ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron Longplay (Mega Drive/Genesis) [60 FPS]

Developed by Johnson Voorsanger Productions and published by Sega in 1993 Follow me on Twitter: Add me on Google : For today’s video, we’ll be checking out the sequel to ToeJam and Earl, one of the quirkiest and most original games for the Mega Drive. This sequel is a departure from the original’s Rogue-like, dungeon-crawling affair, instead opting for a more traditional platforming/adventure format. Following the duo’s escape from Earth at the end of the first game, they arrive back on their home planet of Funkotron, only to discover that a bunch of pesky humans stowed away on their ship. The interlopers are now causing all kinds of havoc for the local residents, so TJ and Earl must round them up and ship them back home. To make matters worse, the Earthlings have scared the elusive Funkopotamus, source of all the planet’s funk, into hiding. The only way to ensure the planet stays funky is to round up a bunch of his favourite things in an attempt to coax him out of the Funk Dimension. In order to capture the Earthlings ToeJam and Earl are equipped with an unlimited supply of special power jars. Hitting an Earthling with a successive stream of jars will trap them inside, allowing them to be picked up. It’s possible to find more powerful Super Jars, which will trap any human in a single hit; these are extremely limited and should be used sparingly. Each level is full of trees, bushes and other nooks and crannies that can be searched for power-ups, as well as uncovering some of the more devious Earthlings. Be aware that many of these places hide bowling balls, trash cans and other heavy objects that will temporarily stun our heroes, so be sure to get out of the way in time. Pressing the Start button brings up the powers menu, allowing TJ and Earl to perform a variety of special moves. The Funk Scan can be used to locate hidden objects and secrets, whilst the Panic mode and FuncVac are great for rounding up large numbers of Earthlings in a short amount of time. Whilst on their adventures, TJ and Earl will encounter many of the friends, all whom will try to assist our heroes in their quest, as well as requiring assistance from time to time. I particularly enjoyed the way that you continue to encounter these characters throughout the whole game as it actually makes the world feel more alive and engaging. Whilst most platform games tend to have a few secret areas per level, you can’t go more than a couple of metres without stumbling into a hidden item or secret area in this game. The Funk Scan is really useful for locating many of these, but there are plenty of fake walls and hidden spots that are less easy to spot. Perhaps the the most devious (and rewarding) of these secret areas are the Hyperfunk Zones. Each zone is an on-rails section where the player must collect presents and bonus items in a race against the zones are littered with barriers that slow you down, as well as portals that will eject you from the level completely. It will take plenty of patience, dedication and quick reflexes to beat the zones. persevere, and you’ll be awarded unlimited Super Jars for your efforts. One of the best things about the game, in my opinion is the presentation. From the background/level art, to the brilliant character sprites, the game’s visuals still hold up well today. As for the audio, the sound effects are also top-notch, especially the digitised speech samples used for most of the Earthlings. Music is pretty decent too, focusing on funky beats and rhythms featuring some cool drum samples. I remember loving this game back in the day, and I was pleased to find it just as much fun to play today. With 17 huge levels to explore, excellent graphics and 2-player cooperative game modes, ToeJam and Earl 2 is a great platforming experience and comes highly recommended! #retrogaming
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