It's now time to roll all three blog entries into one. Enjoy.
First | Previous | End
If you're out of the loop about who's who or if you've never seen the cartoon (I've rarely seen it myself), check out this Wikipedia article.
I remember seeing this game for the first time when I was just 5 years old back in 1991. I was spending a little bit of the summer in West Virginia and my sister happened to bring along the NES. One of our cousins brought two games whenever he showed up. One of them was Super Mario Bros. 3, which was really awesome back then and still is now. The other one...was this.
Anyway, when you press Start, you'll instantly go to the map. There are three worlds you can choose from:
There's Hip Hop, which stretches from Europe to Africa.
There's Splish Splash, which stretches from Australia to Asia (and has a route that goes underwater halfway).
There's Go Go America, which covers both of the American continents.
Since we're going in order of A, B and C, we're doing A first.
Hip Hop : A-1
Well, Dick Dastardly's crashed his vehicle while chasing after a pigeon...and Muttley has to help him. How wonderful. (This is a reference to the spin-off show, Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines, so I don't know why they're doing this here.)
Yes. You heard right. You're playing as Muttley. You get to help Dick Dastardly and the #00 Mean Machine cheat by - wait - taking out all the other racers by force? Gee, this is nothing like the show.
The gems are your way of earning extra lives. Collecting 100 (obviously) gives you an extra life.
You start out with a bite attack that only works at close range, but that'll change pretty quickly thanks to the numerous amounts of bones scattered throughout the game.
The bones let you collect power-ups, which are at the bottom of the screen. The first one is the bomb, which lets you throw bombs at enemies. The second is the bark, which is faster than the bomb and travels in a straight line to attack enemies. The third is a jump extension. If you collect it, press A to jump, then press A repeatedly to glide. The fourth is a heart, which you can use to not only extend your life meter up to six hearts, but also refill your life if you need to. To use the power-up you want, collect bones until the orange triangle is above the one you want, then press Select. You can only carry the bomb or the bark attack at any given time, never both. You can also only select the glide power-up for use once.
Also, you have to jump off the roof of the third house in the level in order to continue. The only reason I'm mentioning this is because it's one of my first video game memories ever. Since I was only five and had no idea of what I was supposed to do whatsoever, I was basically unintentionally predicting Rage Guy when I ran out of time from moving into the wall and trying to jump up to the top of it all the way from down there. Derp. Then I played it again a bunch of years later for the first time since then after I got out of high school and nailed that jump. Take that, Father Time!
The boxes with Muttley's face on them are one-ups. They'll be found throughout the levels, so go for one when you see it!
The enemies are pretty straightforwards. There are snails, bees, flowers that jump around, flowers that spit at you, and giant rabbits. Of course, that's just the first section.
The second section has chess knights that only come after you when you turn your back as well as black knights with swords and shields that do nothing but walk around. The music here is pretty interesting when you're in an indoor setting. I remember it as being the first interesting video game BGM I ever took interest too. When you see the slight hole in the ceiling at the end of this section, jump into it and you'll enter the third section.
The third section has mummies jumping around. Hey, wait, we're not in Africa yet. If you jump over the hole in the floor that takes you to the fourth section, you'll find an extra life, which probably would have blown my mind as a little kid.
The fourth section has another extra life at the end of that spike pit. If you have the glide power-up activated, it's a lot easier to get. Also, the spikes don't instantly kill you, but getting out from the middle of them can be a pain in the pants.
Boss - #2 Creepy Coupe - The Gruesome Twosome
Every boss in this game will have two forms. Also, in case you die, you'll be able to grab a bone in the room which will let you use the bombs, so you won't be totally defenseless.
For the first form of the Gruesome Twosome, avoid the balls they throw when they leap up into the air, and hit them with a bomb or bark attack as they come back down. When you come towards them, they'll jump to the other side of the room.
After enough hits, they'll disappear and then come back for Round 2. Hit them with attacks as they come after you, and run to the other side of the screen when they jump towards the wall. Avoid the ball they throw, then hit them again and run to the other side of the room as soon as they jump and repeat until the Gruesome Twosome are gone.
Hip-Hop : A-2
Now we're in Africa.
Whenever you get in the sand pits, keep tapping A repeatedly and you'll be able to jump out of the sand pits as high as you can and get back onto safe land.
The sand worms use the terrain they're in to make it harder for you to hit them with your bombs. It's still possible, though. The armadillos roll around, but they don't do anything else. The blue scorpions move around and then stop to jump in place.
The large cactus actually cause damage if you land on them, by the way.
If you somehow managed to get the glide power-up in the first section, you can get the 1-up that appears after the pyramid.
The second section starts with a bottomless pit and some oil pipes. In the oil pipe area, there are some flames. Some simply move left and right, but some of them jump towards you in an attempt to set you on fire. Thankfully, they all have a limited range, so don't worry about the ones that jump around chasing you around the level.
The third section has a red scorpion and two Sphinx heads that spit at you in an attempt to stop you from entering a sacred pyramid. That's it, really.
The fourth section takes place indoors and has that awesome music again. You'll come across a 100 ton weight that tries to drop on you near the beginning, but if you keep going it won't hit you. Some of the statues here will crush you with their heads, while one of them has a head that you can stand on and use as a platform. Other than that, there's nothing more than red scorpions and Sphinx heads.
Just past the door leading to the fifth section is another one up. Avoid those weights and you should come out of it unscathed.
The fifth section leads you out of the pyramid and into the boss. It's pretty short.
Boss - #6 Army Surplus Special - Sergeant Blast and Private Meekly
For once the quicksand is useful: you can stay below these guys and hit them from below with the bombs while they're moving around the screen shooting their cannon.
For their second form, they'll shoot bullets that move in strange patterns. Sometimes they'll fire straight, sometimes they'll move in a square pattern before going forward, sometimes they'll bounce around like rabbits. It's square, bounce, straight for those wondering what the bullets' modus operandi are. Once again, you can take them down from below with bombs.
Hip Hop : A-3
South Africa has ostriches? Didn't know that.
In the first section, you'll meet ostriches that run around and jump, gorillas that stand in place and throw rocks at you. The little cobras just jump around, while the porcupines (hedgehogs?) walk around hoping you'll land on their spines from above. They can't be killed with the bomb, so if you don't have the bark attack, avoid them.
The second section moves from a grassland to a more European-looking forest. The gorillas here move back and forth without throwing rocks this time, and it looks like they're moving on little conveyor belts situated under their feet where you can't see them. New enemies include owls that fly around (once again, Atlus thinks there are European forests in South Africa); baboons that can jump great distances, throwing your movement for a slight loop; and white spiked things that move up and down blocking your progress. Thankfully, you can jump on the branches sticking out of the trees. That's a good thing, since you'll have to use those as platforms across those treacherous bottomless pits.
The third section takes us back into a pyramid. Apparently Atlus knows nothing about South Africa. This one is pretty short.
Boss - #10 Buzzwagon - Rufus Ruffcut and Sawtooth
The spaces near the center of the room can be used to duck under Rufus Ruffcut, keeping you from getting run over. If you have the Bomb, this comes in handy as you can get him to run straight into your weaponry. Whenever Rufus levitates slowly into the air, be ready to dodge a ball. He'll only levitate upwards at the spaces near the center, and the ball only drops straight down.
For his second form, he'll stay on one side and send a ball rolling across the floor before he starts jumping up and down throwing balls at you faster than before. Use this time to throw bombs and bark attacks at the floor. He'll eventually go to the other side of the screen and do the same thing, but if you're careful and aggressive enough, he won't be able to do even that.
You've saved Dick Dastardly, but you still have to catch that pigeon. With that, World A ends.
Splish Splash : B-1
The #00 Mean Machine's engine has broken down. Dick Dastardly sends Muttley out to find a new engine. Will he be able to find one in time?
The first section is on a series of islands. Frogs, moles, mosquitoes...the wildlife is crawling around the island and wants you dead. The frogs and mosquitoes are easy, but the moles can only be taken down when they stick their heads out of the ground. Those pink things are kangaroos, by the way. Yeah, it's pretty hard to tell when you pause the video. Those things just move back and forth. (Sheesh, the enemies in this game are easy.) Also, you can stand on top of the palm trees.
The second section takes place on a series of bridges. (Strangely, there are no cars nearby.) Giant orcas will try to headbutt you as you jump your way over gaps, but if you know where they are you can move back in mid-jump and then jump over the gap to make quick work of them. There are also birds that fly around and octopi that spit rocks at you (Octoroks in an Atlus game? What?) throughout this section as well.
Boss - #9 Turbo Terrific - Peter Perfect
Attack Peter Perfect from above with the bombs. When he jumps to the upper platform, jump over him. Keep doing this until the second form.
The second form is the same, except he's a little faster. Wait for him to stop for a brief moment before pummeling him with bombs. So much for perfection. If you have the bark attack, wait at the upper level, hit him when he stops to go up to your level, then jump over him.
Splish Splash : B-2
The first section is just a simple swimming section. Just use the Control Pad to move around. If you don't press any buttons, Muttley will slowly float upwards by himself. There are numerous fish and crabs in the level, but if you use the bark attack here, they're all fair game. Watch out for all the spikes scattered throughout the section.
The second section takes place in a submarine. It's a little bit of a maze, but not too hard.
Boss - #3 Convert-a-Car - Professor Pat Pending
He'll bounce around for a while and then take to the air in an attempt to crush you. Thankfully, the crushing part gives you a perfect opportunity to attack him from afar.
For the second form, he'll leap to the center and fly in mid-air to shoot two red balls at you. He'll leap to the other side, leap back to the center and repeat. The best time to hit him is when he comes down. Sorry, Professor, but you're not helping the other racers this time.
Splish Splash : B-3
What is this? Some sort of big rock candy mountain?
Atlus must have really loved Asia, since this is full of gumdrops, lollipops and other assorted candies. All the enemies in the first section are bugs - cockroaches, dragonflies, worms, and pillbugs. The patterns for each one are nothing different from what you've seen throughout the game so far, so it's getting pretty easy pretty quickly.
The second part has checkerboard triangles and a bunch of flowers. The hornets here fly around slowly and divebomb you when you get close enough.
Boss - #5 Compact Pussycat - Penelope Pitstop
She's so awesome, she gets her own theme song when you fight her!
She jumps around and shoots balls at you. Strangely, she only has one form, even though she has two phases like every other boss.
When you finish off Splish Splash, Muttley comes back...with a boat mast. Not surprisingly, Dick Dastardly and Muttley are still stuck in last place.
Go Go America : C-1
Dick Dastardly has been kidnapped by desperadoes and Muttley has to go rescue him. Wonderful.
The first section seemingly takes place in Alaska. There are Eskimos, walruses and green polar bears everywhere. There are a few places where you'll have to do some platform jumping over water, so be careful.
The second section takes place on clouds. You bounce on the clouds automatically, so all you can do is move Muttley left and right and use the float power-up if you have it. The cannons here are indestructible; you'll have to wait for them to shoot before you can get past them. The snails, birds and bouncing clouds that spit at you here are easy if you can time your attacks right, it's just a matter of bouncing off the small platforms above the bottomless pits at the second half of the level.
Boss - #4 Crimson Haybaler - Red Max
Red Max will fly up and down, shooting bullets at you, before he comes straight at you on his way to the other side of the screen. He always lines up at the center of the room before flying to the other side, so keep that in mind. The platform in the center of the room helps out at times, too.
For his second form, he'll keep flying around and dive-bombing you. Keep on the move and attack him from afar and you should be fine.
Go Go America : C-2
Must be New York.
You can stand on the street lamps, believe it or not.
Not only are there pigs moving around on two legs that want to mess your face up alongside plants that jump straight up and down, there are also Robo-Muttleys! They look almost like him, but they look more like robots, and all they do is leap around. That's just the first section!
The second section is the city at night. The pink cats here move around like the chess knights in A-1. There are also bunnies on Pogo sticks and more of those plants. You'll be making a few leaps of faith here, but if you have the float power-up, it's much easier.
Boss - #7 Bulletproof Bomb - The Anthill Mob
This room has a bit of a Spark Man-like setup.
They'll move to the center and throw a ball, to the left and throw a ball, to the center to throw a ball, to the right and throw a ball, and keep on doing this over and over until you hit them enough times.
For the second form, they'll drive all the way to the other side of the screen before jumping to the center of the room and throwing a ball at you when they hit the ground. They'll then proceed to do the same thing with the other side of the room and repeat until they're dead. Getting them on their way down at the center works best.
Go Go America : C-3
The first section takes place in the canyon and has a lot of raccoons and tapirs running around. There are a few banditos trying to take a shot at you, but that's about it.
The second section takes place in a mine. If the slugs and bats don't get you, the indestructible rocks just might. Also, the mice here move similarly to the pink cats you saw in the last level. Good lord, there's really isn't much in the enemy variety department here.
Boss - #8 Arkansas Chuggabug - Luke and Blubber Bear
The Chuggabug just tries to follow you around for the first fight, so stay on the move and throw bombs at it whenever you can.
For their second form, they move around the room, then leap onto the nearest platform, leap to the center and toss a ball at you. It's not really any harder.
Go Go America : C-4
The first section takes place on a mountain and has a bunch of stone idols leaping to and fro. There are also eagles flying around and metal traps chattering their teeth as they pace the floor. The rocks from the last level also make an appearance.
The second section involves a lot of platform jumping. The stink shots that the skunks throw around are pretty dangerous, and the only thing weirder than that is the fact that it took me a couple of minutes to realize they were skunks. Also, the steel traps can hug walls and the bridges here have pink lizards that run around like crazy. One of the bridges has an extra life under it, but watch out for the fish that leap up between the platforms if you take that route.
Boss - #1 Bouldermobile - The Slag Brothers, Rock and Gravel
They'll move back and forth throwing balls before jumping from one side of the screen to the other a few times for their first form.
For their second form, they'll move around as randomly as ever while throwing both clubs and balls. The clubs bounce off the ground, so you'll definitely be staying on the move here.
Once you beat all ten Wacky Racers opponents, guess what? You get a bunch of credits. No final boss. No boss rush. Just credits and Dick Dastardly crashing into a light post.
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