The Battletoads are officially back, and they're hitting the high seas thanks to a cross-promotion with Xbox Game Pass sensation Sea of Thieves. Rash, Zitz, and Pimple have awoken from their 1990s slumber with a brand new beat 'em up for Xbox One and PC. Sporting a new cartoonish art style, the Battletoads has been getting critical buzz thanks to its surprisingly amusing humor and new spin on the classic arcade genre. Less well-liked are the mini-game sections, including a tribute to the infamous Turbo Tunnel section that has its own intense challenges in the game's achievements.
Screen Rant's Battletoads review says the release "breathes new life" into the franchise with its approachable brawler action and a multitude of alternate game modes. Surprisingly, the story ends up being one of the highlights. Other critics around the web have echoed these thoughts, with the game receiving plenty of currently ranked "Fair" on review aggregator OpenCritic.
If players were already set to join the party with Battletoads, then they'll be able to secure the new Fightin' Frogs ship set for Sea of Thieves quite easily. In the new official trailer for the cross-promotional cosmetic upgrade, Sea of Thieves (and original Battletoads) developer Rare reveals that players just need to beat the first act of the Battletoads reboot in order to have the ship delivered to their game. The ship has a tweaked version of the Battletoads logo on its sails and flag, as well as a figurehead featuring three frogs to represent the three rad combatants in the game. The ship's cannons and wheel also get a full Battletoads treatment.
Of course, this isn't the first cross-promotion Sea of Thieves has done with a new Microsoft game. Pirates roaming Rare's seas have been able to secure ships based on Halo, Gears of War, Ori and the Will of the Wisps and Bleeding Edge at various points across the game's lifespan. There have also been less game-centric promotions, including a tie-in with the former Twitch Prime and a set of clothes only available with a code included with a Sea of Thieves branded controller. There doesn't seem to be an end date for earning the Battletoads ship, but interested players should jump on it soon just in case.
For all the talk of Microsoft not releasing heavy hitters this generation, the ongoing success of Sea of Thieves and its ability to effortlessly cross over with new games like Battletoads goes to show that the publisher wasn't resting on its laurels all generation. Thanks to Xbox Game Pass and a long-term strategy, the pirate social playground has amassed over 15 million players with no signs of slowing down. Many of those players are likely different players than those who enjoy core Xbox games like Forza or Halo, once again demonstrating Xbox Game Pass as a great tool for reaching all kinds of players.
Source: Sea of Thieves/YouTube