TAZ Mania
a game by Sega, and Visual ConceptsAction, Adventure/RPG, Educational/Kids, Platformer / 
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Who's the growling, grumpy, whirling dervish king? Look no farther, cartoon fans, because that ferocious furball, the Tazmanian Devil, is back in action on your SNES.
FanTaztic Journey
Taz-Mania is the manic new game from Sunsoft, starring the hungriest mammal on the planet. This single-player, first-person perspective chase game plays like a fast-paced auto racing game, only you get to guide Taz down the road with a behind-the-Devil view. The game features all the colorful cartoonish backgrounds and goofy-looking characters that made Warner Bros. cartoons a 'toon empire.
It appears that it's Kiwi bird mating season in the land down under, where Taz makes his home. Kiwis are Taz's number one favorite food. The object of the game is to race down a road through each act and collect your quota of Kiwis before time runs out. You can run forward and backward, jump, skid, grab, and screech to a halt. You also have the patented Tazmanian tantrum, which lets you whirl through obstacles.
ProTip: Although blue birds regain your health, don't bother. Eating one Kiwi will bring back the whole bar. Concentrate on the red birds instead.
You're gonna need some beastly reflexes to handle all the running and grabbing, plus a quick thumb to avoid such roadhog opponents as Axl and Bull Gator (the notorious hunting team), Wendal T. Wolf (a neurotic wolf who hops on your back and wraps his fingers around your eyes to obscure your vision), and the amorous She Devil (one kiss, and you're history). Along the way you must also sidestep obstructions like telephone poles, trees, cars, deep water, oil slicks and buses. There's even a pterodactyl, who'll carry you back to the beginning if you're not careful.
When you see the pterodactyl, don't jump. As long as you're on the ground, it shouldn't come after you.
To keep your feet movin', you've got to chow down. You can eat blue birds to partially fill your life meter, red birds to give you extra time on the clock, and bonus meats that are thrown from the Acme delivery scooter. The Acme delivery person will also give you such goodies as roller skates, springs, and other treats.
Not everything you get from Acme delivery is pleasant He may bop you with a boxing glove or throw dynamite. When a prize is released, hang a little behind so you'll be safe from harm.
Good-looking Grump
Taz-Mania is a colorful, well-animated, smooth-moving game. All the SNES Mode 7 rotation and scaling stops were pulled out for this one, so hold on! You also get to see Taz's great-looking, grumpy, growly, hilarious facial expressions when he turns around or he gets hit. Additionally, all the enemies are well drawn, and they move quickly without flicker or slowdown.
Some Kiwis speed ahead of you and then screech to a stop. As soon as you hear the screech, grab 'em or you'll fly right past them.
Some folks will find the music too cartoonish. The familiar Warner Bros. opening theme is well represented, though, and that's all the music you'll pay attention to.
Devil May Care
On the surface, Taz seems to have pretty basic, one-dimensional game play, but don't toon this game out. The later stages are difficult and challenging. They'll keep you on the run for hours. Children will be entertained by the cartoon graphics, but they may find the tough action frustrating. Taz-Mania is a fast-moving, good- looking Devil of a game.
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Game Reviews
He's loud. He has a wicked temper. He slobbers everywhere. He eats anything he can get his paws on, but you can't help but love him for every last obnoxious vice. Who is he? Hint: he's Bugs Bunny's favorite beast to burden with cruel tricks.
The Tasmanian Devil -- Taz for short -- comes to 16-bit technicolor life thanks to Sega. This awesome looking adventure is entitled appropriately, Taz-Mania.
Word has it that a single seabird egg will feed a family of TD's for a long time. We all know how grouchy Tasmanian Devils get when they're hungry... which is always! In this crazy, one-player, action- packed game, Taz sets out to find the legendary Tasmanian Seabird's nest in order to snag an egg for his hungry family.
A Loveable Beast
Taz-Mania has six stages -- each with multiple parts. Taz hunts through the Badlands (a nuclear-esque wasteland), the Acme Factory, the Jungle, Iceland, a Mine, and the Taztec Ruins.
Each stage has its own set of biz- zaro creatures and quirky (though cool) tunes. For example, in the Jungle, Taz comes face-to-face with grass-skirted, spear-chucking pink mice. Weirder still are the Rock Monsters he encounters in the Badlands. These creatures attempt to entrap Taz with their slimy tongues, which make an incredible annoying guitarish twanging noise as they unfurl.
ProTip: Spin past the furnaces in the Factory and Taz won't get burned.
Until Taz reaches the eggs, which isn't ‘til the bitter end, it's more or less a game of survival. The more enemies Taz tackles and the more power and food items he collects, the better his chances are of staying healthy enough to beat the stage, the bosses and, ultimately, the game.
Appetite for Destruction
Taz's appetite makes him his own worst enemy. If it isn't too big or anchored down, Taz will slip it down his gullet. For instance, when Taz chows down on fire power items, such as Chili Peppers, it gives him dragon's breath that's guaranteed to incinerate any enemy. However, if he chomps on Bombs or No Weed, he gets a rip-roaring tummy ache, that can cost him a life if his life meter is running low!
- Steer dear of these two switches in the Factory. Touching them can be an electrifying experience.
- Rock Monsters getting you down? Simply jump on their heads and use them as launching pads.
An Offering to the Gods
Options are a gamer's best friends and Taz has a lion's share to offer. The Jump, Spin, and Action button commands (which enable Taz to breathe fire and lift items) can be adjusted to correspond to any button sequence. There's also a practice mode that enables you to explore five different stages with minimal enemy pestering. In addition, there are two difficulty settings, Easy and Hard. Lastly, when the local hoodlums sap your life supply (three lives), you can tap into three continues.
- When you reach the highest ledge in the third scene of the Badlands, head left and you'll find a tasty 1-up.
- Spin through bombs to keep Taz from eating them.
So, what good are options if the game control stinks?! Rest easy, Taz-masters, this devil won't let you down. Animated toothy snarls and impatient foot tapping are a part of Taz's graphic repertoire. However, as any Warner-watcher knows, the good-looking Tasmanian spin is Taz's forte, and it's more than just a whirlwind way to make fast tracks. Taz can use it to wipe out everything in his path. However, watch yourself when you launch into a spinning frenzy. At full speed, you scorch the dirt. Unless you know what's ahead, you probably won't be able to put the breaks i on fast enough to save yourself from disaster, like flying off an unseen cliff!
- Spin with care. Recklessness can cause you to blast important life- giving items into oblivion.
A Fine Furry Friend
A major thumbs up to Sega (and Warner Brothers) for a job well done. Taz-Mania rates an A+ for the crystal clear graphics and smooth animation alone. Taz truly looks as if he's stepped right out of a WB cartoon. More importantly, Taz-Mania has the fundamental elements that make a game worth its asking price: great game play, worthy challenge, and a good story line. The one thing Taz could use is an extra level or two. Perhaps a sequel could take care of that?!
Overall, Taz-Mania is a solid Genesis title that any Taz fan should seriously consider adding to his or her game library. It's devilishly good fun.
You heard right! Taz, Warner Brothers' cantankerous star of stage, screen, and Saturday morning cartoon shows, is now starring in a unique video adventure all his own.
Devilish Fun
The folks at Sega have taken this whirling dervish and spun him straight into a one-player, 17 levels, action/adventure game. You play Taz, who's searching for a giant, prehistoric, sea bird egg -- a prime delicacy to Tasmanian Devils.
As Taz searches for the prehistoric egg, he journeys through the badlands, an iceworid, a jungle, a mine, and even an Acme Factory. His protagonists include three villains from his Saturday morning cartoon show (Francis X. Bushland, Bull Gator, and Axl) plus a slew of new baddies -- from crabs to mice armed with bow and arrows.
The graphics in this adventure have been carefully crafted in order to give the game an animated look and feel that's straight out of a Warner Brother's cartoon. Taz spins, eats everything in sight, and even growls and snarls in annoyance if you keep him waiting. All of this is accompanied by cool sounds, as our devilish friend whirls to the beat of jungle drums and the thrill of a flute.
More Taz to Come
Sega's showing its stuff one more time as it takes yet another cartoon classic and turns it into a video game classic.