If you were a fan of the Taz-Mania cartoon series in the 1990s, then you had two radically different 16-bit games to choose from. In one corner there was Sega, who released a fairly typical 2D platformer that may not have reinvented the wheel, but certainly pleased fans with colorful graphics and zany locations. On the other side of the ring was a unique 3D experience from Sunsoft that heavily relied on the Mode 7 chip to give us something akin to a driving game. This represented two very different philosophies in game design, but which was better? And more importantly, can we use classic magazines to crown a winner? To answer those questions, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro, Video Games & Computer Entertainment and more classic magazines that reviewed both versions of Taz-Mania when they first came out. Today we're going to put the loon back in Looney Tunes and see if we can settle this debate once and for all. This is Magazine Match-Up.


I don't know if it's because the license has prevented Sega from including it in those retro game compilations or if suddenly everybody has turned on the notoriously hot-headed toon, but nobody ever talks about Sega's Taz-Mania games anymore. Because of this, it may come as a surprise to hear that the critics generally liked Taz on the Genesis. Electronic Gaming Monthly liked it enough to give the game an average score of 8 out of 10, with Martin calling the game “Great!” and praising how it has “lots of techniques to master and great gameplay.” “The graphics are very cartoony and feature great animation.” His only complaint was the music. That said, Martin was not as kind to the Super NES version. “This is a completely different approach to Taz games,” he exclaimed. “The first-person perspective is cool, and the scrolling is very well done. The gameplay is good, but gets very repetitive rather quickly. Maybe a little more variety would have made this cart shine.” EGM gave the Super NES version of Taz-Mania an average score of 7 out of 10, which means that the Genesis takes it this round.

When it came to Video Games & Computer Entertainment, Zach Meston wasn't nearly as enthusiastic about the Genesis side-scroller. Giving it a 7 out of 10, they concluded that “Taz-Mania is an above average platform game, but there's not quite enough action to be had, and most players will have the game whipped in short order. Taz-Mania is great for younger gamers and beginners, but veteran Genny players won't find enough here to challenge them.” As it turns out, Zach also had some complaints about the Super NES version, arguing that “with a slightly reduced difficulty level and a few game play tweaks, Taz-Mania would've been great. As it is, it's merely good. Advanced gamers and cartoon freaks should definitely check it out; other players might want to consider a more conventional driving game.” This led Zach to give the Super NES version a 7 out of 10, which means that this is a tie. Right? Wrong! You see, in 1993, Video Games & Computer Entertainment decided to institute an “Editor's Corner” section that offered four more review scores and a paragraph describing the general consensus. With the other editors giving Taz-Mania higher marks, they actually pull the Super NES score up to an average of 7.8 out of 10. In other words, the Super NES if officially on the board.

If you're looking for GamePro to break this tie, then prepare to be disappointed, because GamePro did the most GamePro thing ever. Let me show you what I mean. When they reviewed the Genesis game, they gave it a score of 5 out of 5, concluding that “overall, Taz-Mania is a solid Genesis title that any Taz fan should seriously consider adding to his or her game library. It's devilishly good fun.” Contrast that with the Super NES version, which also got a perfect 5 out of 5 in fun factor. “On the surface, Taz seems to have pretty basic, one-dimensional gameplay, but don't toon this cart out. The later stages are difficult and challenging. They'll keep you on the run for hours. Children will be entertained by the cartoon graphics, but they may find the tough action frustrating. Taz-Mania is a fast-moving, good-looking Devil of a game.” With both games getting a 5 out of 5, we're marking this one down as a tie.

Okay, now here's where things start to get a little complicated. It's great when we can look at reviews in the same magazine with the same critic, like Video Games & Computer Entertainment, but we don't always have that luxury. Sometimes we need to look at reviews that are from the same magazine family. We're going to do that now with Sega Force and SNES Force, two UK magazines published by Europress Impact. Let's mix things up a little bit and start with the Super NES version, which SNES Force gave an impressive 86%. “From the minute I slammed in the cart and heard the familiar Warner Bros. theme tune, I was hooked on Taz-Mania. The crazy jingle sets the atmosphere perfectly for the hilarious gameplay. Although the emphasis of the action is on fun, that doesn't mean Taz-Mania is easy. The scrolling is very smooth and fast. Having one life is potentially frustrating, but it keeps you glued to the action. The only problem is the lack of variety. As it stands, it's a very enjoyable game that will keep all gamers happy.” That's high praise indeed, and it's definitely going to be hard for Sega's version to top that. Well, on second thought, maybe it won't, because Sega Force gave Taz-Mania a score of 96%. Calling it a “stormer,” Mat said “Taz looks so good you'd think Rolf Harris was inside the TV drawing the bloody thing. I haven't put Taz-Mania down since it arrived at Sega Force HQ. It's so blinking addictive, you'll soon leave that Sonic cart on the shelf, gathering dust.” Now that is what we in the industry call hyperbole. It also means that the Genesis is back on top with another point.

If you're going to let me get away with Europress Impact's console-specific magazines, then please allow me to do the same thing with Sendai Publishing. Both Mega Play and Super NES Buyer's Guide were sister-magazines to Electronic Gaming Monthly, often sharing the same editorial staff and resources. When it came to the Genesis version, Mega Play liked it about as much as their big brother, giving it a 7.75 out of 10. “Fan-Taz-tic!! This game looks JUST LIKE the cartoon and is just as hilarious! While the game is not too easy, it's not impossible. The tornado spin is great! A sure hit for the kids!” That's basically the same score we saw over at Super NES Buyer's Guide, who gave it a 77% and argued that the “cart features great use of a great Looney Tunes character – the Taz-Manian Devil. Other than Taz's great ‘death' scenes, which are a riot, Taz-Mania offers as much skill as any behind-the-wheel driving game. However, after the first five times playing it, Taz gets as tired as the character does at the end of the levels.” Now, you could probably argue that by rounding up, the Genesis wins this with an average of 7.8 out of 10, but that doesn't seem right, and I'm just going to mark this one down as a tie.

Probably the most exciting match-up comes to us via Mean Machines, with the two scores only being a few points apart. Let's once again start with Sega's side-scrolling version, which earned an 81% in their 21st issue. “There's no question that Taz-Mania is visually one of the most stunning Mega Drive games yet – it's virtually identical to the Taz cartoon, right down to his aggravated fit when he is left alone for a while. Despite all of this, the thought of another Mega Drive platform game still wasn't all that appealing. Taz-Mania is a very good game with fantastic graphics and some really smart gameplay, but when it comes to the ultimate in Mega Drive platform thrills, RoboCod is still the one to go for.” One year after the Genesis version came out, Mean Machines had fractured into two different magazines. One of those was Nintendo Magazine System, where the exact same critic, Rad, gave the Super NES version a score of ... 78%. That's right, he preferred the Genesis version, but not by much. “What is Taz about? The game is very simple speed run up on endless road, grabbing little yellow birds within a time limit. As a result, office opinion has been pretty polarized. So, when I tell you I have become quite endeared to the game, bear in mind that others hate it equally.” Oh, how I wish they would have published the arguments going around the office, because that sounds a lot more interesting than either of these Taz games. That said, the Genesis version once again takes it, though not by much.

And there we have it, a final score of 5 to 3, with the Genesis taking it. Although the results are a lot closer than what we saw in the Aladdin episode, this is yet another match-up where Sega fans leave happy. By playing it relatively safe, the Genesis version was able to win over not only critics, but also a lot of fans. So many, in fact, that they would eventually release a sequel where Taz is forced to escape Mars. We never did see a sequel to the Super NES version, so don't expect a rematch. We'll have to find a new pair of games to compete in the next episode of Magazine Match-Up.