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It's been a loooong development cycle, but we're getting ever closer to the release of Retroware's old-school beat-'em-up Toxic Crusaders, based on what is perhaps the single most inappropriate IP ever to be adapted into children's television: The Toxic Avenger.
Debuting in 1991 and enjoyed by nobody, Toxic Crusaders, based on the legendarily icky series of films from Lloyd Kaufman's studio Troma, was part of a flood of animated "team crimefighting" shows that washed over our screens post-TMNT. The series followed the exploits of The Toxic Avenger (or "Toxie") and his party of mutant pals as they battled evildoers on the mean streets of Tromaville and beyond.
First announced way back in early 2023 (Look, here's me writing about it) Retroware's beat-'em-up calls back to the environmentally unfriendly characters from the original show, as players pick up the mop of Toxie, his blind gal pal Yvonne, the humanoid dog Junkyard, and surf-dude scientist Headbanger as they fight back against the forces of the evil Dr. Killemoff.
Retroware promises seven stages of noxious knockabout action for four players, with motion-comic cutscenes, full voice-acting, and a massive cast of characters pulled from the original TV show and the Troma universe at large (I guarantee a Sgt. Kabukiman NYPD appearance). The trailer already includes the diner holdup scene from the original 1984 movie, albeit with far less dog-killing, arm-tearing, and sexual violence... Again, this was not appropriate source material for a kids' show.
Toxic Crusaders is coming hot on the heels of several throwback brawlers based on classic animated shows. The party started with the arrival of Dotemu's decent TMNT: Shredder's Revenge (2022), and is set to continue with the upcoming He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Dragon Pearl of Destruction from Clear River Games, and Samurai Pizza Cats: Blast from the Past by Red Dunes.
Toxic Crusaders is in development for PC, PlayStation, and Switch platforms. A demo is now live on Steam.