Battletoads is a video game media franchise by Rare that began with the original beat 'em up game Battletoads in 1991. The series was created to rival the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games series and cash in on some of TMNT's success. The original Battletoads game for the NES was renowned for its difficulty, but still received a cult following, spawning sequels for various platforms including a crossover with the Double Dragon series and a modern reboot after a 25 year gap in releases. But big media success has always alluded the Battletoads.