Looney Tunes Games (2) – Bugs Bunny and Taz: Time Busters (PS, 2000)

2017 UPDATE!

Watch my new review of the game here:

The sequel to the PlayStation classic Bugs Bunny Lost in Time (discussed here) attempted to improve upon what had already become a repetitious formula. Rather than collecting clocks and golden carrots, in Bugs Bunny and Taz: Time Busters (2000), the eponymous protagonists team up to collect gears and, ultimately, a ‘time gem’. The time machine itself belongs to Granny (June Foray). After exterminator Daffy Duck (Joe Alaskey) makes off with the time gem, it’s up to Bugs Bunny (Billy West) and Granny’s pet ‘Taz’manian Devil (Jim Cummings) to restore order, travelling to various eras to stop that duck, collecting the gears to fix the time machine as they go on. As with the first game, there are numerous references to classic Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies episodes. However, they are a little more subtle in that they act more as an homage to the classic series, rather than being directly adapted.

Granwich:

The central/training area/level select sees Tweety and Granny show you the ropes – which happen to be much of the same ropes you were shown in the previous game, with some changes. Very little is referenced here besides Taz’s first appearance, which is clearly a reference to his earliest appearances, namely Devil May Hare (1954). Hubie or Bertie makes a cameo at the beginning, as does Hector the Bulldog (although his colouring looks more like Spike, of Spike and Chester).

The Aztec Era:

Knighty Knight Bugs (1958)

This era’s antagonist is once again Yosemite Sam – only this time in the form of (surprise) an Aztec. Unlike previous eras, this one doesn’t appear to be based on any particular cartoon, besides the vast array of Sam/Bugs cartoons, which is a disappointment. ‘Baboon Realm’ does, however, feature an obscure allusion to the Gas-House Gorillas from Baseball Bugs (1946), as well as Gruesome Gorilla from Gorilla My Dreams (1948) and Hurdy-Gurdy Hare (1950) as the main boss for that level. ‘The Sacred Ride’ also sees Bugs and Taz ride a green dragon similar to the one seen in Knighty Knight Bugs (1958).

The Viking Era:

The setting and character of ‘Elmer Fuddensen’, the main antagonist, is based primarily on Chuck Jones’ What’s Opera, Doc? (1957). They have, however, taken some liberties with the source material: rather than his bearing a magic helmet, he instead has a magic hammer. The level ‘Moon Valley’ also features Gas-House Gorilla from Baseball Bugs as its boss. Hubie or Bertie also makes a cameo in ‘Saving the Druid’. The elephant in this level was also seen in Prince Violent (1961), and the Shore Village central area looks somewhat like the village in this cartoon.




What's Opera, Doc? (1957)

The Arabian Era:

The main antagonist is Babba Chop, who is clearly an incarnation of Hassan Chop from Ali Baba Bunny (1957), though why they changed his name and gave him a beard is unknown. The genies that need to be rescued also look identical to the one seen in that cartoon, while another character seen in the ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ is Caliph Hassan Pheffer from A-Lad-In His Lamp (1948). Backgrounds from this short also appear to have inspired the look of the era. The lions in the ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ and ‘Babba’s Cave’ bear a resemblance to the lions seen in Roman Legion-Hare (1955).

The Transylvanian Era:

Count Bloodcount serves as the main antagonist here – a reference to Transylvania 6-5000 (1963). The final boss and the bats seen around the central area are also inspired by this cartoon, while ‘Dr Jekyll’s Zoo’ is likely an homage to the often reused Jekyll/Hyde gag used in the likes of Hyde and Hare (1955) and Hyde and Go Tweet (1960), though there is no direct reference. Daffy also drinks a ‘hyde’ potion, similar to the aforementioned cartoons. In this era, Taz also learns how to float using bubblegum, an ability adapted from the gag seen in Devil May Hare after Bugs tricks him into eating a chicken made of liquid bubblegum and baking soda. The monsters in the central area are also based on one of the ‘Monstars’ from Space Jam (1996).

                                                         Transylvania 6-5000 (1963)

Overall, the game is decent. The gameplay showcases an improvement on the preceding game, but its co-op mode does little to enhance the player’s experience. Furthermore, the absence of a usable time machine in the game is a major drawback; it no longer feels as though the characters are lost in time, but merely journeying from place to place. The original game seemed to boast more variety, and by comparison this offering becomes stagnant fairly rapidly. The mini-games, too, become repetitive and often render the time travel aspect of the game completely pointless. Regardless, it’s not a wholly negative experience by any means – but there’s a clear lack of detail compared to its predecessor.