The alien race of Smogulans, led by Czar Zoster, is invading the Earth, namely the town of Tromaville. The only force that can stop the invasion are the Toxic Crusaders . Based on the animated TV series, this side-scrolling beat-'em-up for Sega Genesis follows the player as they choose to play as either Toxie, NoZone or Junkyard.
The gameplay of Toxic Crusaders is quite straightforward: run around, beat aliens with melee or distance attacks, and sometimes jump over or evade deadly gaps or pools of water. There are no significant differences between the three playable characters, which is somewhat disappointing but doesn't detract from the overall experience.
The action unfolds across various locations, including the streets of Tromaville, the Toxic Park, Smogulan space ship and other areas, culminating in a final showdown at Czar Zoster's palace on the Smogula planet. As the player navigates through these levels, the traps become progressively harder to avoid, with some opportunities to utilize vehicles like a motorized skateboard, helicopter or motor boat. Power-ups are scattered throughout, offering limited invincibility and speed-up.