ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove Review (Xbox One)

Special thanks to Human Nature Studios for the review code

Released for the Sega Genesis in 1991, the original Toejam & Earl was an odd game, even for its time. It’s a hard one to describe, and I struggle to fit it into any particular genre. It’s… a co-op, rogue-lite, exploration based present based adventure game. You play as, well, ToeJam and Earl, two aliens from the planet Funkotron with an early 90’s hip hop aesthetic and an appropriately funky soundtrack. The game was a hit, but SEGA didn’t quite know what to do with this odd ball franchise, and this led to several sequels (and one mini game for the Genesis’ Menacer light gun peripheral) which never quite resonated with gamers in the same manner as the original. Enter ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove. This game is a Kickstarted sequel that claims to bring the franchise back to its roots….but does it really deliver?

Story
Toe Jam, Earl, and their two female friends, Latisha and Lewanda, are out for a joyride… when they accidentally destroy the earth. It looks like they will have no choice to explore the wreckage of the planet for the parts of their destroyed ship if they want to return to their home planet of Funkotron. Hey, that’s awfully similar to the plot from the first game…. what a strange coincidence!

Gameplay
This game is back to basics in the best way possible. As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, the original ToeJam & Earl was a bit of an oddball. As a result, SEGA requested that the sequel be made into a side scrolling platformer, as that was the most popular genre of the time. Now, I personally have a soft spot for the second game, ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, but it was a radical departure from the first game. Back in the Groove is much closer to the original in vision. Players chose one of up to nine playable characters (with three being unlockable) and must explore different level in search of the missing parts of ToeJam and Earl’s spaceship. These characters all have different stats, special abilities, and funky sense of style, so I would suggest trying all of them out. You can traverse from level to level by finding elevators or by simply falling down to the previous level… since all the strangely shaped landmasses that represent these stages are stacked one on top of an other. The stages often have variations, such as ice or sand, but they can feel a bit samey after a few playthroughs.

Now, exploring the World of ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove wouldn’t be as rewarding without some obstacles for our heroes to face on their way. This is where the earthlings come in. These cartoony figures impede the players progress, some maliciously, such as the devil, some as a side effect, such as Ghandi (who makes you take a minute out to meditate). Since ToeJam and company aren’t the type to engage in regular fisticuffs (they’re just far too laid back) you’ll have to rely on the various presents you have hopefully been hoarding. These presents are found by wandering around, putting money into pay meters, shaking trees, and generally investigating your surroundings. Just like real life! These presents have a variety of uses… you can get rid of enemies by throwing tomatoes, get to unreachable land masses with spring shoes, or blend in with the locals with a not at all conspicuous earthling disguise. You won’t know what these presents are unless you have used a present finding ability, and not all are useful. Some may even be detriments, unless you’re the sort of player that likes having a giant alarm above you that alerts enemies everywhere on the map to your presence.

The game features a leveling system, which requires you to gather an appropriate amount of XP and then talk to the Wise Man in the Carrot Suit. It’s just that sort of game. While the game features a standard campaign with preset levels, it also features a randomized mode that makes the game infinitely replayable in the same fashion as most dungeon crawlers. This is good as the game is rather on the short side. You can complete the preset worlds in just a few hour if you rush through it, but that really goes against the spirit of the game. ToeJam and Earl is about hanging out, exploring, and taking your time. It’s an experience best enjoyed with friends, and I can confirm both the couch co-op and network play (with up to four players) work great. Unfortunately, the game does not support cross play, so make sure to coordinate with friends before a possible purchase.

Presentation
There is a specific aesthetic that one expects with a ToeJam & Earl game, and this title nails it. The vibrant colors, weird and clever human designs, and funky visuals and clothing will bring strong feelings of nostalgia for older players while making the world immediately recognizable for newcomers to the series. The game brings back fan favorite humans such as the Hula Girl while bringing in new, more contemporary foes such as a security guard on a segue or a person texting on their cell phone obliviously. The characters all have a ton of personality as well, and the art style is good at conveying this, although the rough animations aren’t always the best.

You can’t talk about this series without talking about the music, though. It’s funky. It’s groovy. It’s jazz and hip hop and a delight to listen to. Mix that in with the games various voice clips and comical sound effects and this is a game you will want to listen to with the volume up.

Verdict
It’s a bit hard for me to rate this game, because ToeJam & Earl is just one of those things you either get or you don’t. I would 100% recommend this game to fans of the series. It builds upon the foundation of the first game, and it isn’t afraid to add in elements from the sequels (such as the “Jam Out” mini-game from Panic on Funkotron or Latisha from part 3.) For everyone else? I would recommend listening to the sound track online, and maybe watching some gameplay videos. I would also recommend finding a friend to play with. In my experience, if the game clicks with you, it really clicks, so if anything in this review piqued your interest do yourself a favor and check the game out.