BUGS BUNNY & TAZ: TIMEBUSTERS
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Have fun with the wascally wabbit

By JAMES ANTHONY

"Eeeeeggghhhh, what's up Doc?" Is one of the most famous of all cartoon phrases and one that usually arises on-screen after Bugs Bunny, that wascally wabbit, has created some form of chaos or another.

On the computer, however, Bugs has taken on a straighter role and instead of creating mayhem, he's trying to control it by recovering a Time Gem and Time Registration Gears so that granny's time machine can be put back into working order.

For some reason, Taz the Tasmanian Devil - he of the whirlwind fame - is his partner and when it comes to avoiding the maelstrom, he's not very good at it. Still, his strength is a real boon for Bugs and can often get him out of sticky, in-game situations.

Bugs Bunny and Taz: Timebusters is a new sort of children's game. In style it is very much like Spyro the dragon, but this time around you can control either Bugs or Taz. This is excellent as it can be a real tag-team approach to completing the levels.

Taz's whirlwind can rip apart buildings to reveal secret bonuses, while our carrot-munching friend can burrow underground to achieve his ends.

There are all sorts of moves the pair can do between them: Taz has the whirlwind, while Bugs can helicopter jump with his ears (giving him the ability to cross rickety bridges), use power kicks to knock out guards and the burrowing expertise.

Speaking of kicking, one of the first bits in the training introduction has Bugs jump on a little lederhosen-clad chap and then kick him to knock him out and steal his piece of gear.

The graphics are pretty good, although some parts of the landscapes are blocky, but that is more than made up for with some stunning water-effects which, when Bugs swims through it, would make designers of much-higher profile games weep.

Gameplay is excellent with a host of puzzles and platform tasks to perform. Along the way you get helpful advice from Tweetie Bird. Sorry kids, but even as a child myself I hated that little bird and … a little while on … I still do. Personal enmity aside, Tweetie can be useful and guides Bugs and Taz to the next object to gather.

Bugs Bunny and Taz: Timebusters is a terrific and most enjoyable game, and is definitely one that older children can master themselves, or parents can help the littilies with and still enjoy themselves.

ORIGINALITY 80%
SOUND/GRAPHICS 85%
PLAYABILITY 80%
ADDICTION 80%
ENJOYMENT 85%