PrinceWatercress plays Taz-Mania (SMS) - Longplay

...and now, the whole game in one sitting, minus commentary! Enjoy!

First | Previous

One day, Taz's dad was telling him about a place called the Lost Valley, a valley where numerous rare animals still live. The rarest of these animals is the giant seabird. The seabird eggs are enormous, supposedly the largest in the world. A mere legend...wouldn't you agree...?

And there he goes - off and spinning! He's rushing to find the long-lost nest of the giant Tasmanian seabirds. Its legendary egg will make one Taz-sized omelet!

Stage 1: Plains

Section 1

Taz leaves home in search of the legendary valley of the giant seabird eggs, even though he hasn't got a clue as to where it is. Will Taz be able to find it?

At the start of the game, your lives will be in the lower-left corner, while the upper-left corner will show your current health (L) and the current power of your spin attack (P). When the L bar goes all the way down, you'll lose a life. Left and Right lets you move left and right, Down lets you duck, Button 1 lets you jump, and Button 2 lets you perform the spin attack. The spin attack lets you take down enemies. You can also use them to get rid of the bombs that are in your way, but don't forget that you can accidentally get rid of the good power-ups that way, too! The P meter will quickly drain when you attack, but it will quickly refill. When it's full again, you can attack again. 

Turkeys give you more health, and 1-Up icons with Taz's face will give you extra lives. Red stars give you temporary invincibility. There's a few 1-Ups here, and if you look high and low, you'll be able to easily find them.

The springs are much like the games in the Sonic games and let you reach higher areas.

Enemies include bushrats with spears that move back and forth and plants that can spit projectiles. While you can attack the plants, you cannot attack the projectiles.

The pedestal with the egg and the arrow on it is the exit. Move past it to get to the next section. The time bonus gets bigger the less time it takes to clear a section, while the life bonus is dependent on how much life you have when you beat the section.

Section 2

If you press the Start button while the game is giving you bonus points at the end of a section, the game will do you a solid and pause when you enter the next one.

The slopes will slowly push you downwards, so watch where you're going.

In case you can't make a jump, spin attack forwards. You'll get that boost that will let you get to where you need to go.

You'll get an extra life at 20,000 points.

Section 3

After two sections, you'll face a boss. The first boss is a bull that charges at you. Jump over the bull when it charges at you, then jump over it when it returns. When it hits the wall, use the spin attack. After five hits, the bull goes down. 

Stage 2: Jungle

Taz enters the jungle. Could the giant egg be located somewhere here in the jungle? Giant egg, where are you?

Section 1

Enemies here include snakes and Venus flytraps, both of which move back and forth. You'll see the latter more often.

There are more platforms here than in the first world of the game, and there are also spikes. The spikes don't kill you instantly, but you still don't want to land on them.

The brown stuff is quicksand. Keep jumping to get through it.

Section 2

Now you have even smaller platforms in the form of the tree platforms. The trees do not have a lot of room to maneuver, so you'll want to watch where you're jumping from and landing to.

The plants that spit projectiles from the first world make a return here.

Section 3

The boss here is Francis X. Bushlad. Avoid the arrows that he shoots, then hit him as he hops to the other side. You can stand in the corner behind him and keep pressing the attack button, but you'll go down before he does, so go ahead and just do it in the way you're meant to do it.

Stage 3: Cavern

In the depths of the forest, Taz finds an enormous cavern. Inside the cavern, it is dark...eerily quiet. The egg can't possibly be here, can it?

Section 1

The lava is the biggest threat here. If you touch it, it's instant death. If you die, there are no checkpoints, and while the sections are short, not having checkpoints can make the harder parts of the game a bummer.

There is a 1-Up right above the start.

The bats have plenty of different flight patterns, but diving back and forth is their most common one.

Watch out for fireballs leaping in and out of the lava.

Section 2

This section is bigger than previous, and the inability to look up or down with the D-Pad really stinks here. 

In case you die, any 1-Ups you pick up will respawn.

The skeletons just move back and forth. That's all they do.

Be careful near the exit. Stay on the left platform and spin to take care of the bat, then jump your way to the right to get to the end.

Section 3

The boss here is Bull and Axl...or rather, Bull. He throws one boomerang upwards and one boomerang downwards as he jumps around. Watch the boomerangs and hit Bull with spin attacks. For best results, hit him with spin attacks when he is in the middle, as you can get two hits in that way. When he goes down, Axl shows up and carries Bull to safety.

Stage 4: Ruins

Taz escapes the cavern only to find himself in the ruins of a macabre looking building...

Don't be afraid! Remember, the giant seabird egg awaits you...!

Section 1

The mummies just move back and forth, as do the ghosts.

If you know where all the dead-ends are, you can find a few 1-Ups. This is true of not only section, but also the next. Also, you may have to do some wrap-around jumps just to get to where you need to go.

The cracked blocks can be broken with the spin attack.

Take small hops and then use the spin attack to get past the narrow pathways with the spikes on the floors and ceilings unharmed.

If a pit has black at the bottom, it's a bottomless pit. That means you're at the bottom of the level and you're also almost at the exit, too.

Section 2

The snakes from Stage 2 make a return here.

At the end of the stage, spin attack the center block to avoid the spikes, then spin attack the block on the right to get to the exit (the rest lead to death).

Section 3

The boss here is a pair of witches. Take a short hop to avoid the projectiles, then move towards the witch on the lower level and spin attack. You'll be alternating between the witches as you do this, but you'll be damaging them, and after one goes down, the other will go down not long after that. 

Stage 5: Valley

A giant seabird soars above Taz. At last! The Lost Valley!!

Section 1

Scorpions and rock monsters move back and forth in this mountainous area. You'll be going up and down as you make your way to the right, so watch where you jump, as the pools of water are instant death. I stay away from all of the slopes and stay only on flat ground because of it.

Some of the rock monsters don't move at all, and will just stand there and jump.

The music here is very monotonous.

Section 2

The spider-like enemies jump up and down more quickly than the rock monsters.

When you reach the blocks that you have to spin attack to break, don't attack the two that are side by side. That will send you into instant death water if you do.

Sometimes it's better to take a hit if you know you're going to hit the ground while jumping. Don't forget that your health refills upon entering a new area.

Section 3

It's time for the final boss: the giant seabird.

Keep jumping up and hitting it while it is in the area. If it comes down to dive at you, avoid it; don't hit it. If it flies around in a zig-zag pattern, you can actually hit the seabird while it does that and get some free hits in. When the seabird falls straight down, you've defeated it.

You'll get that seabird egg, but it will hatch and the baby will think that Taz is its mother, much like in all of the other Sega console versions (Genesis/Mega Drive and Game Gear). The credits then roll. You just beat Taz-Mania!

PrinceWatercress plays Taz-Mania (SMS) - Part 5 of 5

It's time for the final level of the game! Hope you're ready to do a lot of jumping!

First | Previous | End

Stage 5: Valley

A giant seabird soars above Taz. At last! The Lost Valley!!

Section 1

Scorpions and rock monsters move back and forth in this mountainous area. You'll be going up and down as you make your way to the right, so watch where you jump, as the pools of water are instant death. I stay away from all of the slopes and stay only on flat ground because of it.

Some of the rock monsters don't move at all, and will just stand there and jump.

The music here is very monotonous.

Section 2

The spider-like enemies jump up and down more quickly than the rock monsters.

When you reach the blocks that you have to spin attack to break, don't attack the two that are side by side. That will send you into instant death water if you do.

Sometimes it's better to take a hit if you know you're going to hit the ground while jumping. Don't forget that your health refills upon entering a new area.

Section 3

It's time for the final boss: the giant seabird.

Keep jumping up and hitting it while it is in the area. If it comes down to dive at you, avoid it; don't hit it. If it flies around in a zig-zag pattern, you can actually hit the seabird while it does that and get some free hits in. When the seabird falls straight down, you've defeated it.

You'll get that seabird egg, but it will hatch and the baby will think that Taz is its mother, much like in all of the other Sega console versions (Genesis/Mega Drive and Game Gear). The credits then roll. You just beat Taz-Mania!

PrinceWatercress plays Taz-Mania (SMS) - Part 4 of 5

This level is a bit more maze-like compared to the others, and 1-Ups await those who go off the beaten path.

First | Previous | Next | End

Stage 4: Ruins

Taz escapes the cavern only to find himself in the ruins of a macabre looking building...

Don't be afraid! Remember, the giant seabird egg awaits you...!

Section 1

The mummies just move back and forth, as do the ghosts.

If you know where all the dead-ends are, you can find a few 1-Ups. This is true of not only section, but also the next. Also, you may have to do some wrap-around jumps just to get to where you need to go.

The cracked blocks can be broken with the spin attack.

Take small hops and then use the spin attack to get past the narrow pathways with the spikes on the floors and ceilings unharmed.

If a pit has black at the bottom, it's a bottomless pit. That means you're at the bottom of the level and you're also almost at the exit, too.

Section 2

The snakes from Stage 2 make a return here.

4:19 - The worst hitbox in the game.

At the end of the stage, spin attack the center block to avoid the spikes, then spin attack the block on the right to get to the exit (the rest lead to death).

Section 3

The boss here is a pair of witches. Take a short hop to avoid the projectiles, then move towards the witch on the lower level and spin attack. You'll be alternating between the witches as you do this, but you'll be damaging them, and after one goes down, the other will go down not long after that. 

PrinceWatercress plays Taz-Mania (SMS) - Part 3 of 5

Things get a little more difficult here, and the inability to look up or down with the D-Pad leaves a little to be desired in terms of the gameplay.

First | Previous | Next | End

Stage 3: Cavern

In the depths of the forest, Taz finds an enormous cavern. Inside the cavern, it is dark...eerily quiet. The egg can't possibly be here, can it?

Section 1

The lava is the biggest threat here. If you touch it, it's instant death. If you die, there are no checkpoints, and while the sections are short, not having checkpoints can make the harder parts of the game a bummer.

There is a 1-Up right above the start.

The bats have plenty of different flight patterns, but diving back and forth is their most common one.

Watch out for fireballs leaping in and out of the lava.

Section 2

This section is bigger than previous, and the inability to look up or down with the D-Pad really stinks here. 

In case you die, any 1-Ups you pick up will respawn.

The skeletons just move back and forth. That's all they do.

Be careful near the exit. Stay on the left platform and spin to take care of the bat, then jump your way to the right to get to the end.

Section 3

The boss here is Bull and Axl...or rather, Bull. He throws one boomerang upwards and one boomerang downwards as he jumps around. Watch the boomerangs and hit Bull with spin attacks. For best results, hit him with spin attacks when he is in the middle, as you can get two hits in that way. When he goes down, Axl shows up and carries Bull to safety.

PrinceWatercress plays Taz-Mania (SMS) - Part 2 of 5

This level is a little tougher, but once you know how to jump from platform to platform at this point with the spin attack, it's not by much.

First | Next | End

Stage 2: Jungle

Taz enters the jungle. Could the giant egg be located somewhere here in the jungle? Giant egg, where are you?

Section 1

Enemies here include snakes and Venus flytraps, both of which move back and forth. You'll see the latter more often.

There are more platforms here than in the first world of the game, and there are also spikes. The spikes don't kill you instantly, but you still don't want to land on them.

The brown stuff is quicksand. Keep jumping to get through it.

Section 2

Now you have even smaller platforms in the form of the tree platforms. The trees do not have a lot of room to maneuver, so you'll want to watch where you're jumping from and landing to.

The plants that spit projectiles from the first world make a return here.

Section 3

The boss here is Francis X. Bushlad. Avoid the arrows that he shoots, then hit him as he hops to the other side. You can stand in the corner behind him and keep pressing the attack button, but you'll go down before he does, so go ahead and just do it in the way you're meant to do it.

PrinceWatercress plays Taz-Mania (SMS) - Part 1 of 5

Believe it or not, this is not the same game as the Game Gear version. This is its own Europe-exclusive version...and it's quite good.

Next | End

One day, Taz's dad was telling him about a place called the Lost Valley, a valley where numerous rare animals still live. The rarest of these animals is the giant seabird. The seabird eggs are enormous, supposedly the largest in the world. A mere legend...wouldn't you agree...?

And there he goes - off and spinning! He's rushing to find the long-lost nest of the giant Tasmanian seabirds. Its legendary egg will make one Taz-sized omelet!

Stage 1: Plains

Section 1

Taz leaves home in search of the legendary valley of the giant seabird eggs, even though he hasn't got a clue as to where it is. Will Taz be able to find it?

At the start of the game, your lives will be in the lower-left corner, while the upper-left corner will show your current health (L) and the current power of your spin attack (P). When the L bar goes all the way down, you'll lose a life. Left and Right lets you move left and right, Down lets you duck, Button 1 lets you jump, and Button 2 lets you perform the spin attack. The spin attack lets you take down enemies. You can also use them to get rid of the bombs that are in your way, but don't forget that you can accidentally get rid of the good power-ups that way, too! The P meter will quickly drain when you attack, but it will quickly refill. When it's full again, you can attack again. 

Turkeys give you more health, and 1-Up icons with Taz's face will give you extra lives. Red stars give you temporary invincibility. There's a few 1-Ups here, and if you look high and low, you'll be able to easily find them.

The springs are much like the games in the Sonic games and let you reach higher areas.

Enemies include bushrats with spears that move back and forth and plants that can spit projectiles. While you can attack the plants, you cannot attack the projectiles.

The pedestal with the egg and the arrow on it is the exit. Move past it to get to the next section. The time bonus gets bigger the less time it takes to clear a section, while the life bonus is dependent on how much life you have when you beat the section.

Section 2

If you press the Start button while the game is giving you bonus points at the end of a section, the game will do you a solid and pause when you enter the next one.

The slopes will slowly push you downwards, so watch where you're going.

In case you can't make a jump, spin attack forwards. You'll get that boost that will let you get to where you need to go.

You'll get an extra life at 20,000 points.

Section 3

After two sections, you'll face a boss. The first boss is a bull that charges at you. Jump over the bull when it charges at you, then jump over it when it returns. When it hits the wall, use the spin attack. After five hits, the bull goes down. 

Taz-Mania: The Longplay

Hope you've got an hour.

Svenshinhan plays Taz-Mania (SNES) - Act 5

What the crap, game.

Act V

Interstate Idiocy

This is a simple one-lane road. What the crap, game.

The huge gaps in the road are gone, but the potholes are back. Thankfully, the potholes are much easier to avoid than the huge gaps.

Looney Tunes Town

There are no Looney Tunes in this stage. What the crap, game.

Anyway, just about all the enemies and traps save for the huge gaps make an appearance here. Yep, both the water gaps and the water you can fall into make a triumphant return here.

The Taz trophy is an instant continue. Be on the lookout for these, since they show up once in a blue moon. Of course, being at this point in the game, that's probably some ill-timed advice now.

The Road Home

This road loops around like the rest of them. What the crap, game.

Anyway, this is just more of the same, minus the water. I'm surprised that the She-Devil didn't appear again (at least to my knowledge), since she appears in Wackyland onwards.

Also, this is the last level. After that, you just get the credits and no real ending whatsoever. What, not even an inkling of a story for those of us without the instruction booklet? Gee, thanks, game.

Svenshinhan plays Taz-Mania (SNES) - Act 4

Just when the game couldn't get any more annoying, there's an instant death trap that shows up in the last two-fifths of the game? Jesus Harvey Christ.

Act IV

Mountain Mayhem

There are now gaping holes in the road. Jump over them. You'll notice what they look like when there's no traffic light to the side and the "road" is completely black.

The green birds completely refill your health, assuming you can catch them. These guys are the rarest power-ups in the game, so you'd better be ready to get it.

If you hear a "Meep, meep" sound near an intersection, stay put. This is the (strangely slow) Road Runner, and if you can grab him you can completely restore your health. These guys are only slightly easier to get than the green birds.

Snowy Ridge

Good news about this level: the pterodactyl does not appear in this area at all. At last, a reason to not be paranoid and keep an eye on the skies.

The ice slicks make you slip and slide like crazy.

Wackyland

Oh, good lord. There's no Gogo Dodo here (despite the wacky spiral sun and the purple trees), the pterodactyl comes back, the road is narrow, and to top it all off, the She-Devil makes her debut in this stage.

The She-Devil is probably the worst obstacle in the game. Avoid her at all costs. If the She-Devil gets her hands on Taz, it's all over. Instant death. Waste of a good continue.

Don't know if this is the first stage where he does this, but Buddy Boar can come at you from behind. Always, always, always check for that rear-view mirror in the lower-right corner!

At this point in the game, catching all the kiwis takes longer and gets infinitely more annoying.

Bonus Level: Kiwi Grab

Here it is: the final bonus level of the game. Just nothing but a narrow desert road and some kiwis that put on the brakes more times than you can shake a stick at. Be ready for them to suddenly stop on you so you can get them in the nick of time and get maximum point gainage!

Taz-Mania Theme Song

Here you go.

Also, possible seizure warning at 0:32.

Svenshinhan plays Taz Mania (SNES) - Act 3

The difficulty ramps up in this game really quickly. Get ready!

Act 3

Desert Dessert

The puddles of mud work like the puddles of water.

The cacti are one of the few pieces of scenery that cannot be destroyed with the tornado attack. You were warned.

The bushrats make their proper, non-bonus level debut here.

Speaking of debuts, this is the first level where you'll meet the neurotic Wendal T. Wolf. This guy latches on to Taz for friendship and doesn't let go. As a result - his fingers cover up much of the screen. To shake him off and regain 20/20 vision, use your tornado attack (or get hit). You'll shake him off, but be prepared to meet him again...and soon.

You'll have to keep an eye on the sides, too. The red-haired kid with the bow and arrow is Francis X. Bushlad, an aboriginal boy hunter (with white skin, strangely) who tries to hunt down Taz in order to become a man. (It's a tribal thing.) When he shoots the arrow at you, be prepared to jump. You can't destroy him, so just avoid his attacks.

Bull and Axl attack in a rather interesting way. They move past you, and after a few seconds, they come towards you and try to catch you with their net. If that happens, it's a game over unless you break free with the tornado attack. If you hit them with the tornado attack, though, you can get rid of hem and get a bunch of points out of it.

New power-up here: the spring shoes. They make you a little faster but they also allow you to jump higher.

Crazy Canyons

The road is really, really narrow here, so you'd better be careful if you're trying to dodge stuff.

The oil slicks slide you into the side of the road, while the potholes make you waste a few seconds if you fall into them.

If Didgeri Dingo gives you a clock out of that box, grab it. You'll get an extra 30 seconds on your time.

Bull and Axl also start throwing bear traps out to damage you in this level.

Wendal Woods

This one gets pretty hard because of the terrain and all of the traps involved.

Using the tornado spin can keep the pterodactyl from grabbing you on hills.

Bonus Battle: Bird Bath

This one has nothing but the blue birds flying around in the air, so keep running forward and jump and grab. Getting the birds is pretty easy, which makes for good self-competition when it comes to seeing exactly how many of them you can get.

Svenshinhan plays Taz-Mania (SNES) - Act 2

The craziness continues as we see a host of new obstacles and added difficulty with the existing ones. But we haven't seen anything yet, though.

Act 2

Jungle Jump

Didgeri Dingo start mixing in traps along with the power-ups at this point. Also, the kiwis start getting a little craftier here.

Also, the gaps of water are a little wider here than in the last act.

Whenever you earn 100,000 points, you'll earn a continue. You only have one life, so having continues is really helpful.

Rainy Daze

Buddy Boar starts swerving around like a maniac, so you'll have to be on your guard and be ready to jump when you see him at this point.

The puddles slow you down a little bit.

The pterodactyl can grab you and take you backward into the stage, so don't jump into the air. Otherwise, it will get you. At least it doesn't follow you around the stage forever...just for a few seconds. Caution should also be taken on higher ground, as it might be high enough for you to get nabbed.

If you do get nabbed, mash the buttons to break free.

Jungle Night

That black square near the moon is a ROM glitch. Disregard it.

A new power-up shows up if you can get it from Didgeri Dingo: the roller skates. These things make you go faster if you can get your hands on them, but be careful not to run into anything or you'll lose them. These things can be pretty nifty if you know what you're doing.

Bonus Level: Bushrat Brunch

Instead of kiwis this time around, you'll be eating as many bushrats as possible. These are the little aborigine rats running around with the spears, and they are dreadfully annoying. They only cross the road to go from one bush to another, which means you'll be spending a lot of time off-road here. If you see a red bird, go for it. You'll need all the extra time you can possibly get.

Svenshinhan plays Taz-Mania (SNES) - Act 1

Get money. Get money. Eat kiwis. Get money.

Okay, we're not exactly getting money, but we are getting continues. Close enough, I guess.

Act 1

Main Course

Well, what else is there to do? Run forward and catch the yellow Kiwis with the Y button. As you progress through the game, you'll be dodging more obstacles. At the same time, you'll have to catch more kiwis in the time allotted, and the kiwis get faster to add insult to injury.

The blue birds that fly around give you points. You'll need all the points you can get to earn a few extra lives. You'll see red ones later on that add a few seconds to your timer.

Eating birds will refill a little bit of your health, while kiwis completely replenish it. This is nice, especially in the later levels.

The first obstacle that you'll see is the bus. You obviously shouldn't let it run over you at the cost of some health (and a few seconds).

If you see Didgeri Dingo on his motorbike, grab at his box to get the contents inside. Sometimes you'll get some power-ups to refill your health, but beware...sometimes there can and will be traps in the box. So be careful.

When an enemy or obstacle is behind you, you'll see it in the "rear-view mirror" in the lower-right corner of the screen. Trust me, this mirror will definitely come in handy later in the game. Of course, once you get so far away from an enemy, the rear-view mirror will disappear.

The yellow meter in the lower-left corner is your health. You can do the tornado attack that Taz is so well-known for, but use it wisely as it slowly drains your health the more you use it. At least the tornado attack gets you up to speed in a quick second, and it also lets you tear through the scenery. If your health meter is flashing, you won't be able to use the tornado attack. Refill your health to regain use of it.

It should be pretty obvious, but please make sure not to run into the scenery. It kinda hurts. Also, you go much slower off-road.

When you eat all the Kiwis the level wants you to eat, the level is cleared. You'll then get a points bonus based on how much time you have left and how many things you've collected.

The Outback

You'll see the intersections with the traffic light and the water here. Jump over the water so you don't get slowed down. The intersections are no threat now, but in the next level and afterward, trucks run from one side of the screen to the other when the "Stop" sign appears. If they run into you, you're taking damage.

You'll actually start seeing the road go up and down like hills. Sometimes, you'll barely be able to see the road on top of the hills, so pay attention to where you're going.

Buddy Boar will be so busy talking on his monster-sized cell phone that he won't be paying attention to the road, and if you're not careful he'll run smack-dab into you! Avoid him like you would the bus.

If there is water on the sides of the road, don't fall in unless you want to lose at least two seconds and a bit of health.

Kiwi Cross

As mentioned in the last level, watch out at the intersections. When the stop sign is up, a truck will go from one side to the other.

The red birds start showing up here. They leave a little sparkly pattern when they fly, and eating one will add 10 seconds to your timer.

Bonus Level: Kiwi Grab

Every three levels, you'll get a bonus level. During the bonus level, grab as many birds and items as you can in one minute!

The kiwis are really crafty in the bonus stages. They can actually stop and head in the other direction, on you, and they'll start doing that in the main levels, too.

You [b]can[/b] find the red birds in the bonus stages, but that's only going to happen once in a blue moon.


Also, if you grab a kiwi right when it's about to turn around, you'll get a "2X" to pop up above where the Kiwi was. This indicates that you got double points for that Kiwi.