Developer: Konami Publisher: Konami Release: 03/93 Genre: Platformer
For as much as I may make fun of bad licensed games I still have a degree of respect for the developers regardless of how the titles may turn out. It cannot be easy to turn certain properties in to video games. Something like Rambo or Robocop is easy; make an action game like Contra and you are good to go. Almost every episode of Duck Tales could be the basis of a level in a video game. But the Little Mermaid? They certainly tried and failed. Konami’s handling of the Tiny Toons license is up there with Sega and Capcom with Disney. All of their titles have been either solid or exemplary, with Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster’s Hidden Treasure being one of the better ones. It cribs from Sonic a bit but is otherwise ace.
Buster Bunny finds a treasure map in Acme Looniversity but is sideswiped by Montana Max, who enlists the aid of Dr. Gene Splicer to hold him off. Splicer has brainwashed all of Buster’s friends to aid him in this endeavor but that won’t stop Buster from saving his friends and finding the treasure before his arch nemesis.
Where Buster Busts Loose on the SNES could pass for an episode of the cartoon Konami went in a different direction with Buster’s Hidden Treasure. The game takes more than a few cues from Sonic the Hedgehog and is almost shameless about it in some respects. Whereas some clones nail the look but botch the gameplay (I’m looking at you Socket) Buster’s Hidden Treasure has both. There are also enough unique gameplay elements to distinguish it from Sega’s classic platformer. Buster’s Hidden Treasure doesn’t reinvent the platforming wheel but greases it enough to entertain for a good long time as it is pretty long.
Mechanically the game is simple. When Buster runs he builds up speed into a full blown dash. At full speed you can slide attack in to enemies. While it sounds cool the game does not provide many opportunities to use it unfortunately. Otherwise your only offensive move is the traditional butt bounce. You can also wall jump which is tricky at first but feels natural in short order. The carrots strewn about do not grant extra lives but instead the use a helper character to clear the screen although it is rarely necessary. The game’s physics are also different from what you would expect. You jump farther the longer you hold the button. But if you release Buster will immediately drop like a brick. This gives the platforming a different feel and something you must keep in mind at all times.
As much as I want to avoid the comparison to Sega’s game I cannot. You build up momentum like the blue hedgehog, Gene Splicer is the Robotnik stand in and there are springs and other contraptions that send you rocketing at full speed. While blazing through the stages at a brisk clip sounds nice the level design punishes you for it. At almost every turn there is a shovel, can of soda or some enemy to trip you up, as if the designers are wagging their fingers and saying “this is not that type of game.” It is stupid and I question why give you the option if you are going to punish players for using it. The rare times you can genuinely run at full tilt are fun but they and far. That being said when the game forges its own path it fares better.
Buster’s Hidden Treasure is longer than you would expect, a far cry from its SNES counterpart. The 33 or so stages cover a wide spectrum with each new area presenting some new obstacles to deal with, be it lava, ice or spikes. Most of the levels are of median length and seem to drill down on one particular mechanic. The carrots strewn about don’t grant extra lives but instead an extra use for your helper character not that is ever necessary. There are secrets everywhere and if necessary you can revisit levels to stock up on extra lives or hearts. The tight controls mean if you die it was mostly your own fault. The lone exception to this is the later levels where there are more leaps of faith than should be normal.
The difficulty curve is near perfect. Early on the game is generous with life restoring hearts and extra lives. But around the midpoint there is a noticeable bump in challenge. Enemies appear in greater numbers and become more aggressive. Instant death spikes become more common and the game starts to rely on blind leaps of faith. Some of the later levels in the pirate ship and Montana Max’s factory run longer than I would like too. But on the whole Konami have done an excellent job balancing the game.
In Closing
Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster’s Hidden Treasure is a solid action platformer that while a bit familiar is fun overall. Konami did a good job copying Sonic to an extent while still respecting the license. In the process they have created a game that is better than it has any right to be. Although it does not bring anything new to the table Buster’s Hidden Treasure still makes for a good time.
