Tiny Toon Adventures (NES, 1991)
Graphics-8 Sound-7.5 Control-7 Challenge-7.5 Story-5
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5 Fun-6.5 Originality-5
Overall Score-6.5
+
Expressive sprites and good use of colour
Basic partner system (switch to a secondary character by picking up a star - only one or two per sub level but they do respawn)
Fast paced overall
Better/more forgiving surface swimming controls than in SMB3
A few alternate paths (nothing major)
Some hidden/detour items
Mini-bosses (minor variations on the same boss though and it's very easy)
Wall jumping (as the cat) and hovering (as the bird)
Optional encounter with "duck vader"
Some good bosses (pirate captain, duck vader, final boss)
+/-
Borrows heavily from Mario (slide down slopes to kill enemies, slide while ducking after running, momentum based jumps, floaty movement, etc.)
One hit kills unless you've picked up a heart (you can only carry one at a time)
Linear structure
No checkpoints? (not even at bosses - short levels though)
Forgiving hit detection around platform edges
Need to find a sometimes hidden room to trade collected fruit (this game's coins) for 1-ups
Hearts are fairly rare
Levels are never designed specifically for one partner's ability (would've required a different switching system but it makes them seem like a bit of an afterthought)
-
Some control issues (loose upward scrolling and you can't look up/down, can't control your jump or bounce height if you were holding the run button at the same time as you pressed the jump button (it's always treated as if you held the button down), releasing the run button right before jumping removes any built up forward momentum (holding jump still makes you jump higher), somewhat floaty movement)
Need to use a continue before you can change your partner for a level
Trial & error (some upward leaps of faith, various traps (not always obvious), some cheap enemy placements, boss patterns, picking the right partner for a level (see partner switching problem))
Everyone functions the same underwater?
Taz' ability kind of sucks compared to the other two's (can't be canceled, rarely useful)
Some slowdown (pirate ship)
Can't hold more than 9 lives (wastes the 3-up from duck vader - a surprisingly tough fight, also wastes lives traded for fruit at hampton's (the pig) room)
No difficulty options
A bit short (six levels divided into ~18 short sub levels)
Tedious king kong boss
Level Design-6.5 Frustration-8.5 Fun-6.5 Originality-5
Overall Score-6.5
+
Expressive sprites and good use of colour
Basic partner system (switch to a secondary character by picking up a star - only one or two per sub level but they do respawn)
Fast paced overall
Better/more forgiving surface swimming controls than in SMB3
A few alternate paths (nothing major)
Some hidden/detour items
Mini-bosses (minor variations on the same boss though and it's very easy)
Wall jumping (as the cat) and hovering (as the bird)
Optional encounter with "duck vader"
Some good bosses (pirate captain, duck vader, final boss)
+/-
Borrows heavily from Mario (slide down slopes to kill enemies, slide while ducking after running, momentum based jumps, floaty movement, etc.)
One hit kills unless you've picked up a heart (you can only carry one at a time)
Linear structure
No checkpoints? (not even at bosses - short levels though)
Forgiving hit detection around platform edges
Need to find a sometimes hidden room to trade collected fruit (this game's coins) for 1-ups
Hearts are fairly rare
Levels are never designed specifically for one partner's ability (would've required a different switching system but it makes them seem like a bit of an afterthought)
-
Some control issues (loose upward scrolling and you can't look up/down, can't control your jump or bounce height if you were holding the run button at the same time as you pressed the jump button (it's always treated as if you held the button down), releasing the run button right before jumping removes any built up forward momentum (holding jump still makes you jump higher), somewhat floaty movement)
Need to use a continue before you can change your partner for a level
Trial & error (some upward leaps of faith, various traps (not always obvious), some cheap enemy placements, boss patterns, picking the right partner for a level (see partner switching problem))
Everyone functions the same underwater?
Taz' ability kind of sucks compared to the other two's (can't be canceled, rarely useful)
Some slowdown (pirate ship)
Can't hold more than 9 lives (wastes the 3-up from duck vader - a surprisingly tough fight, also wastes lives traded for fruit at hampton's (the pig) room)
No difficulty options
A bit short (six levels divided into ~18 short sub levels)
Tedious king kong boss