ToeJam and Earl (MD, 1991)
Graphics-6.5 Sound-8 Control-6 Challenge-7 Story-6
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 (6) Originality-8.5
Overall Score-6.5
+
Funky atmosphere, fun characters
Presents (various bonuses and weird effects)
Randomly generated worlds (there's a fixed-world option as well)
2-player coop
Plenty of innovative mechanics (audio cues for certain items and enemies, collect phones to reveal random parts of the current level's map, terrain effects on movement speed, high five (press A simultaneously) to even out both players' lifebars in 2-player mode, present randomizer, sneak up on rocket santa to gain presents, place a beat box to hypnotize enemies, dummy doll to lure enemies away, icarus wings, mail order for presents (works like a shop)
Split screen (you can even play on different levels as long as its a level you've been on before)
Hidden items and paths
Good sample quality
Interesting ending (return to Toejam and Earl's home planet where you can walk around and talk to your people in the game engine) Comical tone
Enemies sometimes hit each other (the birds shooting tomatoes), level up system (gain exp points through exploring and using presents), friendly NPCs (pay them for services)
+/-
Can't sneak while using certain items (tomatoes, shoes, wings, inner-tube)
Time limit on items (no timer shown but the icon starts blinking when time is running out)
No melee damage from enemies while floating or flying
Can identify presents via the wiseman NPC but he's not on every level and it's kind of expensive at 2 bucks
-
Presents are pretty random in some ways (food present sometimes damages you, you can never easily tell which present will be the randomizer since all stats reset upon using one, using food when both players are on the same screen in co-op mode, you'll have to figure out present effects on your own when beginning a new game (effect is revealed and stated in the present screen after one use))
Slow paced (Earl is slower than ToeJam and occasionally drops his pants)
Repetitive
Somewhat unresponsive control
Loading times between levels (only when moving upwards though)
Simple visuals with so-so use of color and animation
The soundtrack doesn't take full advantage of the hardware
Some tedious enemies (hula hula girls, boogie man)
Only elevators and terrain are shown on the map screen after discovery (the game would've been less tedious if warp doors, food, presents and mail boxes were also shown)
Un-fall doesn't place you close to where you fell off - instead there's a fixed spot for each level
No save or password save (not even quicksave/temporary save)
Due to the randomness of the level layouts the difficulty can be pretty uneven and there's always some dead space and redundant hidden paths, no unique track for the ending, some trial & error (total bummer, randomizer, boogeymen, fake mailbox, tornadoes, rocket shoe launch), no sense of climax before reaching the last ship piece
Notes:
-25 Levels
-Some bugs: http://www.gamefaqs.com/genesis/563350-toejam-and-earl/faqs/11002
Level Design-7 Frustration-8 Fun-7 (6) Originality-8.5
Overall Score-6.5
+
Funky atmosphere, fun characters
Presents (various bonuses and weird effects)
Randomly generated worlds (there's a fixed-world option as well)
2-player coop
Plenty of innovative mechanics (audio cues for certain items and enemies, collect phones to reveal random parts of the current level's map, terrain effects on movement speed, high five (press A simultaneously) to even out both players' lifebars in 2-player mode, present randomizer, sneak up on rocket santa to gain presents, place a beat box to hypnotize enemies, dummy doll to lure enemies away, icarus wings, mail order for presents (works like a shop)
Split screen (you can even play on different levels as long as its a level you've been on before)
Hidden items and paths
Good sample quality
Interesting ending (return to Toejam and Earl's home planet where you can walk around and talk to your people in the game engine) Comical tone
Enemies sometimes hit each other (the birds shooting tomatoes), level up system (gain exp points through exploring and using presents), friendly NPCs (pay them for services)
+/-
Can't sneak while using certain items (tomatoes, shoes, wings, inner-tube)
Time limit on items (no timer shown but the icon starts blinking when time is running out)
No melee damage from enemies while floating or flying
Can identify presents via the wiseman NPC but he's not on every level and it's kind of expensive at 2 bucks
-
Presents are pretty random in some ways (food present sometimes damages you, you can never easily tell which present will be the randomizer since all stats reset upon using one, using food when both players are on the same screen in co-op mode, you'll have to figure out present effects on your own when beginning a new game (effect is revealed and stated in the present screen after one use))
Slow paced (Earl is slower than ToeJam and occasionally drops his pants)
Repetitive
Somewhat unresponsive control
Loading times between levels (only when moving upwards though)
Simple visuals with so-so use of color and animation
The soundtrack doesn't take full advantage of the hardware
Some tedious enemies (hula hula girls, boogie man)
Only elevators and terrain are shown on the map screen after discovery (the game would've been less tedious if warp doors, food, presents and mail boxes were also shown)
Un-fall doesn't place you close to where you fell off - instead there's a fixed spot for each level
No save or password save (not even quicksave/temporary save)
Due to the randomness of the level layouts the difficulty can be pretty uneven and there's always some dead space and redundant hidden paths, no unique track for the ending, some trial & error (total bummer, randomizer, boogeymen, fake mailbox, tornadoes, rocket shoe launch), no sense of climax before reaching the last ship piece
Notes:
-25 Levels
-Some bugs: http://www.gamefaqs.com/genesis/563350-toejam-and-earl/faqs/11002
