The long-awaited return of ToeJam & Earl
Many years have passed since the last installment of ToeJam & Earl, and most of us thought we would never see these two laid-back aliens in the digital world again. But we were wrong! Greg Johnson, creator of the franchise, confirmed a fourth part called ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, which is being funded through Kickstarter.
A trip down memory lane: the classic saga
In 1991, the first title of the series, simply called ToeJam & Earl, appeared on the Mega Drive. The story follows the odyssey of these two alien creatures who make a forced landing on Earth. The duo must traverse various scenarios, avoiding humans, to recover the lost parts of their ship. What made this early installment surprising wasn't just the excellent gameplay and colorful graphics, but above all the incredible soundtrack and sound that accompanied the product. The digitized voices, very rarely used at the time, amazed even the most skeptical players, and ToeJam & Earl quickly became a favorite duo for many.
But it was only in 1993, with the release of ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron, again on the Mega Drive, that these two rapping aliens became a classic among classics. In the second part, our friends were enjoying their home planet Funkotron until the cursed humans arrived to explore it. And again, ToeJam & Earl find themselves embarking on an adventure to get the Earthlings off their planet. Of course, the graphics improved impressively, and there were many additions that enhanced this new installment. And in 2002, ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth came out, the third part that caused some stir due to its Xbox exclusivity, the inclusion of a new character, Latisha, and gameplay that became repetitive, causing the game to fall into oblivion.
What to expect from Back in the Groove
But the franchise is not dead, no sir. Greg Johnson, one of the original creators of the game, announced the development of a fourth part titled Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove. The story begins with the duo showing their friends the planet Earth. Due to an accident caused by ToeJam, the Earth is destroyed by a black hole, and now they have to solve the problem. As can be seen in the video, the game features an isometric camera, fully 3D environments, and 2D character models. Gameplay will have a roguelike style with randomly generated levels, simple controls, and an emphasis on cooperative play with up to four players, either locally in split-screen or online. The developers intend to return to the old school, picking up the format of the original game, so they will add elements from the first two installments.
Crowdfunding and release plans
For now, the developers of this project have started a campaign to raise funds through Kickstarter. The game needs $400,000 to be funded, and if funded, it would come to Windows, Mac, and Linux. Release on other platforms will depend on funding and agreements with providers. As usual, all those who support the project with a donation will be rewarded with copies of the game, shirts, and figures of the characters, among other gifts. Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove is being developed by Humanature Studios, and although the game does not yet have a concrete release date, it is expected to be released in 2017.
Toejam and Earl: Back in the Groove
