| Introduction
Swing have produced yet another title exploiting
their Tiny Toons/Animaniacs license and though I'd usually
be dreading this type of game, most of their previous
titles have been well above average. "Pinky and
the Brain" has always been a big favourite of mine,
the pairing of two mice (one highly intelligent and
one incredibly stupid) still makes me laugh whenever
I manage to catch it. I saw this game in the very early
stages and even then, it showed signs of being a very
promising title with varied and entertaining gameplay.
This, however, is the final release and hopefully everything
I saw remains intact.
GamePlay
Pinky and the Brain starts out like very other platformer
with the usual running, jumping and collecting bonus
items. What you'll quickly realize though is that to
progress through the game it's essential to switch between
both Pinky and the Brain as they both possess very different
skills so nasties such as lab gas will effect them in
various ways. This isn't as confusing as it could be
though as whenever a specific character is needed to
break down a wall or reach a height a signpost informs
you who it should be. In addition to the platforming
there's also an underwater shooter, which could be a
game in its own right being not only beautifully designed
but also well implemented.
The mini-games and bonus stages are both inventive
and impressive and as a result there's a real incentive
to collect everything available within the levels to
access them. They range from a simple pairs game or
a sliding puzzle to a dancing section which can best
be described as a kind of Prappa the Rappa type of affair
were you must replicate the DJ's moves via the controls.
None of them are particularly easy but success is always
rewarded with an extra life or more points. It's also
a break from the platforming and adds even more value
to what is already a quality title.
The system employed to govern the health of the two
main characters is incredibly fair so getting hit once
doesn't always mean 'game over'. Instead your health
goes down in stages and if you've picked anything up,
like a ray gun for example, one unfortunate move only
means you lose the gun, a second hit and either Pinky
or the Brain disappears and finally, on the third, you
lose a life. However passing a 'stage door', of which
there are many, will revive the lost mouse and thus
full health. The multiplayer game is perhaps not what
you'd expect, and instead of allowing a kind of co-operative
experience it's simply a 'race and collect' type of
affair. It is fun though and it's good to see a two-player
option appearing on almost all new releases now.
Controls
Welcome to the best control tutorial I've ever seen!
The first level of this title is ingenious and even
the graphics change to a kind of blueprint appearance
with notes on movement dotted everywhere. Everyone has
to play this as technically it's the first level but
it does take you through all the movements you'll encounter
during the game and lets you know what buttons to press.
Come across an object or bonus and you'll get an information
screen detailing what it is and why it's important.
Quite simply Brilliant!
Graphics
If you enjoyed the cartoon or indeed any Saturday
morning animation then get ready for a visual feast
as the visuals are so close to their on screen counterparts
you'll occasionally believe you're controlling the TV
show and not a mere game. Everything's good; the animation
is wonderful for both the main characters and the many
enemies; the environments are stunning and feature an
amazing level of detail. If this isn't enough the cut
screens, that push the plot along nicely, have been
directly lifted from the original show and look incredible.
Sound & Music
The music falls into the average category so while
you're not about to wander around humming it to yourself
it's also not going to irritate too much either. It
is however a vast improvement on anything the GBC could
offer and that fact alone is an indication of just how
far handheld audio has come. The sound effects are much
better and anyone who's grown up on Saturday Morning
cartoons will feel very much at home with the bangs,
whizzes and whistles that accompany almost every move.
Final Comments
Swing seem to have discovered the secret to producing
TV/movie tie-in games which though it may seem simple
has proved elusive to many software houses around today.
Games like these almost always fall into the 'seen it
all before' category and although the various elements
provide nothing original, the whole package is very
impressive. Quite simply this is how movie/cartoon tie-ins
should be done and the variety of gaming types here
mixed with the attention to detail make it a must purchase
for anyone even remotely interested in Pinky and the
Brain.
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