We highly recommend this platformer to younger gamers or fans of the television series.

Huh? A newly released Animaniacs video game? It’s been nearly 8 years since this zany bunch was on television so you would think that an Animaniacs game released now would be rather peculiar and unexpected. Whatever. I’m not complaining. In fact, I’m quite delighted that Ignition Entertainment has released this game. “Animaniacs” was a show that was way ahead of its time. Its blend of zaniness, wit and satire make it a show of a quality that most of today’s cartoons cannot live up to.



In their newest adventure, The Great Edgar Hunt, the annual Edgar Awards (a spoof on the Oscars) is about to go on. Alas, the devious and evil film director Cyril Coupe Deville (C.C. Deville for short) has stolen all of the Edgar statues! With that, Cyrus threatens to melt all the Edgars into a set of golf clubs unless Warner CEO Thaddeus J. Plotz agrees to C.C.’s demand, a 10-film contract with a minimum budget of $10 million per picture. Plotz agrees. However, when C.C. arrives at the Warner movie lot in his giant airship, his bumbling assistant Jinx manages to crash the ship into the Warner water tower, scattering all of the Edgars throughout the area. Thus, the Warner Bros. Yakko and Wakko, along with their sister Dot, are unleashed and it is up to them to recover the missing Edgars.



The Great Edgar Hunt is a third-person action game that totally captures the humorous and spoof-filled spirit of the beloved cartoon. The game spans out through 6 movie-themed levels. You start the game as Yakko but eventually Wakko and Dot will join you. Each of the siblings has their own special abilities and moves. Some of the obstacles are fit for a certain character. For example, if there is an item that is attainable through a small space, you might need to use the much smaller Dot in order to get it.



Oh! Did I forget Pinky and The Brain? The lovable duo whose only ambition is to take over the world is back and featured in 5 mini-games that are essential in completing your quest!

The control system is rather basic. The “A” button allows your character to jump (up to three times in succession). The “B” button is to attack. The “R” button is to duck; it is also used for special running and jumping attacks, while the “C-Stick” controls camera movement. This easy system allows players to jump right in and get familiar with the game in no time.



Each level is based on a certain movie genre, such as the Wild West, a Haunted House and Ancient Rome. There are Edgars scattered throughout each level and the player must travel through these expansive levels and overcome a number of listed obstacles in order to retrieve them. The levels are quite large and drawn out. Much backtracking is required in the game, thus confusion and frustration are expected. A map of each level would’ve been nice ya know!

The graphics are decent at best. While they capture the feel of the cartoon, they are rather basic and are a bit lacking in terms of definition and detail. The music and the sound however, are a different story. Each level contains music and sound effects that are appropriate to the environment. The original voice cast of the cartoon has been used, which gives a pleasant touch of authenticity to the game.



When it comes to the game’s flaws, there are only two that irk me. First and foremost are the camera angles. While normally smooth, they will sporadically go awkward and will force you to adjust them using the “C-Stick”. This does no favors when jumping on moving platforms and fighting bosses and such. The second problem is the difficulty. The game is WAY too easy. I’m not saying this is a problem, the game is more or less aimed at a younger audience, but the seasoned gamer may be a little turned off by the simple obstacles and super easy boss fights. Even the Pinky and The Brain mini-games offer little in terms of a challenge.

Despite these errors, The Great Edgar Hunt is definitely worth the $19.99 price. It’s a fun little game that will please not only little ones but also any fan of the show. It’s a fairly easy game but the humor and zaniness that the Animaniacs are known for is enough to satisfy your average gamer!


Review by Walt Ball.