After 26 years of silence, the Battletoads are springing back into action. Announced via Xbox Wire this morning, Microsoft has confirmed that its long-awaited reboot of Rare's one massive series will be hitting Xbox One and PC on August 20, 2020. You'll be able to grab it from the Microsoft Store or Steam and if you're unsure, you can even try it on Game Pass.
Initially announced back at E3 2018, a longer trailer debuted last year and it didn't give fans much hope. The visual style is almost reminiscent of a modern-day Cartoon Network show and seems to be aiming for a much younger audience than the original. The NES Battletoads certainly appealed to children, but it was a lot more violent and in your face than this.
A wonky style doesn't mean the game will be bad, however. This could potentially be a hidden gem that Microsoft has been honing to perfection. I doubt we'll see another Streets of Rage 4, but then most beat-em-ups aren't as good as that. If this is a competent brawler, then that's good enough for me.
At any rate, it's been far too long since Microsoft did anything with Rare's catalog of IPs. Battletoads might be the best foot to put forward, but this hopefully kickstarts a revival of Rare's other franchises.
Source: Xbox Wire