This review was originally published on Gaming Horizon, GameBump's predecessor. Its format does not match our own but we support its content. It was written by Matthew Call.

The Animaniacs have been off the air for several years now, but that didn’t stop Ignition and Warner Brothers from teaming up to bring Yakko, Wakko, and Dot to a new generation. Animaniacs: The Great Edgar Hunt begins with the evil Cyril Coupe Deville stealing the coveted Edgar Awards (the Animaniacs equivalent of the Oscars) and holding them for ransom. Fortunately, he bungles the theft and crashes his blimp into the Warner Bros. tower, unleashing the Animaniac siblings. The game begins with Yakko, who must find his now-lost siblings and the coveted Edgar awards.

Ignition got full rights to use the Animaniacs universe so the game is full of little nods to the cartoon series. Many characters make appearances; besides Yakko, Wakko, and Dot the player also encounters Dr. Scratchandsniff, various incarnations of the nurse, as well as the infamous Pinky and Brain. The game takes place inside the Warner Bros. lot, and the levels are actually sets of various movies that are in production. There’s a classic Wild West film set, a fairy tale land set and others throughout the game that are full of Edgar Awards and other goodies for the player to discover.

The characters in the game are all modeled extremely well and feature an acceptable level of detail. The character animations are smooth, and look like they could have been taken from an episode of the cartoon. The various levels are colorful and contain several different types of enemies, each of which is appropriate for the type of film set that forms the level. The entire game is 3D and uses an engine heavy on cell-shading, which enhances the cartoon atmosphere of the game.

The game also has a few nice touches that make playing it more enjoyable. The same actors that voiced the cartoon character in the 1990s voice the characters in the game, which brings back a lot of nostalgia for all the old-timers out there who remember the show. The gameplay is very simple, which is a plus in a game designed for youngsters. The main joystick controls the movement of the player, while other buttons enable the player to jump, attack with a mallet or frying pan, or activate items like doors which are scattered throughout the levels. Another handy addition is the ability to warp among different areas of the levels, drastically reducing travel time.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot to be said here. For starters, the game drastically needs some kind of a help system to provide direction to the player. Often I was unsure of what to do next after accomplishing an objective and ended up wandering around for up to an hour before figuring out how to move on to the next goal. That’s frustrating, to say the least.

While I mentioned that the character’s animations are well rendered, the remainder of the game’s graphics are sub par. Although the game is in 3D, many of the textures used in seem flat and two-dimensional. The game world, while colorful, is not very detailed and feels very homogenous.

The sound department is also a little on the weak side. I give Ignition kudos for using the actual voiceactors who originally voiced the cartoon series, but the dialogue needs some work. The cutscenes are well done, but during gameplay the characters say the same two lines every time they pick up an apple which leaves the game feeling like a broken record. The Animaniacs theme music is present throughout the game, but the actual theme song with lyrics is strangely absent. Hearing the Animaniacs theme song from the opening of the cartoon show on the main menu would have been a welcome addition.

The gameplay is extremely repetitive. Basically, the player runs around and picks up items, all while trying to get somewhere else to pick up even more items. Along the way the player encounters a slew of enemies who act as an obstacle for the player. These enemies must be “confused” before they can be killed, which often results in the player getting injured before actually dispatching them. Every once and a while the action is broken up by minigames, some of which feature Pinky and the Brain, which is a welcome change from the game’s usual grind.

The camera can also be frustrating. The left trigger button locks the camera in place or allows it to roam free, but its implementation is lackluster. Often the camera will get stuck on an object instead of zooming in to avoid it, which can make executing certain jumps very difficult. At times the camera will get stuck between two objects, making it extremely difficult to see the area around the player.

There are no multiplayer modes, so once the game is complete it’s over. There is no real incentive to go back and play through it again, making the replay value of this title very low.

 Animaniacs: The Great Edgar Hunt is a decent game if you are between the ages of five and ten and enjoy the cartoon series. Older gamers will find it to be far too simplistic and often frustrating since it can be difficult to know what to do or where to go next. The use of the Animaniacs license is refreshing, especially after so many years, but the game needed some more fine-tuning before being released, especially on the camera and integrating a help system. I would recommend this game for young players who are fans of the television show; however there are better children’s games out there that provide more entertainment for your dollar.

Very repetitive and the goals are not clearly established.

Low level of detail, but the bright color pallet does redeem it somewhat.

Actual voiceactors from the TV show reprise their roles and perform well.

Fun, if you can figure out where to go or what to do.

Once you finish it, it’s over. No multiplayer options.