Battletoads, released in 1991 for the NES, is legendary—not just for its wild style and humor, but for its brutal difficulty. Developed by Rare, this side-scrolling beat-‘em-up/platformer hybrid follows three mutant toads—Rash, Zitz, and Pimple—in a mission to rescue their kidnapped allies and take down the sinister Dark Queen. What makes Battletoads special (and notorious): ⚔️ Combat variety: Punches, kicks, headbutts, and those signature exaggerated animations (giant fists, ram horns, boot kicks) 🚀 Turbo Tunnel madness: That speeder bike level is the stuff of nightmares 🕳️ Environmental traps and surprises: You never know what's next—snake rides, descending towers, rotating gears 🧠 Trial-and-error gameplay: No forgiveness, no save points. Just grit and muscle memory 🎨 Cartoonish pixel art and tight NES sound design 👥 2-player co-op—which is awesome and terrible, since you can hit each other by mistake (or “accident”...) Despite its difficulty, Battletoads became a cult classic, praised for pushing the NES to its limits and delivering style, speed, and over-the-top action. This video features the title screen loop and real gameplay from the original Nintendo Entertainment System.