Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove Reviews
Online or local split-screen; ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is still one of the best co-op experiences a gamer can have. The boppin’ funk soundtrack, squiggly graffiti and amusing character designs still makes this feel like an authentic 90s throwback without any irony poisoning.
Toejam & Earl: Back in the Groove has reminded me, once again, to be weary of random presents, and that many of us looked (and acted like) goobers towards the end of the millennium.
Toejam and Earl is a great example of a retro revival done right, taking a clunky roguelike and polishing it up, making it absolutely gorgeous while also continuing to provide an incredible co-op experience.
Back in the Groove can be completed in a single evening; subsequent playthroughs extend the experience, but feel like a pancake-eating contest where the prize is more pancakes.
A reimagined version of the original Mega Drive game. Despite its many technical problems, its simplistic gameplay makes the game attractive and an ideal proposition for all ages.
Review in Greek | Read full review
ToeJam and Earl are definitely back in the groove with this remake, and this game has been welcomed by fans who backed the Kickstarter back in 2015. I certainly wanted to see a more fresh take on these characters, but the game we got will keep fans of the franchise happy while introducing a whole new generation of gamers to the series.
Toejam & Earl have come back quite fit in a game that pays perfect tribute to the first installment and gives it a makeover to suit current times. The variety of game modes provides impressive replayability that is getting more and more popular, as well as the cooperative mode that makes the game much longer-lasting and fun to play. A return to the high life.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
My real question is: Why? Why was this made, and for whom? If ToeJam & Earl: Back In The Groove was intended as a remake, why try to emulate the original so closely in appearance and design while making everything measurably worse? If it was intended to be a sequel that only had a passingly similar design then, again, why make it so close to the original? Especially when the original is so much better in basically every regard. I’m not exaggerating when I say that in the process of writing this review, I ended up playing the original for far longer than this new version. At first, it was just to see if I remembered the game utterly wrong, as being something fun when it wasn’t. But it is, and I kept on playing it because it was preferable to this…”alternative.” The original is a great “arcade” experience, even by the standards of today, and you should definitely go play it if you want that nostalgia hit. Back In The Groove will just bore you at best and make you uncomfortable at worst.
Human Nature has proven to be a brave fucking. All its mechanics are outdated, its graphic design is outdated and its sense of humor for decades that stopped being funny but they do not care. They have made the game that they played as children and they wanted, we wanted, to play again and they have done it without caring for a duck egg what the current batch of players think about their game. And that a developer develops a game under the motto "If you do not like it !! do not play it "has a lot, but that much, merit. Human Nature Chapeau and thank you!
Review in Spanish | Read full review
For those that have played ToeJam & Earl in their distant past and became fans, you will love Back in the Groove, as it captures the feel and look of the original and gives you a game you’ll be very familiar with.
Nearly thirty years was a mighty long time, but ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! proves that the wait was worth it. This is an excellent sequel, and it's not just because it captures the spirit of the original. The new features, as well as quality-of-life improvements, really enhance the experience. Each level is filled with things to do, and they all serve a purpose. There aren't any meaningless distractions. Even today, where roguelikes are exponentially more common, this is one that shouldn't be passed up.
This game helped me understand why people love the original ToeJam & Earl so much. Back in the Groove basically renders the original obsolete.
So what’s the verdict for this game? In one word – FUN!
With new opponents, a faster experience and great bonus modes from Panic on Funkotron, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is the quintessential experience for nostalgic fans, or those experiencing the franchise for the very first time.
177/5000 ToeJam, Earl and his team of alien rappers are back in action with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove the fourth game in a series that is about to turn 30 years old.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Capturing the essence of the 1991 classic, HumaNature Studios hits all of the right notes with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove. With nine playable characters, light RPG progression, online co-operative gameplay, and a whole lot of funk, the latest entry into the ToeJam & Earl franchise rests solidly in the pocket where it is meant to be.
Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove is very well put together and really just a more modern and expanded spin of the first installment of the series. It may not appeal to everyone with its weird 90s cartoon humor and there may be a few minor issues to iron out, but it’s a huge amount of fun to play with friends, just for the sheer chaos it brings with all the variables involved.
A nice and very fun throwback to the past which doesn't require you to find out what these alien rappers were doing if this is the first time you are seeing them.
Review in Russian | Read full review
ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is an endearing throwback whose charms and frustrations both feel unmistakably like products of 1991.