animation over 4K UHD renders to blend retro imagery with modern sensibilities in a true 2.5D experience for side-scrolling sequences. Meanwhile, vehicle levels have been shifted to a third-person perspective as the toads navigate obstacle-filled courses in a direct nod to the original game's most frustrating levels.
Launched on the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, Battletoads was a cult hit in the final days of the NES, known for its fun-filled combat and notoriously escalating difficulty. The upcoming revival is the first new game in the franchise since 1994's Battletoads Arcade.
Developed by Dlala Studios, in association with Rare, and published by Microsoft, Battletoads arrives on Xbox One and PC Aug. 20.