I am still getting used to reviewing things in depth so bear with me if I ramble or repeat things.System: Genesis
Year:1993
Genre: Platformer
Remember Ren & Stimpy? I was bananas for this show as a kid and appreciate it even more as an adult. I remember enjoying this game quite a bit as a kid, when I wasnt playing Sonic or Bomberman or Street Fighter I would pop this game in and fail horribly because I was a kid and sucked at just about any game I played, I remember playing co-op with my buddy and we would get into arguments if one of us fucked up a jump or took unnecessary damage.
It is interesting to note that this game was made by Blue Sky Software, you may be familiar with them for creating the Genesis classic Vectorman and its sequel. They also made the awesome Jurassic Park game, Shadowrun and the uber-rare 32x game Spider-Man: Web of Fire.
I liked how the game starts with the Log (yes, Log!) leading the SEGA logo on screen, it was a nice touch and I always appreciate it when they did something creative with the titles and such. Blue Sky also had fun with the Sega logo in Jurassic Park and Vectorman, if they did it in other games I dont really care but hey, its cool.
Story:
Stimpy makes a machine and it goes haywire and parts are scattered and its your job to go through all 5 levels and collect the pieces at the end. That about covers it. My main complaint is that its a typical licensed game story, rarely do games like this ever go wild with the story and make it their own. They always play it safe, as you progress its just very linear from level to level with no dialogue between the characters or introductions or anything which keeps the story from being anything but ordinary. And for a game based on such an un-ordinary series that hurts it.
Gameplay:
What makes this game really stand out for me are the co-op moves Ren and Stimpy possess. Each one can use the other as a weapon or a tool in some creative way by using one of the buttons in combination with a direction. For instance, ledge too high? By pressing up and the jump button Ren can squeeze Stimpy so that he farts and propels them upwards. Enemy above you pissing you off? Stimpy can grab Ren and hurl him Colossus style at it. In 2 player teamwork is essential for getting through some sections, either to take out an enemy in an awkward space or to reach an area you wouldnt be able to alone. It can be as rewarding as it can be frustrating. Thankfully the jumping and controls are good and tight, the collision detection can be a little wonky at times but otherwise things go very smoothly and its fun to throw your partner at a monkey. The game is also very generous when it comes to bottomless pits, if a character falls in one or falls off the screen Powdered Toast Man with save them from certain peril at the cost of a bit of your health meter and return the player back onscreen. "leave everything to me!" he says in his garbled digitized voice. Im glad it doesnt just say "LOL YOU GOTTA START OVER!" like some games would. The level design is a mixed bag, its half and half really, with mundane typical platformer stuff and the occasional clever little segment.
I should mention that this game is short, very short actually. I havent played this game in maybe 10 years and I beat it within an hour. Its short which is a shame because even though it isnt perfect I still wanted to keep going for just a little longer. I guess that means something then.
They didnt HAVE to make Stimpy's ass wiggle when he climbs but dammit I can appreciate it!
Graphics:
The sprites are well animated, looking like they were ripped right out of the cartoon.
The characters are expressive and the team attacks are silly and I might as well list them off for the hell of it:
Ren:
-Holds Stimpy upside down and uses him as a jackhammer (no homo) to break through spots on the floor.
-Rolls Stimpy like a bowling ball.
-Plucks his nose off and throws it upwards.
-Hops on his back and Stimpy does a further jump.
-Squeezes him to fly upwards.
-Squeezes him to shoot hairballs.
-Slaps him in the face and yells "You stupid idiot!", this does nothing but its still cute to see.
Stimpy:
-Uses Ren like a shovel to dig through spots.
-Hits Red with a croquet mallet at enemies.
-Throws him like a boomerang.
-Throws him Colossus style.
-uses Ren to Pole Vault for a further jump.
-Spins Ren to fly upwards like a helicopter.
-Squeezes Ren to burp him, again, no real practical use. Its just some silly little thing they added.
The stages use many references from some of the best episodes and recreates the scenery from said episodes. Such as the dog pound, the zoo, and the immensely surreal great outdoors. Filled with giant mosquitoes, teeth coming out of the ground with nerves that shoot out, and crying eyeball trees along with a run on a strange flying contraption. The final segment is very strange, taking place inside his invention (I assume as the title suggests). But hey, Im glad that Mr. Horse got a cameo appearance! I could ramble about this all day, better speed it up. What the hell does the length of the game have to do with the graphics? Your mother, thats what.
I give the graphics a B+ and your mother a solid C.
Sound:
As I mentioned before, there are voice samples. I cant tell if they are the real voice actors or if they just got imitators thanks to the lackluster sound chip of the Genesis. But it sounds like them so dont let that get in the way. The music is decent, not too great but not bad. Some tunes are pretty catchy though and emulate the feel of the music from the cartoon well, its got some slow tunes, some upbeat catchy tunes, and the trademark jazzy blues type music heard so often in the series, and the log jingle at the beginning which is awesome. I give the music a C.
Overall:
I really liked this game after playing through it again after all these years, I think I enjoyed it the same now as I did as a kid, maybe even more for having a full grasp of the attacks and what to do in each situation. For a licensed game it has a lot going for it but it also has its shortcomings. Blue Sky did a really nice job given what source material they had to work with. The story could have been a little more fleshed out in some way and the lack of boss battles hurts the game as well. However give this game a spin with a buddy and have some fun in co-op.
Replay value, sadly, is low. There are no secrets to unlock or hidden things to find, its a strictly point A to point B affair. Its good but not perfect, better than most games of this nature, especially Ren & Stimpy games.
I give this game 7.5 bouncing walruses out of 10
happy happy happy!......JOY JOY JOY!
