How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 72 | 20 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 67 | 379 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (64)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 50
“If you are new to the series, this Dlala Studios project can be a entertaining and varied adventure with a fun co-op mode and a spicy sauce of hardcore. But for classics' fans, such a "return" may seem as a complete disappointment. In any case, sadly, campaign is terribly short.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battletoads is a retro comeback that not only revives the much-loved series for fans, but one that elevates it to new heights! Truly, the development team has worked some magic to make this the best it can be, truly knocking it out of the park. There is very little wrong here that can stop from this being a star recommendation. The small amounts of missteps it does have don't hurt the experience in a meaningful way, leaving this to be an absolutely fantastic retro revival. It's great to see Rare credited on a game that is genuinely great.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battletoads is without a doubt one of the funniest games of this generation, and it's a pretty nifty beat 'em up to boot. It does have the occasional lull when things start to feel a little repetitive, but by and large it's a hugely entertaining experience and well worth your time.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“As a game and entertainment product, Battletoads is a safe bet, easy to consume and accessible to all audiences, so it is definitely a title that you can give a try to on your Xbox One.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Battletoads is a fresh reboot of one of Rare's most beloved IPs. It combines different genres, without forgetting 90s hardcore fans. Despite its content lacking and short length, the characters, story and gameplay make Battletoads worth the play. Rash, Pimple and Zitz are back and hopefully this time they'll stick around a bit longer. ”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Battletoads is a game that shouldn’t work in 2020. The originals were brutal tests of patience and I mean come on, it has been nearly three decades. Who under 30 actually remembers these characters? Still, for someone like me it is a real treat to see Microsoft once again return a former beloved Rare property back to its glory. I like where this is going and if we can bring the rest of the crew back, I will once again relive my youth. Banjo, Conker, and Joanna are next on the docket, let’s hope they see the same love and care as these toads have.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battletoads is a love poem to the games of a dramatically distant past and an almost completely successful attempt to refresh a brand, to make the nostalgic happy and intrigue the youngest: a game, in short, full of heart and desire to entertain ... and torment the more casual gamers.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“A fun and solid beat ‘em up with some awesome speeder bike levels tossed in. Unfortunately, the game tries too hard to be funny and the character voices can get quite irritating.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Battletoads returns after 26 years, and it's a love letter to gaming past and present. ”
read full review ↗ - 78
“First impressions are important, but they're definitely not everything. So give this adventure with Zitz, Rash and Pimple a chance, because it's one of the coolest beat-'em-up games released in 2020. And it sure as hell is one of the funniest.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“In the end we’ve come to believe that maybe the trolling theory is accurate and that this is all one big joke carried out by Microsoft, Rare, and Dlala Studios. Either way, we spent the entire time being frustrated, bewildered, and only very occasionally entertained. We don’t think our experience would’ve been improved if we did happen to be big Battletoads groupies though, as this doesn’t seem like something fans, or indeed anyone else, would enjoy.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Sure, this new Battletoads exists - but did anyone stop to think that maybe it shouldn’t? As a Battletoads fan who wanted to return to a semblance of the original, I didn’t care for this game at all. However, to someone with no attachment to the source material, you’d probably have a decent time running through it as a few hour distraction with your kids. It’s passable at best, but honestly you’d be better off revisiting Castle Crashers Remastered.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
Cubed3
Pure Xbox
LevelUp
SomosXbox
ZTGD
Eurogamer
GameGrin
GameSkinny
Power Unlimited
Metro GameCentral
MMORPG.com…and 52 more tracked reviews.