The ToeJam & Earl franchise has been around since 1991 and has attained a cult following over the years. Since 2002’s release of ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth, however, the series has largely been dormant due to the game’s lackluster sales and reception. Surprisingly, the series has resurfaced, with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove! I found myself excited to dig into it, and it is just as funky (in a good way) as I remember.

It is important to keep in mind that while Sega had absolutely no involvement in the development of this new entry in the ToeJam & Earl series, it resembles the first game more than any other. Developer HumaNature Studios raised $500,000 USD for the project and ultimately were able to gain further funding from Adult Swim Games who intended to publish the title, but finally gave publishing rights back to HumaNature Studios. For physical editions of the game, Limited Run Games stepped in and published PS4 and Nintendo Switch retail copies.

The storyline for Back in the Groove is simple. ToeJam, Earl, and their friends take the Rapmaster Rocket for a joyride, only to accidentally suck themselves, Earth, and the rocket into a black hole. Now the world is all out of whack, and they must find the pieces to the Rapmaster Rocket so they can fix it and return home to Funkotron.

This review is for the Nintendo Switch version, and I can honestly tell you that if there was an ideal platform to pick this game up on, for me it would be the Switch. You can play ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove alone, or with up to three other players in online or local co-op. This is a perfect game to play on your couch with friends or using the Nintendo Switch Online service to play online.

There are 9 playable characters in ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, each with different starting stats and visual changes. Some are characters are familiar, like ToeJam, Earl, and Latisha, while others are completely new. Each character plays differently, but the progression system for each character is completely random. As you acquire experience from opening presents, defeating hostile humans/creatures, or succeeding in mini-games, your characters can earn a promotion. When you promote (or level up) a character, a wheel spins, giving you random bonuses to your stats.

There is a degree of randomization (or procedural generation rather) to most aspects of Back in the Groove. The levels are randomized, so you will always encounter a different layout, different enemies, and different presents as you progress. The goal for each level is to find the piece of the rocket on each level (if there is one) and then take the elevator to the next level. Some elevators may take you down instead of up, causing you to re-do a level you’ve already completed.

Additionally, as you progress, you may run into hostile humans and creatures, as well as helpful or peaceful ones that are indicated by a sparkling animation around them. You interact with positive humans for a variety of reasons, whether it is to level up, identify mystery presents, or take part in mini-games that may get you experience or shortcuts to new levels.

There are all kinds of hazards, and hostile humans can be an absolute pain in the butt. Despite that, there is something really fun about experimenting with presents and finding out new effects and applications for them. You also unlock new presents and power-hats as you play, which changes things up and keeps the experience fresh.

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a lot of fun for a lot of reasons. The music is funky and interesting, the visuals are distinct and feel just like the original game with a fresh coat of paint. The controls are easy to get used to and are easy to use in general for any skill level. The presents are also varied and interesting, with some of them going so far as to change the way you play the game.

Things like Icarus Wings (which let you fly) and Spring Shoes (which let you jump) are just two of many options that may wind up at your disposal. Using the presents at the right time, in the right way is just as important too, since one wrong move may send you out of the level, falling down to the previous one. The problem is, many of the hostile enemies are almost impossible to take care of (or avoid) unless you have presents that can attack them or help you get away.

This makes dealing with enemies frustrating, especially considering that there are often limited ways to progress through each level. Granted there are usually food items to help you replenish your health, and there are sometimes ways to recover lives after you die, but it still gets frustrating quickly. I find myself playing for an hour or so at a time before I get frustrated and save the game to take a break. It doesn’t mean the game isn’t fun, it just requires short bursts.

There are plenty of cool touches in the game too, like the ability to share health in multiplayer. If you high-five your friend while you play, it shares health between you. The cool part about this is if your friend is almost dead, you can give them some health to help them get by until they can find food to heal them up the rest of the way. The issue with Multiplayer though isn’t really an issue with multiplayer itself. Back in the Groove has 3 difficulty levels, but if you are playing alone, you can only play on Normal if you want to unlock presents, power-hats, and hidden characters.

This means that the easier difficulties are pointless if you want to unlock anything, which really restricts casual players, and keeps them from being able to unlock things at an easier pace. I’m not sure why that particular design choice was made since the “Normal” difficulty is also the most difficult setting. Multiplayer could be considered easier in general, but tying the unlockables to the difficulty setting makes solo play less accessible.

The last major issue I have with ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, is that they don’t tell you specifically what presents really do. Some presents are self-explanatory, but they don’t tell you how things like the Rocket Skates change how you control your character. This led to a few instances where I would try a new present, only to die or be sent back a level or two. It gets frustrating after a while, though I suppose it is done by design to encourage you to experiment and discover what presents do.

Overall I think ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is a fantastic entry in the franchise. I hope we see more classic (and cult classic) series get revamped and revitalized by indie studios so that the nostalgia of yesteryear is coupled with modern ideas and enjoyable experiences. If you love the series, or just want to try out something new, ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is great to play alone, or with friends and family.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove was provided by HumaNature Studios for this review.

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ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove

7.5

Score

7.5/10

Pros

• Funky Music and Visuals
• Great Multiplayer Options Online and Local
• Procedurally Generated Levels and Gameplay
• Lots of Characters to choose from
• Quirky Humans, Presents, and Environments

Cons

• Present Effects aren't Clearly Stated Before Use
• Unlockables are Locked on Easier Difficulties
• Enemies Can Be Frustrating to Deal With