Turbo Tunnel was a lot more manic. Said tunnel is turned toward the camera, unlike the side-scrolling version in the NES title. This new over-the-shoulder perspective allows you to see obstacles coming your way ahead of time. I was playing with two other players in three-person co-op and all of us seemed to be doing a reasonable job. Still — much like cracking an egg and receiving not one, but two of those goopy little golden bags — we got more than we bargained for.

I say this because it’s often the case that show floor demos tend to go a little easy on players, so that the journalists and influencers are more likely to have a good time — but Battletoads didn’t pull any punches. Despite all of our attempted coordination, we died many times on the path to victory.

Battletoads may look cute — and whether or not that’s a good thing will always be in the eye of the beholder — but make no mistake, this game is just as crunchy as its predecessors. And it will, no doubt, carve a niche with hardcore players. You can dismiss Battletoads based solely on the art style if you like, but you’re likely missing out on a well-crafted beat ’em up that confidently carries its predecessors DNA forward.