decade earlier, this never would’ve happened. I’m not talking about the game—there were

tons of games like this in the eighties. I’m talking about Tiny Toons. See, animation had

been in decline for a long time...but if its Golden Age ended in the 1960s, the 1980s ushered

in its dark age. The cartoon had become a marketing tool, and the creative process was

in the hands not of cartoonists, but of businessmen.

Of course, out of nowhere, that all changed in the 1990s. Channels like Nickelodeon were

crazy enough to try this wacky concept called “letting cartoonists make cartoons.” This

led to some of the best animated programming in decades...actual cartoons from actual artists

who revered old-school animation. Case in point, Tiny Toons.

The show was so successful, it led to a bunch of toys and games, which was a huge shift

from the 1980s. This was toys based on cartoons...not the other way around.

And this particular Tiny Toons game is actually quite interesting. Buster’s Hidden Treasure

was the first Tiny Toons game released for a SEGA console, and while the previous ones

kind of followed a similar formula...this one broke away a bit. In fact, Konami employed

some smart design here by creating a Tiny Toons game that specifically caters to the

SEGA fan base.

So unlike the two NES releases, Buster’s Hidden Treasure is essentially Buster The

Hedgehog. That is to say...this is extremely Sonic. Buster builds momentum, he runs fast,

he uses ramps to go flying through the air...he’s even blue, for god’s sake.

Actually, that one’s more of a coincidence.

I love the concept of a different Tiny Toons for an audience that has different tastes

in platforming. But there are a few problems that keep this game from being as good as

its predecessors...specifically, its mechanics and the fact that, sometimes, Buster’s Hidden

Treasure seems to forget that it’s supposed to go fast.

See, if you’re going to go Sonic, a big part of that is having levels that allow it.

The levels in a game like this should be different from a Mario game, for example, which is a

slower and more deliberate game. But these levels try to mix the two approaches, which

doesn’t work very well. A fast character, Sonic or Buster, is just ill-equipped for

precise platforming, which Tiny Toons at times requires.

Plus, Buster is way too heavy. Must’ve eaten, like, a million carrots.

Fortunately, though, there is a lot to like about the game, as well. The fact that it’s

just different is a good thing, but it also looks pretty good. And the game is huge, with

more than 30 levels across plenty of different worlds. But again...the level design hurts

the Sonic feel, and the mechanics make platforming harder than it should be.

If you’re a Genesis fan who wants in on some Tiny Toons nostalgia, Buster’s Hidden

Treasure isn’t quite an anvil to the head...but it’s not exactly a trip through Wackyland,

either. Huge thanks to our friend Andrew from Philadelphia for sending this in...and giving

me the chance to talk about cartoons.

It’s Buster’s Hidden Treasure for the SEGA Genesis.