Three and Out – ‘ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove’

Disclaimer: Thank you to HumaNature studios for being kind enough to provide us with a review copy for this article.

When ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove was first announced, I was both surprised and intrigued. This was a series that laid dormant for such a long time, and yet was one I had only given a cursory glance at before. While never having touched the series, I was at least a bit excited to get my hands on this new, more modern take on a cult classic. I’m not sure what I expected when going into ToeJam & Earl, apart from the fact that this was going to be something special.

The gameplay to ToeJam & Earl is hard to describe. It’s rogue-like with randomized floor layouts, including a variety of NPCs and presents (items) to find. The idea is to avoid any dangerous NPCs as I make my way to the elevator on each floor to progress, making sure to collect any of the ten spaceship parts throughout the game. Each floor steadily gets more difficult, with faster enemies and little snags thrown in, like sand or snow, to slow me down. That’s the crux of the gameplay – explore – and… that’s it. I get experience points for doing various actions like shaking trees, and can pick up presents for a variety of effects like disguises or running shoes. These may help give me a better chance of survival on the later floors, which is at least some reason to stick around and explore a bit more. Since I can’t fight back (for the most part), I ended up spending most of my time desperately looking for the next elevator. Little minigames like the “hyperfunk zone” and rhythm matching help to break up the monotony, but even after relatively few playthroughs the game started to wear thin on me. The final spaceship part is always on the 25th floor, so there’s no hope of an early finish. The drop-in, drop-out multiplayer makes the journey more bearable, at least, and is purely co-operative – though I did manage to hurt my teammate by using a present that summoned enemies around us.

And yet, the presentation is nothing short of incredible. ToeJam & Earl oozes with late 80s and early 90s charm, from its funky lingo to the retro cartoony visuals harkening back to classic Nickelodeon. Heavy slap bass is layered into all of its music, feeding into the vibe the game is giving off. Each level up gave me a new rank, with names such as “Dufus” and “Dawg.” Playable characters will make comments on the surroundings, and will sometimes strike up a conversation with another player if they are nearby to discuss their crushes. Every character is memorable, standing out among the rest. The titular duo are contrasting alien hoodlums. An old man in a carrot suit identifies unknown presents and levels me up when I’ve obtained enough experience. A group of chickens carry around a mortar cannon to lob their eggs at me. A yeti tries to stab me with a pencil. These are just a few examples of the weird and varied cast, and each playthrough ends with a groovy dance party back on the aliens’ homeworld that perfectly encapsulates the feel of the game. This all combines together to create an unforgettable experience.

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