Play Battle Toads & Double Dragon Online

Battletoads & Double Dragon came out on the NES in 1993, developed by Rare and published by Tradewest. It was a crossover that felt like a big deal at the time, mashing up two different franchises into one side-scrolling brawler on a console that was already showing its age against newer systems.

You control one of five characters, either a Battletoad or Billy or Jimmy Lee from Double Dragon, and you fight through screen after screen of enemies. The main goal is to stop the combined forces of the Dark Queen and the Shadow Boss from taking over the galaxy. You punch, kick, and use special moves, like the Battletoads' morphing attacks that turn their limbs into giant hammers or a spiked ball. The game is notoriously difficult, with enemy patterns that require quick reactions and a lot of memorization. It feels frantic and punishing, but landing a powerful combo that sends a foe flying off the screen is always satisfying.