Racketboy

I've actually played more of the sequel than the original. Hope to change that in the next few weeks, but if anybody wants to try the more platform-like game and share their thoughts, you can do it here...

Ah well... I don't know what it is. I don't like ToeJam & Earl 1. Though, maybe if it could keep the second player's interest longer, that might change. Alas, it doesn't, and it doesn't really interest me either, I'm afraid.

The sequel, however, is awesome. There's little to not like about this game. As with the first, this game has got STYLE, from which it gets much of its appeal. The graphics are detailed and colorful, they have to be some of the best on the Genesis. I find that it requires more team work and as the players are forced to be on the same screen, creates a stronger bind between the two players, as opposed to the split screen mode on the first one.

I keep thinking about going back to the original to try to force myself and another player to play through, but I just don't see the game holding my interest.

The fun part of TJ&E 1 is figuring out which presents are which, and exploring the randomly generated worlds. This makes the game unique, and infinitely replayable. The only other game I can think of that's similar is Nethack, another one of the best games ever.

In Panic on Funkatron, the worlds are always the same, and the presents are always random. There's no puzzle to that. It plays like just another platformer. meh.

That's the problem for me, though. I'm not at all one for 'trial and error', nor things that rest wholly on chance. This is why ToeJam & Earl just isn't my game.
The second one I just find to be one of those very nice looking games that most casual, or even non-gamers can become immersed with from the start. There's only so long it can hold one's interest, but it does hold it, which is a feeling I simply don't get from ToeJam & Earl. I'm sure it's a game most people will adore; it just doesn't do it for me.

I think Panic on Funkotron rests a lot on trial and error. What's behind that bush? Don't know until you look. And then, once you find out,that knowledge is useless, you don't know any more about what's in the next bush. In ToeJam & Earl there's an element of risk involved in opening a present, but that's balanced by being rewarded with knowledge. Every present that looks the same will be the same. It's that process of learning that makes the game so much fun to me, and what I think is missing from Panic on Funkotron.

Not to hate on Funkotron that much. It's a good game whose only real flaw is that it could have been great. (though the controls are a little clunky)

I only got a chance to play the Xbox TJ&E at a friends house for an hour or so, it seemed a lot more like the original, but I didn't play long enough to make an informed opinion. Anyone else have an opinion?

I was a gigantic fan of the original, but PoF didn't do anything for me. Admittedly, a lot of that probably has to do with expectations I had coming from the original, but I still don't think it really did anything special.

Honestly, the funnest part for me was messing around on the bouncy fungus thingies. That was actually pretty fun.