Battletoads is one of the hardest games of all time, yet it is addicting beyond all imagination.

User Rating: 8 | Battletoads NES
Battletoads originally released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, and was later ported to the Sega Genesis, Game Gear, Amiga, and AmigaCD32. The game was also originally developed by Rare, those behind Donkey Kong Country and Star Fox, to become a competitor to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The main story behind Battletoads follows two anthropomorphic toads, named Rash (the first player) and Zitz (the second player). As the walking, talking toads, you must rescue Pimple and Princess Angelica from the Dark Queen.
The game plays just like any beat em' up game. You can jump and attack your way through enemies, with attacks such as transforming into a large boot when kicking, and the toads growing ram's horns while headbutting.
The real surprise in the Battletoads gameplay, was the steep difficulty level. The game gave the player a fixed three continues after being defeated, without any system for saving or resuming play. The levels are ridden with obstacles that instantly kill the player, and some levels even do not have barriers to prevent the player from falling off of the top or bottom of the stage. The obstacle and racing stages are even harder. The player is forced to memorize the pattern of obstacles just to make it past the level. The first of these stages, level three, is evidence of one of the steepest climbs in difficulty ever seen. In two player mode, players could damage each other intentionally and unintentionally. The other player is effected by the single hit knockout just as enemies are.
Battletoads is purely a game for video game experts, due to its insanely high level of difficulty, but the game grips you and forces you to constantly play to prove to yourself that you can get farther than last time.