Looney Tunes: Duck Dodgers Review

Daffy Duck as Duck Dodgers may be taking creative licenses too far, but that's for Warner Bros. to hash out with whoever owns the rights to Buck Rodgers. Duck Dodgers for N64 isn't a bad game at all; in fact the overall presentation of the game is phenomenal. However, for as good as a game as it looks, the play is in the pudding, and this game has a camera that would P.O. the Pope. Sure the game seems to be licensed to younger children, but as we've seen so many times before, the control of the game is much too difficult for the youngest demographic of the target audience.

Highs:

Daffy Comes to Life

Humorous

Lots of Platforming Action

Lows:

Camera and Control Marr Gameplay

Too Tough For Youngsters

Let's some up the story really quick: Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Marvin the Martian, ACME products. Any questions? You'll have to traverse 5 planets and over 30 levels to end Marvin's plan of Universal Domination. That's a lot of 3D platforming folks. A lot. Infogrames managed to inject the game with 100cc's of Warner Bros. personality though, and that's what makes you stick with it. This game has everything you could ever want in a game based on Daffy Duck. The voices are great, the gags are top notch, the animation is bang on and the environments have been lifted right out of the cartoons, but again, the camera that tends to swing all over the place ruins the experience. Jumping from one are to another is extremely frustrating. I felt like crying a few times. Imagine what a 7-year old would feel like? My wife just read this and said that a 7-year old is more mature than I am. Well, that may be true, but at least I didn't marry me! Sucker!

Personally, I think the people who will get the most out of Duck Dodgers are the adults who have seen every WB cartoon. The references and inside gags are geared to those who really know their old toons. In that case, if I were to recommend this title, it would be to the young teens and adults who could probably manage to get through this. Casual gamers will be eaten up and spit out before Level 2, unfortunately.

Along with the wild camera antics, controlling Daffy just doesn't feel "tight" enough. Often times I fell off a ledge just going for something in plain view, just because the control was slippery. You will eventually get used to it and learn to over compensate for some movements, but expect a long learning curve.

Graphically this game looks very nice. Not in a Rayman 2 sort of spectacular way, but enough to pay respect to the old cartoons anyway. The animations coupled with musical accompaniment are hilarious! Just check out Daffy's creeping around. The background music is straight out of the shows and is as much a part of the cartoons as ACME. The voices are done well, but I sure miss Mel Blanc. He's irreplaceable in my opinion.

Originally this game was to be rental only, but now I've heard rumblings that it will be available for retail. Your best bet? Rent first anyway. If it really is your cup of tea, then by all means plunk down some serious change for this one. Duck Dodgers gets supremely high marks for style and presentation, but gets knocked down a few pegs in the control department. If you have the patience of Job, then check it out.