1st March 2019
HumaNature Studios
PC | NSW | PS4 | XBO
16.99 GBP | 19.99 USD | 20.99 EUR
PS4 & NSW physical releases via Limited Run GamesYOOOOOO what is this?ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! is the 4th game in the popular series which began in 1991, starring everybody's favourite funky aliens, ToeJam and Big Earl. Created by original designer Greg Johnson
, it marks the first game in the series since 2002's Xbox-exclusive Mission to Earth.
Back in the Groove!'s gameplay hearkens back to the roguelike exploration of the first game, rather than the more platform-focused sequels, though elements of the later games do indeed feature (hello, HyperFunk Zone!). The game is 4 years in the making, with
8,873 backers pledging 508,637 USD to bring the game to life via KickStarter in early 2015. I, myself, pledged at the
Spin Master DJ tier, so you can see that I have been h i g h l y anticipating this game.
Aiiiiight you got my attention. Gimme some f e a t u r e sHumaNature Studios wrote:ToeJam and Earl is the ULTIMATE multiplayer game! Lots of new features and presents to help your homie out… or um… totally mess with them, if that’s your thing.
9 playable characters each with unique play styles including familiar faces like ToeJam and Earl as well as some old and new friends!
Explore to over 30 groovy tunes including unforgettable remixes and new funky fresh basslines performed by musical funkmeister Cody Wright.
Use everything at your disposal to unlock all the secret goodies--new presents, power hats, characters, levels and more. Just remember, some things may be a little… unpredictable. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Return to the HyperFunk Zone to power up your character or freestyle awesome beats in the classic rhythm matching mini game.
More than 50 Earthlings and over 60 powerful presents all jam-packed into an ever-changing crazy Earth make this the most complete ToeJam & Earl experience yet!
F U N K Y af! What does it look like!?I need to hear these g r o o v y tunes!Shut up and take this money I found on the ground! Anything else I should see?Website
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TwitchReviewsDestructoid wrote:Playing this game is equivalent to downing some orange soda and Cool Ranch Doritos while watching Rocko’s Modern Life with the Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff playing on my parents’ six-CD player. With a little more variety in objectives this could be the killer co-op game to end all co-op games, but even with the same basic goal each run, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is one of the illest, dopest, most hella fly experiences I’ve had on my Switch. And while I know that vernacular is terribly dated, it totally works when talking about this game.
9.5Link
Polygon wrote:There were moments where it felt like I was playing the same game that came out when I was 11. But the look was just a bit more lavish, and the funky bass line was arranged just differently enough. Back in the Groove is the perfect mix of polish and nostalgia, and one that I can’t wait to play through again.
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Gaming Age wrote:As a big fan of the original ToeJam & Earl, I’d highly suggest picking up Back in the Groove when it launches this week. Even if you don’t have an ounce of affinity for the first game, or weren’t around to experience it to begin with, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove still comes together as a modern roguelike that everyone can enjoy.
ALink
Rock Paper Shotgun (some miserable banana split called John Walker who misses the point entirely) wrote:I imagine if you have a deep nostalgic love of Toejam & Earl, perhaps because it was the game you played when you were eight to get over the death of a hamster, then you’ll be just utterly furious with me for besmirching someone spending over half a million dollars of other people’s money to make the same game again. This Is The Game For You. But for anyone who’s curious about the game’s legacy, and wants to experience that infectious funky joy it at first presents, you can pick up the original on Steam for 79p, and then refund it after you’ve finished it.
Otherwise, this is really hard to recommend. The music, which really should have been the focus, is tinny ultra-basic beats, sounding like midi files in their simplicity. There’s no attempt at livening it up with real instruments, and the game’s Guitar Hero-style button-along sequences are insultingly rudimentary. Crikey, I just kept thinking of so many different ways this could have been a much more ambitious take on a cheerful anachronism from an ancient 16-bit era. Sadly, I appear to have been the only one.
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