Rare Reveals Five New Battletoads Facts

British game studio Rare has put out a new video in their Rare Revealed series, this one about the making of the Battletoads series. Five new secrets are told from the mouths of the original staff.

The first story they tell is why they wound up making a game about toads in the first place. Contrary to what everyone’s assumed up to this point, choosing a creature that would originate from the same pond as a turtle wasn’t the main motivation. According to artist Kevin Bayliss, Rare started dabbling in original games when they found the licensed material they had been working on to be too limiting (he mentions a pro wrestling game specifically, and he must really have wanted to give Hulk the ability to grow a giant foot and boot Jake the Snake across the screen).

Bayliss recalls that when asked for ideas, he piped up and suggested toads. When asked why, he said “Well, I’ve really been into pond life ever since I was a kid.” CEO Tim Stamper gave him the OK to create some sketches, and he and the team drew up the Battletoads, as well as some rodents, rhinos and other vicious-looking animals for them to fight.

The video contains four other previously unknown facts. I’ve spoiled this one for you, but I will do no such thing with the rest! Get to watching…