The arcade version's second mission originally revolved around rescuing Santa Claus from Admiral Oink, a character not present in the final game (barring a cameo as a portrait in the penultimate stage), who would impersonate him. This version of the level was showcased in magazines leading up to the game's release, but it was ultimately replaced, with the second boss instead being Karnath (who in turn was originally the boss of the game's fourth stage). Despite the mission's overhaul, graphics for Admiral Oink and Santa, as well as sprites for Scammies where they tear open gifts, remain in the game's code. Additionally, Admiral Oink's boss room is present as well; however, its graphics are heavily corrupted, with the magazine screenshots providing the only hints as to what the area was supposed to look like.

According to the character profiles shown during the arcade attract mode, Pimple, Zitz, and Rash are not the Battletoads' real names. Pimple is "George Pie", Rash is "Dave Shar", and Zitz is "Morgan Ziegler".