Battletoads has really stood the test of time and is one of those retro games that you can pick up and play today and still have a lot of fun (and frustration) playing. It aged really well with game play still working years and years later. There are a lot of great games for the Nintendo but Battletoads stands out with games like Mario 3 that really showed what the Nintendo could do and why it was such a big deal when it came to shaping console gaming.
Rare Was A Rare Company
Rare was on the best game developers out there with an incredible track record. Not only did they make Battletoads but they also made Dokney Kong Country and Goldeneye 64 two other incredible games. They really made quality over the Nintendo, Super And Nintendo 64 days and were arguably one of the best developers on console at that time. I spent hours getting 100% on Donkey Kong Country and trying to snipe my friends in Goldeneye 64. Battletoads was no exception as people put in countless hours in this game.
Different Gameplay On Every Single Level
Sure the game was well designed and had fun aspects in it like the characters but what really made this game what it was was the sheer variety in it. Literally every level has a different gameplay mechanic that works. It is almost like several games in one. A lot of people think it is a beat'em up but really that is only the first level. The second is a repel level and the third is that notorious bike level. Then you have a platforming level on stage 4 and it goes on from there. Literally every level feels like a different game and each one is high quality. It was quite the feat to make it all work without sacrificing something along the way.
Character And Fun
I don't know why the Battletoads never really took off as characters outside of the game. They were basically the Ninja Turtles but more brawlers than ninjas. The Turtles were really big so they probably took all the oxygen from the room for kick ass animals that were human sized but the toads had enough personality to be remembered. And how can forget the big move where your foot or arm changed at the end of a combo.
This game is still a blast and if you have not played it I recommend you find an old nintendo and game and see why it is one of the best games of all time. It's too bad the sequels were not as strong but with so much variety in the original it would be hard to make another game like it and keep it fresh.