Taz in Escape from Mars

Last updated
Taz in Escape from Mars
Taz in Escape from Mars.jpg
Developer(s) HeadGames (MD)
Al Baker & Associates (GG)
Tec Toy (MS)
Publisher(s) Sega
Tec Toy (MS)
Platform(s) Genesis, Game Gear, Master System
ReleaseGenesis/Mega Drive
Game Gear
Master System
Genre(s) Action, adventure
Mode(s) Single-player

Taz in Escape from Mars is a video game developed by HeadGames and Al Baker & Associates and released by Sega in 1994 for the Genesis/Mega Drive and Game Gear respectively featuring Taz, the Looney Tunes Tasmanian devil cartoon character. The Game Gear version was ported by TecToy to the Master System and released in 1997 only in Brazil. Taz must escape from Mars, where he was brought by Marvin the Martian. The game includes six worlds with two or three levels in each world.

Contents

Plot

Looking in his book for Earth creatures and finding the Tasmanian Devil, Marvin the Martian gets the idea of capturing Taz for his zoo. He heads to Earth, beams Taz up into his flying saucer, and takes Taz to his Martian zoo. Meanwhile, Taz escapes. After making his way back to Earth, Taz returns to Mars and visits Marvin's house to find and defeat him in battle. After defeating Marvin, Taz steals a space ship and steers it back to Earth. The game ends when the devil eats a pile of fruit on the way back home and went away spinning all the way.

Gameplay

Taz jumps, spins, flips switches and picks up items. By spinning and colliding with an enemy, Taz can defeat his enemies and dig into the ground. Taz starts with 12 hit points. If he touches an enemy when not spinning, he loses one hit point. Some enemies, like the fly or armored soldier (in the haunted castle world), cannot be defeated by the spin, but only by rocks or the flame. Others, like Yosemite Sam, cannot be defeated at all. The player completes a level by either defeating the boss of that level or reaching the exit sign.

Acquiring food replenishes Taz's hit points. By spinning into the food, the food is destroyed. A medipack which replenishes 6 hit points if eaten. By eating a box of rocks, Taz can spit out rocks at his enemies. By eating a gas container, Taz can breathe out fire. Each gives ten shots. Extra lives and continues are scattered around the levels. There are also various power-downs that take one hit point away. These include small black bombs, a time bomb, and a cake with dynamite. Other objects include shrink and grow potions. By contacting these items in a spin, they are destroyed. While enlarged, Taz can destroy any enemy by simply touching it and enemy attacks do not damage Taz. While shrunk, Taz cannot destroy anything but can get through narrow passageways.

Reception

The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly were divided about the Genesis version of the game. Two of them contended it to be mediocre, citing dull and simplistic graphics and difficulty in figuring out what to do, while the other two recommended it, saying it is a major improvement over Sega's previous Taz game, and particularly praising Taz's new techniques. They gave the game a 7 out of 10 average. [2]

GamePro commented that the Game Gear version's graphics, music, sound effects, and even controls are all vastly inferior to those of the Genesis version, but nonetheless concluded that fans of Taz would enjoy the game. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marvin the Martian</span> Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

Marvin the Martian is an extraterrestrial character from the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series. He frequently appears as a villain in cartoons and video games, and wears a Roman soldier's helmet and skirt. The character has been voiced by Mel Blanc, Joe Alaskey, Bob Bergen and Eric Bauza, among others.

Tasmanian Devil (<i>Looney Tunes</i>) Warner Bros. theatrical cartoon character

The Tasmanian Devil, commonly referred to as Taz, is an animated cartoon character featured in the Warner Bros. Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Though the character appeared in only five shorts before Warner Bros. Cartoons shut down in 1964, marketing and television appearances later propelled Taz to new popularity in the 1990s.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog</i> (8-bit video game) 1991 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog is a 1991 platform game. It is a companion to the 16-bit Sega Genesis game Sonic the Hedgehog for the 8-bit Sega Master System and Game Gear consoles. Ancient—a studio founded by composer Yuzo Koshiro for the project—developed the game and Sega published it to promote the handheld Game Gear. The 8-bit Sonic is a side-scrolling game similar in style to the 16-bit game, but reduced in complexity to fit the 8-bit systems.

<i>Sonic Spinball</i> 1993 pinball video game

Sonic the Hedgehog Spinball, also known as Sonic Spinball, is a 1993 pinball video game developed by Sega Technical Institute and published by Sega. It is a spinoff of the Sonic the Hedgehog series. Players control Sonic the Hedgehog, who must stop Doctor Robotnik from enslaving the population in a giant pinball-like mechanism. The game is set in a series of pinball machine-like environments with Sonic acting as the pinball.

<i>Ecco the Dolphin</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Ecco the Dolphin is an action-adventure game developed by Ed Annunziata and Novotrade International and published by Sega for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992. Versions for the Sega CD, Master System and Game Gear were released the following years. It is the first installment in the Ecco the Dolphin video game franchise. The player character is a bottlenose dolphin who travels through time to combat hostile extraterrestrials in Earth's oceans and on an alien spacecraft.

<i>Ecco: The Tides of Time</i> 1994 video game

Ecco: The Tides of Time is an action-adventure video game developed by Novotrade International, published by Sega, and released for most of Sega's then-supported gaming consoles in 1994. It is the second game in the Ecco the Dolphin series. The Tides of Time continued the story of the first game and featured similar gameplay with a few new additions.

<i>Chakan: The Forever Man</i> 1992 video game

Chakan: The Forever Man is a Sega Mega Drive, Sega Genesis and Game Gear video game published by Sega of America in 1992. The game featured an uncommonly dark premise when it was released because it was during a time in which the home console market was flooded with licensed platformers based on family-friendly media such as the Mario and Sonic series.

<i>Rocket Knight Adventures</i> 1993 video game

Rocket Knight Adventures is a platform game developed and published by Konami for the Sega Genesis. The game involves Sparkster, a possum knight who wields a rocket pack and sword that can emit energy projectiles as he attempts to stop the Devotindos Empire, an evil empire that attempts to break the seal of a powerful starship.

<i>Jungle Strike</i> 1993 video game

Jungle Strike is a video game developed and published by Electronic Arts in 1993 for the Sega Genesis. The game was later released on several other consoles such as the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES), and an upgraded version was made for DOS computers. The Amiga conversion was the responsibility of Ocean Software while the SNES and PC DOS versions were that of Gremlin Interactive, and the portable console versions were of Black Pearl Software. It is the direct sequel to Desert Strike and is the second installment in the Strike series. The game is a helicopter-based shoot 'em up, mixing action and strategy. The plot concerns two villains intent on destroying Washington, D.C. The player must use the helicopter and occasionally other vehicles to thwart their plans.

<i>Sonic the Hedgehog 2</i> (8-bit video game) 1992 video game

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is a 1992 platform game developed by Aspect and published by Sega for the Master System and Game Gear. It is the sequel to the 8-bit Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and follows Sonic as he attempts to get the Chaos Emeralds back to rescue his friend Miles "Tails" Prower from Dr. Robotnik. Like the first Sonic the Hedgehog, players run through levels at high speeds while collecting rings and defeating enemies. Although it shares the same title with Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for the Sega Genesis and their releases coincided, the games have little in common and share no levels.

<i>Garfield: Caught in the Act</i> 1995 video game

Garfield: Caught in the Act is a 1995 side-scrolling platform game developed and published by Sega for the Genesis and Game Gear. A Microsoft Windows version followed. It is based upon Jim Davis' comic strip cat, Garfield, and draws inspiration from Davis' 1984 book Garfield: His 9 Lives. Odie scares Garfield while they are watching television and they fall on the TV, breaking it. Both characters attempt to repair it before Jon Arbuckle catches them; however, the thrown spare parts become an electronic monster known as the Glitch, transporting Garfield into the TV, where he must defeat him in order to get out.

<i>Defenders of Oasis</i> 1992 video game

Defenders of Oasis is a role-playing video game developed and published by Sega for the Game Gear in 1992. The game's setting is based on One Thousand and One Nights, and the plot centers on a heroic prince and his companions, who set out to confront an empire attempting to revive the dark god Ahriman. The game was one of the few original RPGs made for the Game Gear, and features an overhead gameplay perspective, a command-based combat system, and an autosave feature. Defenders of Oasis was commercially successful and positively received by reviewers, who praised the game's visuals and level of detail.

<i>The Lion King</i> (video game) 1994 video game

The Lion King is a platform game based on Disney's 1994 animated film of the same name. The game was developed by Westwood Studios and published by Virgin Interactive Entertainment for the Super NES and Genesis in 1994, and was ported to MS-DOS, Amiga, Game Gear, Master System, and Nintendo Entertainment System. The Amiga, Master System, and NES versions were only released in the PAL region. It is the final licensed NES game worldwide. The game follows Simba's journey from a young cub to the battle with his uncle Scar as an adult.

<i>Taz-Mania</i> (video game) 1992 video game

Taz Mania is the name of several video games based on the Taz-Mania cartoon series. A 2D side-scrolling platform/adventure video game developed by Recreational Brainware and published by Sega on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992. Different games were also developed by NuFX and released on the Game Gear and by Technical Wave on the Master System. Other different Taz-Mania games were also published by Sunsoft in North America and by THQ in PAL territories and released on the SNES and 2 games on the Game Boy were made too. One from David A. Palmer Productions and published by Sunsoft and another one called Taz-Mania 2 from Beam Software and published by THQ.

<i>Last Battle</i> (video game) 1989 video game

Last Battle: Legend of the Final Hero is a side-scrolling martial arts beat 'em up released for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1989 by Sega. It was one of the six games that were available as part of the Genesis launch lineup in the U.S. The Japanese version, titled Shin Seikimatsu Kyūseishu Densetsu: Hokuto no Ken, is based on the manga and anime series Fist of the North Star. Since the international version did not retain the Hokuto no Ken license, the graphics and characters' names were altered. It was the second Hokuto no Ken game released by Sega, following the Mark III original, released internationally as Black Belt. Versions for the Commodore 64 and Amiga based upon Last Battle were developed and released by Elite in Europe in 1991.

<i>Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble</i> 1996 video game

Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble is a Looney Tunes video game developed by Atod AB for the Sega Genesis and Game Gear, released in 1996. The game stars Bugs Bunny and features pre-rendered 3D graphics.

<i>The Incredible Hulk</i> (1994 video game) 1994 video game

The Incredible Hulk is a 1994 video game released for the Mega Drive, Master System, Game Gear, and SNES. Developed by Probe Software and published by U.S. Gold, the game is based on the Marvel Comics superhero Hulk and showcases him within the context of a side-scrolling action game with platforming and beat 'em up elements. The narrative involves the Hulk attempting to thwart the world domination bid of his nemesis, the Leader, while engaging in combat with other arch-rivals.

<i>Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions</i> 1993 video game

Daffy Duck: The Marvin Missions is an action video game for the Super NES. A different Game Boy game was released with the same title in North America, with the European Game Boy version known as Daffy Duck, and the Japanese Game Boy version is known as Looney Tunes Series: Daffy Duck.

<i>Bloodshot</i> (1994 video game) 1994 video game

Bloodshot, also released as Battle Frenzy in Germany, is a video game developed by Jim Blackler for Domark in 1994 for the Mega Drive and the Mega-CD in Europe. A North American release was planned, and reviewed in gaming magazines, but was only released through the Sega Channel service.

<i>The Terminator</i> (Sega video game) 1992 video game

The Terminator is a 1992 video game published for several Sega consoles, including the Sega Genesis, the Master System, and the portable Game Gear. It is based on the 1984 film of the same name. The game was developed by Probe Software and published by Virgin Games. The Terminator was praised for its graphics and sound, but criticized for its gameplay.

References

  1. 1 2 "Taz in Escape From Mars". GamePro . No. 71. p. 39.
  2. ↑ "Review Crew: Taz in Escape from Mars". Electronic Gaming Monthly . No. 62. Sendai Publishing. September 1994. p. 36.
  3. ↑ "ProReview: Taz in Escape From Mars". GamePro . No. 66. IDG. January 1995. p. 144.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.