ToeJam & Earl: Back In The Groove Review -

ToeJam & Earl: Back In The Groove Review

TOEJAM & EARL BACK IN THE GROOVE: A RETURN NOT NECESSARY

In the early 1990s, each developer tried to impose their mascot on the market. Released a few months apart, Super Mario World and Sonic the Hedgehog loudly show the colors of SEGA and Nintendo. Then land a string of more or less memorable heroes: James Pond, Bubsy, Mr. Nutz, Sparkster, Aero the Acro-Bat, Earthworm Jim, Ristar, Zool. So many creations that claim a cool image of the video game. It was during this period of transition, between the end of the 2D era and the beginnings of the professionalisation of the environment, that a tandem of alien rappers emerged: ToeJam & Earl. Four years after the success of its Kickstarter funded with more than $ 500,000, this new episode called Back in the Groove is now available on PC via Steam, as well as the current home consoles. A really justified return beyond the nostalgia syndrome?

Like Noddus, weren't you there when the first episode of Mega Drive was released in 1991? Or did you just miss the SEGA Vintage Collection compilation released on Xbox Live in 2012? Do not panic, a small tour of the owner is planned. Long before the wave of modern rogue-like, ToeJam & Earl explored the possibilities of random generation in a colorful and wacky universe. Dumped on Earth, the two aliens had to recover ten pieces of their ship in order to repair it and thus return to their planet, Funkotron. To do this, we explored small islands with varied surfaces and properties: grass, concrete, sand, water, ice, etc.

The goal is to avoid humans as much as possible, often there to lower your precious life bar. In this wacky world where danger comes from an egg throw as well as from a lawnmower, one could count on a range of objects appearing randomly to survive. Some beneficial (food to recover energy, Icarus wings to reach distant platforms, tomatoes to throw at enemies ...) while others are enough to make you mad (uncontrollable rollerblades, cloud causing lightning to fall) , etc.).