Game of the Day 4/16/2016: Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster Busts Loose

[celerystalker]

For all the rotten reputation licensed video games have, Konami sure did know how to make the shit out of them, and they definitely made a good run with the Tiny Toons property. The first SNES game in the franchise, Buster Busts Loose is a side-scrolling platformer that not only makes good use of the license by using as many characters as possible, capturing the music of the show, and creating a story that plays out as sketches in an episode, but also by employing creative set piece after set piece to make the experience varied and entertaining as a game.

Buster hops and kicks his way through several stages including the school, a western, a ghost house, a football game (where you actually play the last drive of a football game), a sky level, and a Star Wars-themed finale. Each is loaded with unique situations like riding a train, hiding from laser blasts coming from a Star Destroyer in the background, riding giant hammers, flipping gravity... Buster never gets stuck into a routine or gets complacent. It's constant change that is fun and intuitive, and if that wasn't enough, you play randomized bonus games between levels for extra lives, some of which are simple games of chance, whereas others offer new challenges like racquetball or a maze chase. Having this sort of dynamic presentation really lends itself to the chaotic nature of the cartoon while never losing its own cohesiveness. Well done!

The graphics are outstanding, with bright, colorful backgrounds and detailed sprites that truly resemble their animated counterparts. The music is also very much in step with the property, whether the actual tunes or new compositions in the same style. Really, it's difficult to find many problems save that it's easy and brief. There are increased difficulty settings, but the game is honestly very easy no matter how you slice it, and the password system bolsters it even more. Still, when everything is so well-executed and accessible, it is still fun to play through now and again just for the sights, sounds, and stage design.

Played this one? Sorry I had to pick one I could do quickly tonight, so it's nor a real oddity or anything, but it is a real bang for the buck kind of game. Anybody craving a Weenie Burger?

[Niku-Sama]

I might be mistaken but I believe that this screen shot shows a back to the future reference
any way I haven't played this game at all since I couldn't stand tiny toons, I just posted to mention the possible reference

[celerystalker]

I might be mistaken but I believe that this screen shot shows a back to the future reference
any way I haven't played this game at all since I couldn't stand tiny toons, I just posted to mention the possible reference

The western stage has a few of them. For instance, the level ends with you getting a rail cart up to 88 mph, then it disappears leavng fiery streaks behind.

[Emperor Megas]

Was this game easy? I know that I never ended it, but I remember playing it a lot back in the day. Weird. I wonder why I didn't finish it. I know that I really enjoyed this title back then.

[celerystalker]

Was this game easy? I know that I never ended it, but I remember playing it a lot back in the day. Weird. I wonder why I didn't finish it. I know that I really enjoyed this title back then.

Oh, definitely. I could see someone getting tripped up on the football stage until they learn to complete passes, which make it super easy. Otherwise, it's only about half an hour long and has about three jumping sections that demand a little timing. I bet if you went back to it today you'd end the game with double digit lives.

[Emperor Megas]

Was there another Tiny Toons game for the SNES? Maybe I'm thinking about another one.

[celerystalker]

There was Wacky Sports Challenge as well, but it's pretty different. There's a similar Genesis game and the NES games as well, and I'be always found the SNES game to be the easiest... I pkayed through it again last night at about 2AM, as I usually play through these games again to make sure I remember them correctly, but I suppose it could also be that I played it to death as a kid and my hands remember it.

[Edmond Dantes]

I had the same experience as Celerystalker.... of all the Tiny Toon games, I had the least amount of trouble with this one as a kid, and even as an adult... when my friend Geo found a copy locally, I played it and had a lot of trouble at first, but then the next day (When I was rested and had less on my mind) I was able to demolish it on the hardest difficulty. I even recorded that and posted it as a Lets Play on my youtube channel.

I need to replay the original TTA on the NES.... I've never beaten that one. I remember the Genesis installment being the most fun.

[shadowman]

That darn football level... I can clear this game no problem bar that level, I always have a ton of issues with it, managing to dodge the enemies whom appear almost instantly making them really tough to dodge. I do enjoy the game quite a bit though, lovely sprites and music. The Tiny Toons games by Konami were all pretty great, I've played the NES and Mega Drive games as well and those are ace as well.