This might sound a bit weird but when I first gazed upon the ToeJam and Earl: Back in the Groove Kickstarter I initially had a hard time believing it was real. First, there was no video in the typical campaign video slot. Once recognizing one of the original creators was behind it, I then had to consider legality – did Sega own the property? As it turns out, the co-creators do… so all’s good (although it’s unfortunate to see that co-creator Mark Voorsanger didn’t want to jump onto Kickstarter too).
In any case, ToeJam and Earl: Back in the Groove is a new Toejam and Earl game for the fans. It hopes to mostly recreate what made the original great with its roguelike design and stages which asked you to find pieces of your crashed spaceship. However, elements from the sequel are also involved. Have you never played any of the games? Sorry! The Kickstarter page, as it currently stands, does little to explain any of the mechanics which made the series a cult favorite. Basically, it’s a pitch to everyone who loved playing these on their Genesis and are hankering for more of that.
Graphically it’s no longer a pixel art experience. Instead, characters and items on the world get a 2D drawn comic vibe atop a 3D plane. The aesthetic is weirdly cool and reminiscent of the original title. As with most established brands on Kickstarter, it’s asking for a hefty chunk of change: $400,000 to be exact. Chances are ToeJam and Earl: Back in the Groove will get funded without issue and begin its funky journey toward Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Track the progress of the ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove Kickstarter in our Campaign Calendar.
