PAX East 2023 brought with it a tidal wave of nostalgia, and one booth that had fans buzzing was Toxic Crusaders—yes, that Toxic Crusaders. The gross-out, anti-pollution heroes from the cult ’90s cartoon (itself based on Troma’s The Toxic Avenger) are back, but this time they’re pixel-punching their way through a gloriously gooey side-scrolling beat‘em-up.
I had a chance to go hands-on with the game and speak with the passionate dev team from Retroware and they where just as excited to talk about as I was to demo.
Toxic Crusaders’ Gameplay: A Sludge-Soaked Love Letter to the ’90s
The new Toxic Crusaders is a classic 2D beat-’em-up at its core, but it’s not a lazy clone of genre staples. It’s packed with tight controls, environmental interactions, tag-team combos, and a surprising amount of depth for an indie brawler. You can play solo or in local/online co-op with up to four players.
During my session, I played as Toxie, wielding his signature mop like a green-haired powerhouse. Each Crusader has unique moves and personality quirks—like No-Zone’s sneeze-powered attacks or Junkyard’s animalistic slams—that add variety and replayability to the combat.
“We wanted this to feel like if Konami made a Toxic Crusaders game in 1994,” said Tim Hatten, lead developer at Retroware. “The speed, the hits, the enemy patterns—it’s all crafted to evoke that era of arcade mayhem, but with modern polish.”
A Retro Art Style with Grit, Goo, and Charm
Visually, Toxic Crusaders is a pixel art feast. Think TMNT: Hypersonic Heist meets Saturday morning cartoons dipped in radioactive slime. The game’s hand-drawn sprites are a blast from the past with a modern touch.
Lead artist Rachel Kim told me the team spent countless hours studying animation frames from ’90s arcade brawlers and cartoons. “We didn’t want just another pixel art game. It had to feel animated, like you’re playing through a VHS tape from 1993 that got warped in a microwave.”
The backgrounds are equally impressive—overflowing landfills, neon-splattered rooftops, polluted rivers teeming with mutant fish. It’s all done with tongue firmly in cheek, matching the campy humor of the original series.
Inspiration and Respect for the Source
Retroware has a deep reverence for the original Toxic Crusaders universe. Every cutscene, enemy, and level grows its charm and inside jokes for fans. But they also wanted to show that it is open to all newcomers.
“Troma gave us full creative freedom,” said producer Derek Allen. “So we made sure to pack the game with nods for hardcore
fans, but also a fun, chaotic experience for people who’ve never heard of Toxie before.”
In fact, several characters from the wider Toxic Avenger universe appear as NPCs or unlockables, and the voice cast includes indie favorites and surprise guests.
What’s New: Modern Upgrades, Classic Soul
While Toxic Crusaders looks and plays like a retro game, it includes welcome modern touches:
- Online co-op for up to 4 players
- Unlockable upgrades and skins
- Steam Deck optimization
The devs confirmed a release on PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox, aiming for late 2023/early 2024. A demo is currently available on Steam, and the response at PAX East was positive.