However, things have really picked up over the past couple months, with the game finally going into closed beta. More recently, HumaNature issued a Kickstarter update confirming that Back in the Groove will indeed release this year and committed to having the game shipped by Thanksgiving 2018.

They didn’t give an exact date, and the game could release before that, but it’s great to finally get a confirmed timeframe when the game will make it into fan’s hands.

In a previous Kickstarter update, series co-creator Greg Johnson announced that his development team and the game’s publisher Adult Swim Games mutually agreed to part ways, and HumaNature will self-publish Back in the Groove.

“Adult Swim Games has some other big titles they plan to launch this summer so when Back in the Groove pushed back, we both agreed that it made sense for them to hand us the reigns, rather than taking a chance on this getting pushed back any more,” the Kickstarter update read. “Also I’d like to say how deeply grateful I and all of us here at HNS are to Adult Swim Games. We wouldn’t have gotten this game to this point without them… seriously.”

ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove raised more than $500,000 on Kickstarter after the campaign was launched in late February, 2015. The game will be released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac and Linux.

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Today, we’ve learned that Adult Swim Games has signed the game to its publishing label, as it released the above teaser trailer. It looks like the game will also see a 2017 release on both PC and consoles.

The addition of the game coming to consoles is interesting as Johnson has spoke publicly about his desire to do so, but the Kickstarter campaign didn’t meet any of its console port stretch goals. It appears this deal with Adult Swim Games is giving Johnson and his team the ability to make that a reality.

The team has also posted some new pics as well:

“It won’t be until fall, so it’s still a ways off, but the clock is ticking,” the update read.

“We are mainly just working our way through the present and character list. Adding in features and fixing bugs. We’re definitely in heads down production mode.

“We’re also focused right now on getting the networking code working and solid, and we’ve just starting in on the rhythm matching segments of the game.”

The update also introduced several new characters, like the cosplay nerds.

“These Cosplay Nerds will offer you a chance to roll with their dice. It costs a buck and you could win up to 7 bucks – or lose your money. Different player-characters have different ‘luck’ stats.”

Another new character is the Caveman, who is always hungry.

“He’s a bit like the Mole from the old game,” the update read. “He will shake you and steal the food you are carrying. You can’t really blame him, it’s not really rude for Cavemen.”

There will also be a football player. ” His vocabulary consists of ‘hut hut HUT!’ and he may knock you off the level.

“Try standing in front of an Earthling you don’t like, and sidestepping at the last moment.”

The last new character introduced is the yeti.

“This albino Yeti only hangs out in the snow, where he’s hard to see. He will poke you with his sharpened pencil and he may damage some of the presents you’re carrying. He thinks it’s funny. It’s not funny.”

There’s also the introduction of a new game mechanic called the Rhythm Matching meter.

“Test your rhythm skillz with various Funkotronians, and earn yourself some extra bucks. This meter may tell you that you’re lame, but don’t take it personally.”

Humanature has also opened the backer kit store again, so if you weren’t able to purchase the vinyl figures, posters, coffee mugs or other digital content previously, you now have a chance to go back and pick them up. I received my figures a few weeks ago, and the quality is very impressive.

 Hi there cherished backers!!

It’s time for another funky update. Let’s jump right in…

The Rewards: On Kick Starter we estimated that the physical goods would be received sometime this month, so it’s only natural that people are wondering what’s up. A few hundred of the smaller packages have been mailed out so far, but the bulk of the packages are still getting put together at our fulfillment center (Amplifier) in Texas. I am told that these should be going out to you over the next 2 weeks. As it turns out, it’s actually rather complicated to manage 5,000 orders when every order is different. It seems to be almost done though, and Backerkit has been a huge help. Backerkit will be sending you an automatic email once your order gets marked as “shipped” by Amplifier, and tracking info will also be provided to you. If you want to check your pledge status you can go to the link below, and enter your email to access your survey info and see the current status. https://toejam-and-earl-back-in-the-groove.backerkit.com

We’re sorry for the wait. I know many of you have been anticipating this for a long time, or wanting these items for gifts etc. It shouldn’t be too much longer!

The Game: Things are coming along well with the game. We have about a dozen Earthlings in the game so far, and maybe about 20 different presents. We’ve just implemented a dynamic camera that moves in and out based on what’s happening (for example when you use rocket skates the camera backs up, and when you talk to a friendly Earthling it zooms in). We’ve also just added in a new feature for multi-player games, where the ground sparkles to indicate the ‘area of effect’ for presents. This way all players can see if they will be affected by the present that gets opened. Icarus wings, rocket skates, spring shoes, tomatoes, doors, teleporting, and innertube are all working, and Earthling’s now have facings so you can sneak behind them when they are facing the other way. The Hula dancer makes you hula and it also makes Earthlings dance as well. (It’s fun to see the Boogieman get caught by the Hula dancer).  The new tattooed cupid is in and is making you fall in love with his arrows.

Currently we are working on multi-player rhythm matching, on buttons and coin meters (ala game 2), searching for hidden presents by shaking bushes, houses, and trees (also ala game 2), and amped and broken presents (a new feature). We’ll be putting in tiles to cover the terrain, upgrading our currently temporary (lame) maps, and we’re also experimenting with positioning the camera for an angled view of the terrain which we think we like better, than the straight-on view. So much to do!!!

Other Platforms: We don’t have anything to announce here yet, but we’ve got some exciting things brewing.

Music: We have more music in the works and John Baker will be adding his mojo to Cody’s funky bass sometime in Jan when Cody is coming back to Cali for another big music jam. A company in LA called IAM8BIT has expressed interest in collaborating with us on a record vinyl which is still not for sure, but we’re excited about that.

Release Date:  We are currently aiming to have the game done sometime around Sept or Oct of 2016.  We’ll keep you posted as we know more.

Here is some artwork from the game in progress for your viewing pleasure.

We’d like to remind you to drop by the TJ&E forum anytime to check out the latest news and to read all of the wonderful posts and see the great artwork from so many TJ&E fans and backers.

http://www.hyperfunk.club/

And a special virtual hug of appreciation goes out to our hard working partners at BackerKit (no way we could have done this without you), and at  Amplifier (you guys have been wonderfully responsive), and at Shenzhen SRX (the company in China that made the awesome vinyl figures and bronze statues – I highly recommend them!)

And thanks to all of our fans on the forum, for all the great ideas and suggestions.  As many of you will notice, lots of the new presents and characters are from you! (You know who you are!)

We’ll have more news for you soon!

While some ideas have been downright awful (I won’t even mention them for fear that they may gain even minimal traction), there have been some interesting pitches, the best of which involve characters from third-party games.

The floodgates certainly seem to be wide open, so SEGA fans have just as much of a chance at getting their favorite characters in Smash Bros. as anyone else. Why the hell not, right? So who are the most likely suspects, and which of these characters actually have a shot? Well, being an exasperating know-it-all, I’ve listed a top 10 list of characters I’ve seen pushed for repeatedly on Twitter. I’ve outlined how some of those characters might work and applied an absolutely unscientific process of determining their likelihood for success, giving each a ranking of “possible,” “unlikely,” “longshot” and “miracle.”

Alex Kidd

The Prince of Radaxian would fit into the Smash Bros. roster rather well, and he has six titular games to inspire his move set. Alex is himself a martial artist trained in the Shellcore technique, so his fighting style would likely be somewhat close-quarters like the Mii Brawler. Of course his rock, paper, scissors “Janken” moves could be used for his smash attacks, but a pedicopter-riding recovery move, possibly an Opa Opa familiar (similar to Rosalina & Luma), and the prospect of a summon-type final smash where he summons the aid of other lost SEGA icons like Ulala, Space Harrier or Professor Asobin would make him an instant favorite with die-hard SEGA fans.

Prospects: LONGSHOT

Alex Kidd hasn’t been too active in gaming for a while, and his fan base, while loyal, is bound to be rather small. His only recent appearances were in SEGA’s crossover titles such as Sonic Racing Transformed. The good news for his supporters is that all but two of the nine games in which Alex Kidd is playable are on Nintendo consoles in one way or another (only BMX Trial and High-Tech World never received a Virtual Console release). As amazing as his addition might be (as well as the prospect of an Alex Kidd amiibo), Alex Kidd isn’t likely to appear without extremely resounding support from the SEGA fan base.

You can follow the Twitter campaign to add Alex Kidd to Smash Bros. via the hashtag #AlexKiddinSmash

Tails

One of the best things about Tails being considered is that, despite his nature as a sidekick, he won’t necessarily be a clone of Sonic. While still a very quick fighter, Tails could have access to all sorts of cool gadgets, and potentially be a much more vertical character than Sonic is. Naturally, his recovery move would likely involve flying (similar to the Duck Hunt Dog), and his Final Smash could call forth his faithful plane, the Tornado, for an airstrike filled with furry pain!

Prospects: POSSIBLE

Tails was one of the quickest characters to gain traction on social media. His long-time and consistent association with the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise makes him a very strong choice, and Tails may very well be the best bet at getting another SEGA character shoehorned into Super Smash Bros... Well, there’s also the next guy…

Knuckles

Like Tails, Knuckles is not likely to be designed as a red Sonic clone. His gliding ability certainly sets him apart if nothing else, but Knuckles is also more likely to be a power-punching fighter. Think a hang-gliding Little Mac with a better jumping ability, and I think you’d have a pretty solid Knuckles Smash Bros. character. The Final Smash that comes to mind would likely involve the Master Emerald somehow, and I like to imagine Knuckles shattering it into a dozen piercing shards shards with a single punch!

Prospects: POSSIBLE

While the social media push for Tails started strong, it seems like Knuckles has possibly emerged as the current favorite of the Sonic fan base. Knuckles has nearly the same history as Tails, and is probably considered the “cooler” sidekick to Tails’ “cuter.” Either way though, my bet is that SEGA fans would be happy enough to see either one added to the Smash Bros. roster.

Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic clone? No way! There’s no reason that Shadow can’t play differently than Sonic, though that of course would be a concern, depending on how much work the Smash Bros. team wants to put into him. If nothing else, Shadow’s movement should be more of a glide than a run, and his attacks could very easily be quick, piercing dash attacks similar to Falco or StarFox. Need an idea for a Final Smash? Chaos Control! What else?

Prospects: UNLIKELY

While there has been evident support for Shadow on social media, his supporters (in my very unscientific estimation) appear to be a much smaller group than those in support of Knuckles or Tails. Plus, Shadow already appears in Smash Bros. as an assist trophy, which could possibly hurt his chances of being promoted to a fully playable character. It’s not an impossibility for Shadow to be the last character standing, but he’s going to need an awfully big boost.

Dr. Robotnik/Eggman

How cool would it be to fight as Dr. Robotnik? (That’s his real name, you young wankers!) I’d expect him to be a slower, heavier fighter, with a lot of gadgets at his disposal, possibly with an Orbot and Cubot familiar. He could also fight similarly to Bowser Jr. and simply stay embarked in his Egg Mobile rather than run around, and his attacks could mirror those from the early Sonic games including a giant ball and chain or a massive mechanical hammer. One this is for certain, though, his Final Smash moves could be really interesting, including summoning Metal Sonic or giant a laser blast fired from an orbiting Death Egg!

Prospects: POSSIBLE

I’ve actually been pretty surprised to see how many Twitter posts there have been saying that they voted for Dr. Eggman. While his chances may be on the unlikely side of possible, and if I were a betting man, I would still put my money on Knuckles, Dr. Eggman would certainly make an interesting addition and bulk up the villain roster a bit if added.

You can follow the Twitter campaign to add Dr. Eggman to Smash Bros. via the hashtag #EggmanforSmash

Hatsune Miku

Singing and dancing into battle, the vocaloid diva Hatsune Miku would make for a very interesting fighter. Much like how the Wii Fit Trainer introduced some really bizarre movements into her fighting style, you can expect that Hatsune Miku would also be an open door for all kinds of crazy dance moves-turned fighting frenzy. I would expect that her Final Smash would involve some kind of song. Just a guess. Certainly many different costumes could be available for Hatsune Miku if she was included, too.

Prospects: LONGSHOT

This one surprised me. Sure, Hatsune Miku has a game on Nintendo 3DS, but outside of a very niche fanbase, her series doesn’t have widespread recognition outside of Japan. You could argue that Nintendo has historically added Mother or Fire Emblem characters despite their not being overwhelmingly known internationally, but those were Nintendo franchises, and a third party will likely have a higher bar set for it with regards to demand. A Hatsune Miku Amiibo would make for a pretty quick seller, though. Speaking of that…

You can follow the Twitter campaign to add Hatsune Miku to Smash Bros. via the hashtag #mikuforsmash

Bayonetta

Holy cow, what WOULDN’T Bayonetta’s fighting style include? Claws in hand, guns on her feet, a sword on her back and hair whipping in every direction, Bayonetta could make for the most ridiculously awesome fighter in the entire Smash Bros. roster. Her move set is likely to be more gloriously bizarre than even I can imagine (and I can imagine quite a bit). You know what, Nintendo? I think we SEGA fans would be happy enough with Bayonetta in the game that you could even make her alternate costumes those Link, Samus and StarFox abominations from Bayonetta on Wii U.

Prospects: POSSIBLE

I’ll say it again. Why the hell not, right? She’s got more Nintendo connection than any other character on my list considering that Nintendo, as it seems, single-handedly saved the Bayonetta series when they published Bayonetta 2. Let’s see them up the ante and put her right up next to her goody-good peers like Princess Peach or Zelda. Plus, prepare for the Amiibo-selling onslaught that will accompany her pre-order announcement. (“Mom, I REALLY just need it to complete my collection!”) The biggest hurdle in getting Bayonetta added to the roster is that she is a controversial character from an M-rated game. You might say that didn’t stop Solid Snake last time around, but you have to admit that Bayonetta has that little extra… something… that Solid Snake doesn’t (Begins and ends with a “B”, has “OO” in the middle, and there’s two of ’em. They’re controversial, for some reason).

You can follow the Twitter campaign to add Bayonetta to Smash Bros. via the hashtag #BayonettaforSmash

ToeJam & Earl

It’s hard to imagine the ToeJam & Earl duo as anything but a tandem fighter. Their funky antics would certainly stand out in the Smash Bros. lineup, complete with spring shoe-enhanced jumping, speed-dashing using rocket skates, using a decoy to block, teleporting via a magic doorway, and present-tossing attacks with randomized effects. Their Final Smash? A boombox pumping out some funky tunes inspiring all other fighters onscreen to shake their bootays!

Prospects: LONGSHOT

Much like many indie developers promoting their own characters for the Smash Bros. lineup, the campaign to add ToeJam & Earl came from ToeJam & Earl creator Greg Johnson in the most recent email update to supporters of the ToeJam & Earl Back in the Groove Kickstarter. One of the most damning reasons that this funky duo has so little chance of being added is that tandem characters aren’t technically feasible on the hardware, according to Smash Bros. creator, Masahiro Sakurai, which is the primary reason why the Ice Climbers were left out in the cold this generation.

Technically, the original ToeJam & Earl Genesis games appeared on the Wii Virtual Console, so there is at least a tenuous association with Nintendo. If you want to vote for them to give their new game momentum for a Wii U version, sure, go ahead, that’s not a bad idea. Still, this duo has quite the upward hill, er, stack of floating islands to climb before they get added to Smash Bros.

Ryo Hazuki

Ryo has had plenty of time to study up and learn some slick moves before finally (fiiinnnnaaallllyyy) taking on Lan Di, and why not practice up on a fat plumber’s face before heading off to do the same to Lan Di’s smug mug? Ryo would probably have a pretty straightforward martial arts array of attacks, but his ducking pose has to involve petting a cat. I’m sure most would expect that Ryo’s Final Smash would somehow include a fork lift, but how great would it be if it was a QTE? Press A to kill… everyone! “Good!”

Prospects: LONGSHOT

You want it. I want it. We all want Shenmue 3, but if you are voting for Ryo Hazuki with the hope that he will actually make it into the Smash Bros. roster, I hate to break it to you, not going to happen. Ryo only appearance on a Nintendo console was in the first Sonic All-Star Racing game on Wii, after all. However, if you want to voice your support for Shenmue 3 by voting for Ryo, sure, that’s actually not a bad idea. If there is a big enough push for him, who knows? Maybe that could go somewhere eventually, but at the moment, even SEGA appears content to let Shenmue 3 lie fallow and Ryo Hazuki along with it.

You can follow the Twitter campaign to add Ryo Hazuki to Smash Bros. via the hashtag #SaveShenmue

Segata Sanshiro

How could he not win every match? Back when Segata Sanshiro created the earth, he willed his appearance in this iteration of Smash Bros. Segata Sanshiro’s return will bring with it a firestorm of vengeance by the fist! No Nintendo character will be safe from being besmacked by a SEGA Saturn console! Nunchaku made from Saturn controllers? Segata Sanshiro has no need for such crude tools! He shall Final Smash you into the fourth level of Smash Bros. Hell by crashing an airborne missile into your face! (Will that missile be launched from Sony HQ? Segata Sanshiro demands it!)

Prospects: MIRACLE

In all seriousness, unless the benevolent hand of God steps in and bestows us with the most incredible gift since the seal of the prophets (insert your own religious preference),  Segata Sanshiro’s second coming from video gaming Heaven isn’t likely to take form in Smash Bros.
For one, Sanshiro-san has never appeared in an actual game, he’s a marketing mascot. We’re probably just as likely to get Colonel Sanders or the Trix Rabbit added to the roster. If nothing else, putting him in the game would be a licensing nightmare between SEGA, Nintendo, and the actor who originally portrayed the character, Akira Kurosawa. Even if all of those stars aligned, Segata Sanshiro is known only by the most hardcore of SEGA fans outside of Japan, and his reveal trailer would likely be met with a resounding “What the hell?” from most everyone else, including members of the modern gaming media.

You can follow the Twitter campaign to add Segata Sanshiro to Smash Bros. via the hashtag #SegataSanshiroForSmash

And the winner is …

What do you guys think of my completely unscientific rambling? Am I leaving out someone obvious? Have you already submitted your vote? To be fair, I also saw at least one supporter for Amy Rose, Vyse, Rouge the Bat, Kazuma Kiryu, Billy Hatcher, “Sonic Boom” Sonic, NiGHTS, Beat, Metal Sonic and even the Daytona Hornet, so vote your conscience!

Keep in mind, Nintendo never promised that the character with the most votes would “win.” They only said that they were open to fan suggestions. So “please to understand,” we’re all likely to be disappointed in the end… Toad.

You can submit your pick at the Smash Bros. Ballot site here. I know who I voted for… “Jan-Ken-Pon!”

Do you see anything that catches your fancy? How many of you have already backed ToeJam & Earl: Back in the Groove? Let us know in the comments below!

If you missed the #ToejamAndEarl KickStarter, you can still get some sa-weet TJ&E goodies. http://t.co/DrimpTWyds pic.twitter.com/W1MGpEyhHY

— Greg Johnson (@ToejamGreg) March 30, 2015

The campaign also met several stretch goals. The first stretch goal to add old-school skins for ToeJam and Earl was reached at $425,000, and the HyperFunk Zone was added when the campaign reached $450,000. Barely making it in the closing minutes was adding additional playable characters (Latisha, ToeJam’s cousin and Earl’s mom) when it hit $500,000.

“In addition to the art, we’re going to have some real fun with the dialogue for these characters,” an update read on the Kickstarter page. “Remember when different characters combine in different ways they’ll be able to say new things to each other.  This is gonna be great!”

Back in the Groove will initially release on PC, but unfortunately, the campaign didn’t hit its console stretch goals, so we’ll see if Johnson and his team at HumaNature Studios will be able to bring the game to consoles at a later date.

The game’s official website launched today, which you can find at http://tjebackinthegroove.com. Be sure to check out our interview with Johnson about the game’s Kickstarter, but we hope to get him back on the Nerdcast soon to talk about where he goes from here now.

If non-digital gaming is your thing, you’ll be pleased to  know HumaNature Studios has just announced Kickstarter exclusive physical copies of the game are now available in both a “Spin Master DJ” tier at $300 and as a $40 add-on. If you’ve already pledged above the $300 tier, it will  retroactively be added to your rewards, according to the update.

The physical edition is a Kickstarter exclusive and won’t be available afterward, so you better choose quickly. There is currently seven days left in the campaign, and it’s reached about $325,000 of its $400,000 goal so far. To learn more about the game, check out our interview with TJ&E co-creator Greg Johnson.