Toonstruck
$14.95		(DOS) (Retail) (TOONSTRPR) On other systems you can use ScummVM to run this.

Burst / Virgin Interactive

Game

Ratings:

9 out of 10 from Computer & Net Player

8 out of 10 from boot

Over-the-Top, Live Action and Animated Adventure

As Drew Blanc, animator of The Fluffy Fluffy Bun Bun Show, your life hasn't turned out exactly as planned. Your boss has it in for you. Your creativity's left town on you. And just when you think it can't get much worse, it does. A freak accident involving electronics (don't ask) spins you headfirst into the whacked out and not-so-warm-and-fuzzy world of your own cartoon creations.

To get home, you'll need to unravel the secrets of these loony lands before they unravel you. Out-smart demented clowns, out-shock cross-dressing livestock and outwit a diabolical Count named Nefarious. It's a mind-reeling toonatopia that'll have you acting so depraved you might even shock yourself. Send someone an exploding turkey. Watch Spike the Clown torture balloon animals. And, it you've got any energy left, try preventing an all-out war between the cartoon forces of good and evil. Word to the wise: better pack an anvil.

Features:

Two CDs jam-packed full of hilarious adventure gameplay and a whole ward of bizarre characters.

Starring Christopher Lloyd and featuring the vocal talents of Tim Curry, Dan Castellaneta (TV's Homer Simpson), Dom deLuise and gold-throated artist featured in Aladdin, Animaniacs and more.

Over 40,000 frames of animation and over 75 unique locations crammed full of puzzles.

Integration of live action video and traditional animation unlike anything ever experienced.

Requirements:

IBM PC 486/66 or 100% compatible (Pentium recommended), MS-DOS 5.0 or higher, 30 MB hard disk space, mouse, 8MB RAM (16 MB recommended), SVGA video card (1MB recommended), 2x CD-ROM drive (4x recommended), 8-bit stereo sound card (16-bit recommended).

Reviews:

Computer & Net Player, February 1997

"...But what sets the game apart from other competent titles are the extras. The characters each have unique personalities. The graphics are marvelous. And the game has more one-liners, puns and send-ups than a late-night talk show monologue.

"You play this third-person perspective game as cartoonist Drew Blanc (portrayed by Christopher Lloyd). As the game opens, a freak accident thrusts him into a cartoon world. There, the happy, carefree inhabitants of the peaceful realm of Cutopia are being terrorized by Count Nefarious. The count sends a device called the Malevolator to Cutopia, where it wreaks devastation. Drew, with the help of an odd-looking purple creature named Flux Wildly, must locate the parts needed to build a Cutifier, which the Cutopians hope to use to reverse the damage done by the Malevolator."

Quandary Review by Gordon Alpin

"If you have ever watched the Saturday morning cartoon shows -- not the 'serious' and, dare I say it, dreary mechanical action ones that seem to prevail nowadays, but the fun ones like Bugs Bunny and The Road Runner -- then you will enjoy the way this game captures and sends up many elements of those shows. The scene-setting classical music pieces will be instantly familiar even if you don't know what they are, as will the slightly warped style of backgrounds. With zany characters, much of the humour also captures the essence of those cartoons which always seemed to me to operate on two levels: slapstick comedy for the younger kids and witty dialogue and anarchic humour for us older ones. So it is with this game, though I should give fair warning to parents who may be contemplating buying Toonstruck for their children that the humour is a little dark at times. One scene features familiar and cute farm animals who are malevofied into a parody of a sado-masochistic bondage ritual -- complete with whip, leathers and chains."

"Having said that, this is an entertaining game to play, though not an overly difficult one for experienced adventurers, especially if you are in tune with the wacky cartoon logic of the story. Which means you will still need to be fairly imaginative in overcoming the obstacles that are set before you..."

"There is a lot to like in Toonstruck, it's a fun place to visit and you may not want to leave. The graphics and sound effects are very good. Christopher Lloyd is perfect as Drew Blanc and is ably supported by a host of other quality voice characters. The name, Drew Blanc, as well as being a truly dreadful pun (my favourite kind) also seems to pay homage to one of the great stalwarts of the Saturday morning cartoon shows -- the late Mel Blanc who was responsible for many of the most memorable cartoon voices. And that's not all, folks. The game is delightfully set up for a sequel."

boot, January 1997

"Toonstruck is an exhilarating romp through cartoon land. It may look like a cute, cuddly graphic adventure game, but that's just a disguise for its darker mentality. Cartoons are, after all, evil."

"Toonstruck isn't difficult to play - you click around, exploring scenes and using your inventory - but the puzzles aren't dead giveaways either. Remember, things in a cartoon world tend to be a tad extreme. Toonstruck possesses a relatively nonlinear path, and is peppered with shots of irreverent, sometimes adult, humor.

"With more than 100 hand-painted scenes, Toonstruck looks gorgeous! The live-action sequences of actor Christopher Lloyd, (who portrays the animator, Drew Blanc), were filmed against a green screen, and then merged with the animation using special motion tracking and morphing techniques. These touches really pay off, and you'll notice and appreciate the game's fluidity immediately. The integration of the live-action character is seamless, and adds depth to the adventure. Toonstruck sounds terrific too, thanks to additional voice acting by David Ogden Stiers, Tim Curry, and Dom DeLuise. Particularly notable is Dan Castellaneta, the voice of your acerbic sidekick, Flux Wildly.

"Toonstruck is a perfect blend of twisted humor, challenging puzzles, and stunning aesthetics."

Mr. Bill's Game Reviews, July 1999 by Mr. Bill

A hilarious spoof and satire of everything adults have grown to hate about certain cartoons (you will never view them the same way again). The adventure game is in cartoon format, but also stars Christopher Lloyd as the human hero within the cartoon world.

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