Go Fanboy - Everyone Has A Favorite

Anytime a game based on a cartoon character comes in, we all slightly flinch because most people know that licensed games are usually pretty sketchy in terms of quality. When the licensed character in question is from a time that feels long ago, some reviewers curl up into a ball in the corner call their therapist because they know it won’t be fun. Lucky for me however, Galactic Taz Ball stars a character from my childhood that I loved. Taz (the Tasmanian Devil) was the star of a short-lived, but very popular carton in the early-nineties called “Taz-Mania”. Before that, he entertained a previous generation in various Looney Tunes shorts. So with this new title comes the question of whether or not Taz is about to entertain yet another generation of fans or have his career comeback stall like so many has-beens who appear on VH1.

The story in Galactic Taz Ball is a perfect fit for Taz and his enemy Marvin the Martian. Fans of the characters will feel right at home with the backstory revolving around Marvin’s plot to steal parts of Earth and take them up to Mars for what else, but to make the planet a little better. We can all appreciate making our own planet better right? But Taz won’t let Earth be sacrificed for Marvin’s comfort and it’s up to him to get the parts of his home-world back. You do this across typical platforming levels that are fun and original in both design and the way you approach them.

The way you do it is the most original and the root of the game’s name. You control Taz via a ball on the lower screen which operates a lot like the old trackballs did on classic Golden Tee Golf and Marble Madness arcade cabinets. The faster you roll the ball means the more momentum Taz gets. If you continue to ramp up the speed, you’ll see Taz transform into his classic whirlwind of rage and start kicking butt throughout the level. Once Taz is whipped into the whirlwind he has the ability to take out more enemies faster and avoid obstacles by flying (more like gliding) over them.

The controls in the game are great and while easy to use, do require some precision. That’s because the levels are basically suspended in midair. Yup, that pesky Marvin got the chunks of Earth part of the way up and because of this, the action all takes place up in the sky. Speaking of the platforms and levels, they all look great. Each level has a nice variety in both appearance and challenge. In addition to the main part of Galactic Taz Ball, there are parts called “underground” levels. These are controlled via the touch screen as well, but in a completely different way. Much like the old Oddworld games, you goal is only to get Taz through each level while avoiding obstacles. The controls are limited to simple commands and require more thought and planning than the action oriented main game. Despite this difference in design and gameplay, it fits nicely. The “underground” also keeps the reset of the game fresh by breaking things up a bit.

The looks and sounds in Galactic Taz Ball are well-done and very pleasing. The visuals trump the audio of course, but that’s something most DS/DSi gamers are used to. Looney Tunes classic flavor comes over perfectly well and the character models look great too. Levels and backgrounds won’t have you doing and double takes out of shock, but still provide more than enough eye candy when compared to most of the games available on Nintendo’s current portable console. Everything from the floating land masses to the lava Taz has to avoid have a nice cartoony feel and will have fans of Taz smiling.

Galactic Taz Ball is a great game for the Nintendo DS and DSi. The only problem this game has is that it might get overlooked as we head into the fall and publishers begin to shovel hundreds of other lesser quality Nintendo DS titles onto the shelves. But if you are lucky enough to spot a copy of Galactic Taz Ball on the shelves at your local game shop then pick it up and give it try. You’re certain to have a lot of fun helping Taz foil yet another one of Marvin the Martian’s silly schemes. Original controls and some nice side quests in the “underground” levels will keep this WB interactive title fresh for a while and give you another reason to fire up your DS or DSi.