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When one envisions the Sega Genesis cult classic ToeJam & Earl, especially if they hadn't heard of it before, it's pretty likely that they will imagine it to be some kind of wacky, irreverent platformer, sort of in the same vein as Earthworm Jim or others like it. It's just the kind of thing you expect. Perhaps some might just be thinking of the game's sequel, Panic on Funkotron, which is a proper platformer.

But a significant number of first-time players are likely to be surprised that the series debut is actually better described as a randomly generated dungeon crawler. It's probably one of the first proper roguelikes that many younger Genesis fans had ever played, and probably without many of them even realizing it. That alone makes it occupy a pretty unique spot in the Sega catalog; its devotion to the trends of a funktastic 90s California makes it a game that is completely its own.

As the title might imply, ToeJam & Earl is one of those games that offers both single-player and split-screen co-op. And let's be frank; there's a reason it's not called ToeJam Or Earl. This game, in single player at least, offers very little to even engage with. You walk around the level, find a piece of your spaceship if it's there, and look for the elevator. It barely feels like anything beyond a walking simulator. Presents that you find are random, so you aren't sure if your next item is going to be super-power rocket shoes or something that just outright kills you.

Trying to fight enemies is annoying, and so you're better off just avoiding as much contact with them as possible. This game, played optimally, is just walking around a series of randomly generated levels—and don't be mistaken, because though each level is technically different, they might as well be indistinguishable—hoping for it to end as quickly as possible. You'll be knocked down to lower levels, stunlocked by enemies that are faster than you, or just get screwed over by RNG to the point where it feels better to just reset your progress.

So, okay, the game is horrible in single player. In multiplayer though? It's surprisingly fun, despite not really shaking up the gameplay formula all that much. It's certainly easier to progress, as you can share resources throughout and explore areas on your own, but the enjoyment comes more from having someone there to experience the ludicrousness of ToeJam & Earl with.

Sure, maybe you won't think it's too funny when your single-player campaign is thwarted by an instant death present, or you get knocked down 5 levels in a row because you had the misfortune to land on a deranged barber, but when it happens to your friend? Well, that is something you can get behind. It also has some interactions between the characters that you wouldn't see alone. ToeJam & Earl is more of an experience than it is a game, so it makes sense that having someone to be there with to share the fun (or, most likely, the pain) with would elevate its potential enjoyment.

And, sure, you could probably enjoy just about anything with the right company, regardless of its quality. But there's something about ToeJam & Earl's absurdity that makes it just that bit more appealing. Hip-hop-loving aliens that crash-landed on Earth? Stealing presents from Jetpack Santa and dancing with the hula girls? What's not to like? Regardless of how you feel about the game as a...well, game, it's hard to deny its appeal as a creative exercise. The music is infectious and belongs to a genre rarely represented in video games, which makes it all the more disappointing how limited the soundtrack is in quantity. The levels, too, could have used a bit...no, a lot more variety beyond how much dirt or water there is on each one.

When you're playing ToeJam & Earl with another player, it's like keeping it real with your flyest homie—some might even say it's all that and a bag of chips. But when you're playing alone? It's a total lame-o buzzkill that will make you say, "What's the dillio with this wack?" You'll feel like a mega dweeb. Usually this level of disparity between single-player and multiplayer enjoyment is only found within genres like fighting or party games, but ToeJam & Earl is heavily dependent on both if you have someone to play it with and their tolerance for its more mean-spirited design choices.

Perhaps the game's biggest problem is that, while it is frequently very funny, it's rarely very fun. Most of its better qualities are related to what you take out of it, rather than what it can offer on its own. If you have a fresh funk lord or righteous rapmaster in your pack that would be willing to share the burden with you, ToeJam & Earl is certainly worth a try. And if you don't... you should probably bail while you have the chance, you know what I'm sayin?

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