Twinworld Game Reviews

Posts Tagged ‘ToeJam & Earl’

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Oct. 1, 2019 – ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, the fourth entry in the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series from HumaNature Studios, drops a new present: a new update available now on Xbox One, later this week on PlayStation 4, and soon after on Nintendo Switch. The new modes are already playable on Steam. The game is now available for $5 cheaper than before at $14.99, so save those dollars for some sweet presents.

To prove the squad has been listening to their number one homies, HumaNature is dropping the v1.5 update with not one, but two new modes: Extreme and Endless. They listened and took notes of more than 100 fan-requested changes to include in the Extreme World. Not bad, huh?

Y’all ToeJam & Earl veterans wanted a more retro difficulty similar to the original game, and the guys heard that too. Finishing the Hard World now unlocks Extreme, which offers 25 levels filled with more broken presents, progressively harder, faster and smarter enemies, changes to all characters’ stats, and gameplay much, MUCH harder than v1.0. Don’t forget the first ToeJam and Earl is available on the SEGA Genesis Mini so you can compare the difficulties directly.

Endless World is unlocked after reaching level 10 on Extreme World. Strap on some rocket skates, rack up a bunch of tomatoes, and get to work. Endless has over 1000 levels! Exactly 1001, in fact. Go beyond the maximum rank of ‘Funklord’ and level up the characters to strengths not possible in the core game, the Endless World equals Endless amount of fun.

“Our TJ&E fans keep asking us for more game modes and it’s hard to say ‘no,’ ” said Greg Johnson, founder of Humanature Studios. “Hopefully this will keep them busy for a while. 😉 And by the way, if anyone manages to beat both extreme mode and endless mode (Good luck!) I will sign their games and congratulate them myself.”

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! is available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain), and Brazilian Portuguese for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC and Mac via Steam for $14.99 USD, a recent permanent price drop from $19.99 across all platforms. Japanese language support is coming out before the end of the year.

Source: PR Email

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – March 1, 2019 – ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, the fourth entry of the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series from HumaNature Studios, returns with a new adventure on Nintendo Switch™, PlayStation®4, Xbox One, PC and Mac via Steam today.

After crash-landing on Earth and mingling with those wack Earthlings in 1991, ToeJam and Earl are back, in more ways than one. On a joyride in Lamont’s Rapmaster Rocket, the duo takes their crew to see where all the craziness began. One accidental press of the “Black Hole – DO NOT PRESS” button later, both Earth and the Rapmaster Rocket are in pieces. Squad up, find those ship parts, learn to love (and hate) Earthlings all over again, and get back home!

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! re-imagines the original Sega Genesis classic while still serving as a fresh, modern sequel. Seek out ship parts hidden throughout procedurally-generated levels filled with goofy secrets. Scoop up presents that can either help or harm ToeJam and Earl — can’t know ‘til they’re unwrapped! Sometimes they get lucky and find slingshot tomatoes to pop foes or Icarus wings that let the pair soar across dangerous gaps. Other times? Yo. We don’t talk about the other times.

Tired of being called a “Weiner?” Scrounge up some XP to quickly rank up and leave that starting title behind. With each increasing rank, the characters’ stats — speed, health, present skill, search skill, inventory size, luck — improve, and getting back to Funkotron seems more likely. Unlock the full nine-character roster, all with their own stats and abilities, and earn power hats that offer persistent upgrades between runs for endless good times.

More than 50 Earthlings roam, funkin’ up ToeJam and Earl’s plans. Old “friends” like the Insane Dentist and Ice Cream Truck return, but modern times bring modern humans. Internet Trolls chuck weaponized swear words, and the Texting Person stares at their phone and tramples anyone in their path. Not all of ‘em are bad, though — that dude in the carrot suit’s legit.

Everything’s better with a homie, so drop into local or online multiplayer with up to four (online) old pals or new buddies. Rebuild the Rapmaster Rocket with their help, or jump into dope mini-games like the HyperFunk Zone, a side-scrolling track full of presents and cash. Get into dance battles with funky tunes, including classic remixes from the original.

“Our fans have waited a long time for a true sequel to the original Toejam & Earl game,” said Greg Johnson, founder of HumaNature Studios. “We’ve taken elements from Panic on Funkotron as well, and updated it all with fresh graphics, great funkadelic music, and an absolute ton of new features that emphasize replayability and multiplayer fun. I couldn’t be happier with how this game has turned out. I’m hoping our fans will feel like it’s just what they’ve been waiting for!”

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is now available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain), and Brazilian Portuguese for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC and Mac via Steam for $19.99 USD.

Source: PR Email

SAN FRANCISCO – February 26, 2019 – ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, the upcoming fourth entry of the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series from HumaNature Studios, brings a new present for its fans, with the addition of actor and musician Macaulay Culkin as the game’s newest executive producer.

Culkin, an outspoken fan of the franchise, named the original 1991 Sega Genesis ToeJam & Earl as his favorite game during a Reddit “Ask Me Anything”, included the pair on a parody of the March Madness Mega Bracket as a favorite to win, and Tweeted he’d rather play it than watch the 2018 Oscars.

With more than three decades of experience in the entertainment industry, Culkin started the comedy brand Bunny Ears in 2017 as a digital outlet to express his unconventional thoughts on everything pop culture related through hilarious articles and podcasts with fascinating guests.

Now The Incredible Culk and his team are debuting Bunny Ears Games with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!. Bunny Ears’ wry wit and penchant for satire provided crucial input to ensure the game is a hella good time. Growing up playing the original game on Sega Genesis, Culkin knew exactly what would – and wouldn’t – appeal to the thousands of Kickstarter backers that funded the sequel.

Says Culkin, “I’m honored to be producing the new ToeJam & Earl because it is literally my favorite video game of all time. Plus, Greg Johnson is the tits!”

Back in the Groove! debuts on March 1 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Steam for Windows PC and Mac, bringing humans’ favorite funky aliens back to our planet. The iconic duo tries to inconspicuously borrow the Rapmaster Rocket to show off to Latisha and Lewanda. One press of the wrong button causes a black hole incident that leaves them with a broken ship, stranded on Earth. Find parts to rebuild the ship, deal with those weirdo Earthlings, and get back home.

“ToeJam and Earl: Back in the Groove is a ‘90s styled blast from the past.” Said Greg Johnson, founder of Humanature Studios. “Macaulay Culkin, the star of the ‘90s classic Home Alone is an Uber Fan of the ToeJam games. He totally gets the vibe and humor of the new game, and his involvement has made the game even crazier and more fun.”

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove will be available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Spain), and Brazilian Portuguese for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows PC and Mac via Steam for $19.99 USD on March 1.

Source: PR Email

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – December 4, 2018 – ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, the upcoming fourth entry of the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series from HumaNature Studios, helmed by original co-creator Greg Johnson, puts the “fun” in funky on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on Friday, March 1.

The iconic ‘90s alien duo is back. ToeJam and Earl, hoping to impress Latisha and Lewanda, have…”borrowed” the Rapmaster Rocket. One black hole-related accident later, they are back on the floating remnants of Earth, scrambling to pick up the pieces of their ship before their home planet of Funkotron notices anything missing.

Hidden throughout the procedurally-generated levels are presents with random effects that help the duo find their ship parts. Rocket skates, Icarus Wings, Boomboxes and more than 60 other presents make each run feel fresh. Characters and unlockable hats that offer awesome hidden powers persist across playthroughs so there’s more to strive for beyond getting back home.

You would think a three-legged alien in dope threads would be the weirdest thing on the planet, but Earthlings give ToeJam and Earl a run for their money. Sneak around humans like the Hula-Girl so you don’t get hypnotized into shaking your hips, leaving you vulnerable to attacks. Over 50 Earthlings ranging from King Tut, armies of chickens and Internet Trolls roam around each level, so get to know which are friends and which are foe.

Back in the Groove’s got all the classic moments which made the series a staple of ‘90s gaming with modern improvements like online play, all in a nostalgic underground comic style.

Up to four friends can play together through online multiplayer and choose from nine characters — some blasts-from-the-past, some new and funky fresh. Each character has their own stats and special abilities. Console players can enjoy couch co-op with two players total, while PC will enable local co-op accommodating four players.

Minigames keep ToeJam and Earl on their toes. The side-scrolling HyperFunk Zone from Panic on Funkotron is back so players can earn extra presents and cash. Feeling the beat? Jump into a rhythm-based dance-off. Get ready to jam out with your homies to more than 30 groovy tunes, including classic remixes from the original games.

“ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! is what I’ve been wanting to do for the series for over 20 years,” said Greg Johnson, founder of HumaNature Studios. “We’ve included pretty much all of the original “old skool” characters and presents, and we have a TRUCKLOAD of new surprises, many of them fan-inspired. I think we’ve captured the spirit of the original game, as well as a lot of what people loved about game two. I think this is what our fans have been waiting for. I can’t wait to see what they think!”

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! will be available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Latin America), and Brazilian Portuguese for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC for $19.99 USD on March 1.

Source: PR Email

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – December 4, 2018 – ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove!, the upcoming fourth entry of the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series from HumaNature Studios, helmed by original co-creator Greg Johnson, puts the “fun” in funky on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on Friday, March 1.

The iconic ‘90s alien duo is back. ToeJam and Earl, hoping to impress Latisha and Lewanda, have…”borrowed” the Rapmaster Rocket. One black hole-related accident later, they are back on the floating remnants of Earth, scrambling to pick up the pieces of their ship before their home planet of Funkotron notices anything missing.

Hidden throughout the procedurally-generated levels are presents with random effects that help the duo find their ship parts. Rocket skates, Icarus Wings, Boomboxes and more than 60 other presents make each run feel fresh. Characters and unlockable hats that offer awesome hidden powers persist across playthroughs so there’s more to strive for beyond getting back home.

You would think a three-legged alien in dope threads would be the weirdest thing on the planet, but Earthlings give ToeJam and Earl a run for their money. Sneak around humans like the Hula-Girl so you don’t get hypnotized into shaking your hips, leaving you vulnerable to attacks. Over 50 Earthlings ranging from King Tut, armies of chickens and Internet Trolls roam around each level, so get to know which are friends and which are foe.

Back in the Groove!’s got all the classic moments which made the series a staple of ‘90s gaming with modern improvements like online play, all in a nostalgic underground comic style.

Up to four friends can play together through online multiplayer and choose from nine characters — some blasts-from-the-past, some new and funky fresh. Each character has their own stats and special abilities. Console players can enjoy couch co-op with two players total, while PC will enable local co-op accommodating four players.

Minigames keep ToeJam and Earl on their toes. The side-scrolling HyperFunk Zone from Panic on Funkotron is back so players can earn extra presents and cash. Feeling the beat? Jump into a rhythm-based dance-off. Get ready to jam out with your homies to more than 30 groovy tunes, including classic remixes from the original games.

“ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! is what I’ve been wanting to do for the series for over 20 years,” said Greg Johnson, founder of HumaNature Studios. “We’ve included pretty much all of the original ‘old skool’ characters and presents, and we have a TRUCKLOAD of new surprises, many of them fan-inspired. I think we’ve captured the spirit of the original game, as well as a lot of what people loved about game two. I think this is what our fans have been waiting for. I can’t wait to see what they think!”

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! will be available in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Latin America), and Brazilian Portuguese for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC for $19.99 USD on March 1st.

Source: PR Email

SAN FRANCISCO — JUNE 28, 2018 — ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, the upcoming fourth entry of the beloved, funkadelic action roguelike series, releases later this year on consoles and PC. Greg Johnson, founder, HumaNature Studios, has issued the following statement providing a more exact release window and an update on the developer’s relationship with Adult Swim Games.

“We ARE releasing this year!! Right now we have our sights set on a fall release. We will be making a specific release plan announcement in regards to dates as soon as we have that nailed down.

Going forward Adult Swim Games is no longer going to be our publisher. Instead we are going back to self-publishing! Adult Swim Games has some other big titles they plan to launch this summer so when Back in the Groove pushed back, we both agreed that it made sense for them to hand us the reigns, rather than taking a chance on this getting pushed back any more. Also I’d like to say how deeply grateful I and all of us here at HNS are to Adult Swim Games. We wouldn’t have gotten this game to this point without them…seriously. Thank You Adult Swim!!

We are also going to be opening a closed beta within the next couple weeks for our early-access backers, and we’ll be looking for your feedback! Also, the Nintendo Switch version of the game is just about ready to be submitted for certification by Nintendo, and the other console versions are not too far behind. I’ll give you more details about all of this before this update is done.”

Source: PR Email