Game Boy Advance

Animaniacs: Lights, Camera, Action!

Mit Animaniacs (GBA) liefert Ignition Entertainment ein sehr schönes Beispiel dafür, dass Lizenzspiele mit jüngerer Zielgruppe nicht zwangsläufig qualitativ den „Erwachsenenspielen“ hinterherhinken müssen. Eine ordentliche technische Seite, eine simple Spielgestaltung, intuitive Steuerung und durchaus ordentlicher Umfang lassen mich zu dem abschließenden Urteil kommen: Wer für seinen Sprössling ein gewaltfreies, simples, unterhaltsames und dennoch in Maßen anspruchsvolles Spiel sucht, der könnte mit Animaniacs goldrichtig liegen. Das Spiel entfaltet schon in den ersten Spielminuten seinen ganz eigenen Charme - ältere Spieler werden dem doch recht niedrig angesiedelten Schwierigkeitsgrad zwar nicht viel abgewinnen können, diesen Anspruch erhebt Animaniacs jedoch auch gar nicht. Die Zielgruppe ist klar definiert und das Spiel unter diesem Gesichtspunkt wirklich sehr gelungen.

Like many cookie cutter licensed platformers of the 90s, Animaniacs looks and sounds great, but comes up short where it matters: gameplay. Trying to navigate stages via the isometric view is a chore, and the GBA's little NES-era D-pad is a constant reminder of why I love my Neo Geo Pocket Color so much. You'll soon find your hands twisting and turning in ways God never intended, as you fruitlessly attempt to jump from platform to platform. Hitting moving targets is even more difficult and getting your character to face diagonally is more frustrating than challenging. So what we basically have here is an archaic example of a genre that had become flooded with “me too” releases and uninspired cash-runs. Animaniacs could have been so much more, had the designers actually applied all that has been learned about game design since 1995. Sadly, it's back to the water tower for this one.

Malheureusement pour eux, les Animaniacs ont du mal à convaincre dans leur escapade sur portable. Trop répétitif dans son gameplay, et pas forcément très intéressant non plus, on finit par se lasser du jeu.

The other major problem is that the game doesn't utilize the Animaniacs license like it should. A number of major characters from the show are missing, including the Goodfeathers, Buttons and Mindy, Chicken Boo, Hello Nurse, and more. I wouldn't expect them all to be playable, but some minor participation in the story (even as enemies) would've been nice. Worse than that, Yakko, Wakko, and Dot are almost totally out of character. While they were decidedly anti-authority on the show and constantly getting into trouble, here they follow orders from the director with little to no complaint. Some ways to cause havoc while still finishing each movie would've made this more true to the spirit of the cartoon and a more enjoyable experience.

Good for the kiddies if frustration is not an issue. I can’t think of a situation where it wouldn’t be. By that same token I can’t think of a kid who, after Mom or Dad reads this review, will be convinced that the game isn’t everything they’re hoping for. If all they need is the presence of their beloved characters, Animaniacs: Lights, Camera, Action! doesn’t disappoint.

I'm a fan of the Animaniacs cartoon from way back, and I certainly enjoyed being able to take some of my old favorite characters for a spin again. And, being a licensed product, the game looks, and at least somewhat sounds, like the TV show, which helps it out. But no matter how big of a fan of the source material I am, there's no getting around the fact that this game is just like a dozen other forgettable titles on the GBA today. There really isn't any compelling reason to buy it. It's dull, at times exasperatingly slow, and way too short even if it were fun to play. I give Animaniacs: Lights, Camera, Action the flat average score it so richly deserves.

In the end, it looks pretty, but plays like the total opposite. The constant supply of fetch quests gets boring rather quickly, and it’s definitely a game someone over the age of seven probably wouldn’t be playing. I can’t recommend this game for anyone other than a parent looking to keep their kid busy or distracted and this game is the last thing the store has left on the shelf. If your memories of the Animaniacs involve the trio and company popping out of the watch tower on your television screen, then I suggest you keep them that way.