Ren & Stimpy: Stimpy's Invention
Sega Genesis
After slogging through Kid Icarus and Golden Axe Warrior for my last two reviews, I decided to play something quick and easy this time around.
I came into this game thinking I had never played it before. I popped it in and played through the first few levels of the game. I didn't outright recognize anything I was seeing, but this nagging sense of deja vu started to come over me. I had no memories of ever playing this game, but everything looked so damn familiar to me, for some reason or another.
It didn't click until I hit the rooftop level, that yes I HAD played this game before. Not only had I played this game, I had beaten the whole thing! Seeing as how this is one of my cousin Ryan's games, I have no doubt that he brought it over to my house at some point as a kid, and we played and beat it together. It is funny how I had completely forgotten about it like that.
The storyline for this game is freakin' weird, but I guess that is to be expected from a Ren & Stimpy game. It's premise is that Stimpy has created this machine which turns garbage into food. In order to impress a clearly skeptical Ren, Stimpy powers on the machine for a test run. Surprise, surprise: the experiment goes awry and the machine explodes. The five main components of the machine have been blown across the city, and it becomes your job to track them down and bring them back.
Gameplay:
This is a fairly typical 2D Genesis side-scroller. Controlling Ren or Stimpy, you start out on the left side of the screen and have to make your way to the end of the stage, typically located all the way over to the right. Use the D-pad to control your character. There is also a jump button and an attack button. The attack button launches projectiles across the screen, unless you are very close to an enemy - then your character performs a short range physical attack. The jump button, well, jumps.
What makes this game different is that no matter which character you pick, you are always going to be accompanied by the other. You pick Ren, and Stimpy follows you around. Pick Stimpy, and Ren becomes your follower. If you are unhappy with the character you selected, you can pause the game and switch over to the other character. You'll quickly discover that these characters have tandem moves that help you out. You have to kind of play around with different button combinations to find things out, since the game doesn't come right out and tell you what they are. Well, maybe those combos are in the instruction manual, but I wouldn't know because I don't have one. Anyway, these combos become essential to learn as you play. One combo gives Ren a helicopter-like boost that can help you reach high platforms. Another combo has Ren jump on Stimpy's back, and them Stimpy takes a huge leap forward. This move helps you cross over any big holes or gaps you may encounter.
Most levels are simple 2D side-scrolling levels, but the game does throw you a few curveballs to keep you on your toes. For example, there is a stage where your character pumps himself up with helium. You then have to float through a series of dangerous obstacles without taking too much damage and popping. Float on through to the end of the stage, and you collect one of the missing pieces from Stimpy's invention. Another oddball level has you riding a bicycle. You must control the speed of the bike by pedaling, while also using the jump button to avoid cars and other obstacles. This level proved to be a pretty big challenge for me, especially when you start going down the hill. I found the pot holes to be VERY tough to avoid. They appeared too quickly for me to be able to react and hit the jump button. So what I did was pause and unpause the game every second or so, and that made it easy enough to spot the potholes coming and time my jumps accordingly. I wonder how many other people discovered and utilized this "hack" to get through such a challenging section.
In a way, I guess it is good they put the bike level in the game, because it needed the challenge. Outside of this level, pretty much everything in Stimpy's Invention is easy-peasy. I beat the game in about an hour's worth of time. It would have been a lot less if I didn't burn through my continues TWICE and have to completely start over from the beginning again two separate times. I am glad that I didn't go out and buy this game as a kid, or ask for it as a present of some kind. I would have felt VERY let down by its short length. The game is fun, sure, but it is short.
Graphics:
Considering this game came out in 1993, I think it still looks pretty good! This must be one of the better looking Genesis titles out there. Its art and animation style pay perfect homage to the source material. No, this game doesn't look quite as colorful or clear as the actual Ren & Stimpy show itself, but it does a great job trying to mimic it. I'm not worried about it, though. Given the technology of the time, it does an admirable job.
Sound:
This game's music and audio effects could have been a lot better. I would be shocked if there were fans of this game's music out there. It is not that it is necessarily BAD, it is just that everything just seems so generic and run of the mill. I am not the biggest Ren & Stimpy fan out there, so I don't know if any of these songs are remixes of songs heard on the show. If they are, then... meh. I do like the little "It's Log, It's Log" jingle that plays when you turn the game on. That I do recognize and appreciate.
Same goes with the sound effects. Very run of the mill assortment of sounds here. Seeing as how this is based on such a popular show that has a lot of audio gags, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed in this category. Even the "happy" sound effect when you collect special items seem sad. I kept waiting for the second "happy" followed by "joy joy", but it never happened. A wasted opportunity!
Overall:
It says a lot about the quality of the game that it can take someone who isn't a fan of the Ren & Stimpy Show, like myself, and push those apathetic feelings to the side. The more I played this game, the more it won me over. You totally do NOT need to be a fan of the show to enjoy this.
As much as I liked this game, it is going to be tough for me to grade it. It is super fun, but at the same time, it's so short! Aside from a few frustrating moments, I had a good time while I played. The game looks great, it's funny, the controls are responsive, the levels are clever, and I also enjoy the whole tag-team gameplay element between Ren and Stimpy. And now I also have some fun, newly rediscovered nostalgic feelings for the game as well!
But the length.... I can't help but think that I would have felt totally ripped off by this game as a kid. Not only is it ridiculously short, there isn't much reply value to the game either. Sure, you could go back and try to find some hidden items you may have missed the first time, but that won't really give you a new or different gameplay experience the second time through. What you see is for the most part what you get.
I like the game, and I can see myself at some point in the future coming back to play it again. I mean, it is a lot of fun. Is it good enough to join the rank of classics like Super Mario Bros. or Contra, two other short and easy games you can beat in under an hour? Absolutely not. This game is enjoyable, but let's be real: I forgot about it for a reason. It's one of those games you play and like and enjoy, but forget about almost immediately. Unless you grew up with this game or just REALLY like Ren & Stimpy, you will probably share my opinion.
Overall:
B
(Can you believe it? This is the fourth B grade I've given in a row!!)
UP NEXT:
A PC game...
A PC game...
Wolfenstein 3D, to be exact
WILL IT GET A B???? STAY TUNED!
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