Battletoads & Double Dragon: The Ultimate Team is a 1993 action game developed by Rare Ltd. and published by Tradewest on the Sega Mega Drive. It is a crossover game which combines characters and environments from and inspired by the Battletoads and Double Dragon series. In addition to the Mega Drive version there were also ports available on the Game Boy, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Super Nintendo.
The story involves the Dark Queen and the Shadow Warriors teaming up against the Battletoads and the Lee brothers.
The battletoads contact the Lee brothers after this union takes place and team up with them to take down both their opponents.
Gameplay
The gameplay is similar to the previous Battletoads games. There are five playable characters. This includes Billy and Jimmy Lee from Double Dragon and Zitz, Pimple, and Rash from Battletoads. There is an attack button and jump button. Despite there being only two buttons there are several moves which are pulled off with either button combinations or automatically depending on the situation. Weapons dropped by enemies can be grabbed and used; these weapons include a stick and sticks of dynamite. There are also capsules which contain various power-ups and point bonuses. In two player mode when a player loses all their lives and continues it starts both players at the beginning of the stage.
Levels
As usual with Battletoad games there are side scrolling action levels, rope repelling levels, and vehicle levels. Levels alternate with between themes of both games and contain enemies and bosses inspired by both. The standard action levels involve running from the start point to the finish, fighting enemies along the way. The repel levels involve going down some sort of shaft and moving your character to avoid obstacles while also fighting enemies that are in the way. The vehicle levels involve dodging obstacles also but on the bike levels the player can actually attack passing bikers with their feet, which is a first for the Battletoads series.
Versions
Differences from the SNES version
The graphics on the Mega Drive version are less detailed, more colorful, and has poorer sound quality. However, the Mega Drive version runs smoother, features more music tracks (in akin to the original NES game), sharper sprites for the Battletoads, and more comical reactions from defeated opponents.
Promotional material
Print advert in Game Players (US) #0612: "Vol. 6 No. 12 December 1993" (1993-1x-xx)