Battletoads is the first game of the Battletoads series. The game is a platform scrolling beat 'em up, with varying elements of racing, climbing and vehicle-based obstacle courses. Players start with three lives each time the game is started, which get replenished every time the player continues after getting defeated. The game contains no saving system or password features. The player has a maximum of six hit points that can be replenished by eating flies.

It is by some considered to be one of the hardest games of all time, and it have previously been listed at 8th place in IGN's "Top 10 Most Difficult Games to Beat."