ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove

I always got the impression that Sega didn't know what to do with ToeJam & Earl. The funky duo originally debuted as an overhead scavenger hunt on the Genesis, which led to a side-scrolling sequel and a 3D platformer. Now they're back to their old ways in ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove, a reboot of sorts that draws heavy inspiration from the 1991 original. It's another adventure that sees the galaxy's hippest aliens doing their best to avoid Earth's nuttiest inhabitants. Do ToeJam and Earl have what it takes to get their groove back, or has the extended hiatus made them lose their funk?

After narrowly escaping Earth back in the early 1990s, three-legged ToeJam and his rotund buddy Earl have decided to take their lady friends to the planet that made them hometown heroes. Unfortunately, something goes wrong and the funky duo, along with Earth, gets sucked through a wormhole and is all scrambled up. This means that the hip aliens will need to explore 25 randomly generated stages in an effort to find all ten pieces and reassemble the ship.

If that sounds familiar, it's because Back in the Groove has essentially the exact same setup as the 1991 original. And that's not the only thing familiar about this fourth ToeJam & Earl game, because there were times when I wondered if this was more of a remake than a sequel. Everything from the levels to the structure to the enemies all felt like they were transplanted from that early 16-bit game, in both good and bad ways.

For those who missed out on the original, the goal is fairly simple -- find the missing ship parts. There are 25 stages total, but only a handful of them have the parts, so you'll need to thoroughly investigate each area of the randomly created levels to locate all the secrets and find a way off this stupid planet. Of course, that's easier said than done, because these funky aliens are lovers not fighters and are largely defenseless against some of Earth's scariest characters. I'm talking about crazy dentists, inconsiderate construction workers, drone operators, cell phone zombies, killer ice cream trucks and, of course, ghost cows. There are some new faces here, along with some returning favorites from previous games.

While ToeJam, Earl, Lewanda, Latisha and the rest of the gang may not have a default attack, they are good at opening up presents scattered throughout the stages. Much like the original, the focus is on using the power-ups to do everything from race around the stage in rocket shoes to sprout wings and fly to toss tomatoes at the Earthlings. The trick is that you don't always know what you're about to unwrap, and some of those presents aren't going to help you. It's just as likely that you'll run into a raincloud that zaps you with lightning over and over than it is to find the far more useful bouncy shoes.

The good news is that there are friendly humans looking to help our aliens get back to Funkotron. You'll collect experience points from using items and shaking trees that can be traded in to level up, which will improve your stats little by little. There are also characters that will sing, sell items, make sushi and more. A lot of this game boils down to learning how to avoid the bad humans and knowing when to run to a helpful human. If you don't level up and barter, then you'll quickly run out of lives and have to start over from the very beginning.

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Not unlike the original, there's a laidback approach to Back in the Groove that feels just as out of step today as it did 28 years ago. And that's not a criticism, because I've always liked that ToeJam & Earl danced to their own funky beats. The action is never fast-paced or punishing, making this a great game to play while getting intoxicated with friends. You know how some games are so action-packed that you have to focus on what's going on? Well, this is the opposite of that. It's the kind of game where you can hold a lengthy conversation while methodically searching every inch of the planet.

It's when you start playing the game seriously that it begins to fall apart. Much like the Genesis game that started it all, Back in the Groove is a shallow experience that can easily be beaten in your first or second try. The humans are easy to avoid for the most part and there's plenty of food scattered throughout the stages. Assuming you make it a point to open presents and level up your character, you should have no problem finding all ten ship pieces and beating the game in a single sitting. It's this lack of challenge that makes the single-player mode kind of a bore.

It doesn't help that the levels start to blur together after a while. The truth is, most of the problems I had with the original game apply to this newest installment, and that starts with the level designs. In theory, I like these weird and random stages, but there's not enough variety. We get the grassy levels, the sandy levels and the snow-covered levels. That's it. Sure, that's more than the original game, but they couldn't think of a few more tile sets in the last 28 years? Where is the fire stage with water you can't swim in? What about a foggy stage that obstructs your vision? Or maybe a stormy stage with rain and wind that pushes the aliens around? And that's just off the top of my head. You're playing more than two dozen of these stages, so it's a shame that we're left cycling between only three different types.

And I think that speaks to a bigger problem with the game -- it's not very original. This is being pitched as a sequel, but Back in the Groove often feels more like a remake. Everything from the scavenger hunt story to the level designs to the humans are exactly the same. You'll get into predictable dance-offs, open familiar presents and race through bonus stages ripped directly from ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron. This is a greatest hits package that forgot to come up with new material, and a lot of that is painfully obvious with multiple plays. ToeJam & Earl have nothing new to say, something that is especially frustrating considering how much things have changed over the last three decades. You would think that the creators would use this as an opportunity to comment on our changing times, but this sequel plays it safe. There are no surprises here, and that's a problem.

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Thankfully, there are some noteworthy improvements, such as an online multiplayer mode. Like I've mentioned multiple times, this is a game that is made for co-op play, and having the added ability to team up online is a big deal. I also like that you can explore Earth with up to four players both locally and online. The only problem is that the character selection is lacking. Most of the characters are just alternate versions of ToeJam and Earl, along with Lewanda and Latisha. The sequels introduced us to a wide variety of colorful characters, so it's a shame we can't play as ego-maniac Smoot or the constantly-confused Flarney. On the plus side, each of the nine playable characters has their own special abilities and attributes.

As far as the graphics go, Back in the Groove gets the job done. I like the attention to detail that has gone into bringing each of the personalities to life, though find the stages to be kind of boring. I'm not saying I want photo-realistic landscape or anything, but it would be nice to walk over hills and more varied terrain. The randomly constructed stages lack the kind of personality we see with the humans and aliens, and the designs just aren't that memorable. I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I wish ToeJam & Earl were a little more over-the-top.

If you're expecting this to be more of a reboot or remake of the original, then ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove will most likely satisfy. If you're hoping for a genuine sequel that builds on the characters and formula, then I have a hunch you're going to be left disappointed. This brand-new installment not only looks and plays a lot like the 1991 original, but it also shares most of the same problems. It's fun with friends and offers a laidback vibe you don't see in a lot of co-op games, but it's also shallow to a fault. There's not enough to do and the 25 stages can be easily beaten in your first or second try. ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove is an example of a retro resurrection that shoots itself in the foot by playing it too safe.