Taz in Escape from Mars

n/a

Mega Drive Game Gear Master System
Taz in Escape from Mars
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear, Sega Master System
Publisher: Sega of America (NA) Tec Toy
Developer: HeadGames Al Baker & Associates Tec Toy
Supporting companies: Nu Romantic Productions (audio)
Distributor: Majesco Sales (US Mega Hit Series re-release) Ecofilmes (PT) Tec Toy (BR)
Licensor: Warner Bros.
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action
Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code US 1994-08 $59.9959.99 1546 US (ESRB rating) 199x 1546 US (Mega Hit) 1997-09 $19.9919.99 US ▼ (Sega Channel) 199x SUBsub EU 1994-09 1546-50 EU ▼ (Sega Channel) 1996 SUBsub PT 1994 MDJ1546 UK 1994-09-23 £39.9939.99 1546-50 AU 1994 FTAZ01SMC CA ▼ (Sega Channel) 1995 SUBsub BR 199x US 1994-11 2538 EU 1994 2538-50 UK 1994-09 2538-50 BR 199x 077170 BR 1997-03 028620

Taz in Escape from Mars, also known as Escape from Mars Starring Taz, is a platform game developed by HeadGames and published by Sega for the Sega Mega Drive, Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System. The Master System version of the game was ported from the Game Gear version by Tec Toy, and was released in March 1997, exclusively to Brazil. It is a sequel to Taz-Mania (but lacks the tie-in to the television series).

During development, it had the longer title of Tasmanian Devil in Escape from Mars.

Story

Marvin the Martian visits his Martian zoo and finds an empty cage. He looks in his book for Earth creatures and finds Taz, the Tasmanian devil. Marvin gets the idea of capturing Taz for his zoo and heads to Earth to capture him. Meanwhile, Taz is minding his own business, when suddenly, Marvin beams Taz up into his flying saucer and takes Taz to his Martian zoo, where subsequently Taz escapes.

Gameplay

Mega Drive version

The game is a platformer played as Taz, a Tasmanian devil who can spin into a tornado. It plays similarly to its predecessor, Taz-Mania, but follows Taz escaping from Mars and his captor, Marvin the Martian. Taz completes most levels by reaching the "Exit" sign and eating it, but in the final level of each world, Taz fights a boss.

Taz walks with and . He jumps with and jumps down through certain platforms with +. Taz spins into a tornado with , during which he moves faster and can run into enemies with impunity. Spinning while airborne from a jump allows for a farther jump; spinning while between two close walls climbs by bouncing Taz back and forth. Taz can spin into curved surfaces onto walls and ceilings. He can also dig into certain patches of soft ground with + or +.

Taz can eat various objects by walking into them, including helpful items such as food or hazardous items such as bombs. He can pick up items with . Some levels have switches that he can flip with or doorways that he enters with and exits with .

Taz has a health gauge worth 12 hit points. He takes one point of damage from enemy attacks or from touching an enemy while not spinning. He loses a life if he runs out of health. The game ends if Taz runs out of lives, but it can be continued from the beginning of the level as long as the player has continues remaining. Most enemies are defeated by one hit, but only one non-boss enemy takes more than two hits to destroy. Some enemies, like the fly or armored soldier (in the Haunted Castle) cannot be defeated by the spin but only by power-up abilities, while others, such as Yosemite Sam (in Mexico), cannot be defeated at all. Most bosses take six to eight hits.

Items

Taz eats items by walking into them. Spinning into items destroys them.

	Food
	Food items restore some of Taz's health.
	First-Aid Kit
	Restores half of Taz's health.
	Bombs
	Bombs explode and harm Taz.
	Box of Rocks
	Lets Taz spit rocks at enemies as a projectile attack by pressing while standing. Lasts for 10 shots.
	Gasoline Can
	Lets Taz breathe fire at enemies by pressing while standing. Lasts for 10 shots.
	Red Beaker
	Shrinks Taz. While shrunk, Taz cannot destroy anything or eat items but can fit through narrow passageways.
	Blue Beaker
	Enlarges Taz. While enlarged, Taz is invulnerable and can destroy enemies by touching them.
	Extra Life
	Gives the player an extra life.
	Extra Continue
	Gives the player an extra continue.
	Milestone
	Checkpoint where Taz is revived after losing a life.
	Exit
	Indicates the end of the level.

Levels

	Mars
	Taz begins on Mars in the Martian zoo Marvin brought him to. The first level sees Taz navigating through zoo cages and busting through walls. Scattered around are teleporters to teleport Taz to different parts of the level. The second level sees Taz navigating a multitude of obstacles, including moving platforms hovering above spikes, and metal pipes that Taz can spin along, allowing him to move across walls and ceilings in a style similar to Sonic the Hedgehog. The boss is an alien resembling an elephant. The alien swings its long spines around in circles, then shoots exploding mines that bounce around. Dodge the first attack by spinning along the walls and ceiling in a circle. Then avoid the mines. The alien will then open his eyes. Spin into him to defeat him.
	Moleworld
	Moleworld has hunters in the form of moles. There is also dirt that Taz can dig into, often littered with spiky mines. The second level involves a underground mine with a mole hunter driving a large tunnel boring machine that constantly moves forward and takes Taz's life away instantly. The boss is one of the mole hunters in a large spaceship in an area where Taz constantly falls with rocks along the way.
	Planet X
	Planet X involves some flying, and a little water. The first half of the first level involves land exploration with sliding along waterfalls and fast-moving rivers at the last half. The second level is entirely extensive waterfalls with many octopus and its tentacles. The third level is entirely flying. The boss is a large green centipede-like creature with spikes covering its body making several curves and zigzags each time it comes out of the ground.
	Mexico
	Having arrived back on Earth, Taz is placed on a long, fast-moving wagon train pulled by mules with occasional cows and bulls along the pathway. Falling off this causes Taz to lose health and get dragged back slowly. Yosemite Sam sometimes appears here as well with a bird flying along that drops sticks of dynamite from the air, Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner also appear. The second level involves Taz exploring a Mexican town. Yosemite Sam fires his guns wildly in two places and it is the first level that introduces going indoors. The boss is a bull fight with Toro the bull, of which Taz needs to trick Toro into slamming into the walls of the stadium.
	Haunted Castle
	The haunted castle is the last world visited while Taz is on Earth. The first level is outdoors. The last two levels are both indoors. The last indoor level is in a laboratory. The boss is an evil scientist with Gossamer.
	Marvin's House
	Taz visits Marvin's house to confront him. The first level is outside where the level is drifting along the stars. The dog, K-9, is seen in two occasions as is even twice as powerful than any boss. The second level is a laser maze where Taz must shut off four lasers in order to access Marvin. Touching the lasers causes Taz to take damage. Gravity in the laser maze level is also varies on any of four basic directions: the usual straight down, but also up, left, and right. The final boss is Marvin himself. After defeating Marvin, Taz jacks a space ship and pilots it back to Earth. The game ends when the animal eats a pile of fruit on the way home and went away spinning all the way.

Game Gear and Master System versions

The game is a platformer and plays similarly to the Mega Drive version. Each level is divided into three sections, and the goal of each section is to make it to the exit at the end. The last section of each level ends with a boss fight. Other Looney Tunes characters make cameo appearances in the levels.

Taz walks with and and jumps with . He spins into a tornado with (which can be done in midair). He moves faster and jumps farther while spinning, and he is invulnerable to enemies and most attacks while doing so. He can attack enemies by spinning into them; some enemies can only be attacked by spinning into them from above. He can climb up narrow shafts by ricocheting off the sides while spinning. If he spins for too long, he becomes dizzy and momentarily vulnerable.

Taz has a health gauge and loses health whenever he is harmed by an enemy or a level hazard. He loses a life if he runs out of health, and the game ends if Taz runs out of lives. There are no continues.

Items

Taz eats items by walking into them. Spinning into items destroys them.

	Star
	Food
	Food items restore some of Taz's health.
	First-Aid Kit
	Restores half of Taz's health.
	Bombs
	Bombs explode and harm Taz.
	Propeller Hat
	Lets Taz fly upward by pressing while standing. He can be steered using the D-Pad, and the floating can be canceled by pressing again in midair (or touching something).
	Bubble Gum
	Lets Taz float upward by pressing while standing. He can be steered using the D-Pad, and the floating can be canceled by pressing again in midair (or touching something).
	Hot Sauce
	Lets Taz spit fireballs at enemies as a projectile attack by pressing while standing.
	Pile of Rocks
	Lets Taz spit rocks at enemies as a projectile attack by pressing while standing.
	Extra Life
	Gives the player an extra life.

Levels

	Mars Zoo
	Cloud Empire
	The Haunted Castle
	Taz can jump down from some platforms with +. He can flip the switches by some doors by pressing when standing near them.
	Mexico
	Marvin the Martian's House

Production credits

Mega Drive version

• Developed for Sega of America by: HeadGames, Inc.
• Producer: Bert Schroeder
• Director: Jonathan Miller
• Design: Joshua Singer, Steven Ross, Doug Nishimura, Jonathan Miller
• Art: Doug Nishimura, Steven Ross, Yongki Yoon
• Lead Programmer: Joshua Singer
• Programming: David Eader, Meilin Wong, Alex Tyrer, Jonathan Miller
• Music and SFX: Neuromantic Productions, Mark Steven Miller, Jim Hedges
• Lead Tester: Ben Szymkowiak
• Assistant Lead Testers: Joe Cain, Tony Lynch
• Testers: Tim Spengler, Jeff Junio, Matt McKnight, Chris Lucich, Fernando Valderrama, Rachel Bristol, Jason Kuo, John Amirkhan, Gregg Vogt, Aaron Hommes, Renato Alferez, Maria Tuzzo, John Melchior, Derek Carmichael, Siegie Stangenberg, Alex Fairchild, Christine Watson, Mike Baldwin, Ilya Reeves, Arnold Galano, Ben Cureton, Bob Lee, Xen Lang, Alex Villagran, Mike Williams, John Jansen, Dave Martin, Marc Dawson, Mark Griffin, Darin Johnston, Greg Fleming
• Additional Design Support By: Keith Higashihara, Mark Lindstrom

Source:

In-game credits

---

• Producer: Bert Schroeder
• Assistant Producer: John Pedigo
• Design, Art & Programming: Headgames, Inc.
• Director : Jonathan Miller
• Design: Joshua Singer, Steven Ross, Doug Nishimura, Jonathan Miller
• Art : Doug Nishimura, Steven Ross, Yongki Yoon
• Programming: Joshua Singer, David Eader, Meilin Wong, Alex Tyrer, Jonathan Miller
• Music & Sound Effects: Neuromantic Productions, Mark Steven Miller, Jim Hedges
• Product Marketing Manager: France Tantiado
• Associate Product Marketing Manager: Ami Blaire
• Marketing Assistant: Jaime Wojick
• Additional Design Support: Keith Higashihara
• Lead Tester: Ben Szymkowiak
• Assistant Lead Testers: Siegie Stangenberg, Tony Lynch
• Testers: Tim Spengler, Jeff Junio, Matt McKnight, Chris Lucich, Fernando Valderrama, Rachael Bristol, Jason Kuo, John Amirkhan, Gregg Vogt, Aaron Hommes, Renato Alferez, Maria Tuzzo, John Melchior, Derek Carmichael, Joe Cain, Alex Fairchild, Christine Watson, Mike Baldwin, Ilya Reeves, Arnold Galano, Ben Cureton, Bob Lee, Xen Lang, Alex Villagran, Mike Williams, John Jansen, David Martin, Marc Dawson, Mark Griffin, Darin Johnston, Greg Fleming
• Manual: Carol Ann Hanshaw
• Special Thanks: Clint Dyer, Joe Owens, Catherine Sollecito, Sonya Sigler, Tom Abramson, Holly Stein, Christine Bertoglio, Sutton Trout, Diane Fornasier

Source:

US manual

Game Gear version

• Developed by: Al Baker & Associates
• Design and Direction: Thomas L. Fessler
• Programming: Al Baker
• Assistant Producer: Raoul A. Faulkner
• Artwork: Chuck Ernst, Dave Pasciuto, Paul Johnson, Rick Incrocci, Nathan Baker, E.M. Letwenko
• Music/SFX: Matt Scott

Source:

In-game credits

Magazine articles

Main article: Taz in Escape from Mars/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

FI advert (1994)

Mega Drive/Game Gear print advert in EGM² (US) #2: "August 1994" (1994-0x-xx)
also published in:

• Sega Visions (US) #21: "October/November 1994" (1994-xx-xx)
• Sega Visions (US) #22: "December/January 1994/1995" (1994-xx-xx)

Print advert in Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) #62: "September 1994" (1994-xx-xx)

Game Gear print advert in Hobby Consolas (ES) #38: "Noviembre 1994" (1994-xx-xx)

Print advert in Todo Sega (ES) #20: "Noviembre 1994" (1994-1x-xx)

Print advert in Super Juegos (ES) #33: "Enero 1995" (199x-xx-xx)

Print advert in Blue Jean (TR) #12/96: "Aralik 1996" (1996-xx-xx)
also published in:

• Blue Jean (TR) #01/97: "Ocak 1997" (1997-xx-xx)

Merchandise

• 

  Badge

Artwork

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  Mega Drive US prototype box art

Physical scans

Mega Drive version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

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Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average

Publication Version Score 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 50 1700 igr dlya Sega (RU) 60 Aktueller Software Markt (DE) 75 Consoles + (FR) 88 Cool Gamer (RU) 70 Computer & Video Games (UK) 68 Digitiser (UK) 61 Electronic Games (1992-1995) (US) NTSC-U 83 Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U 70 Entsiklopediya luchshikh igr Sega. Vypusk 5 (RU) 60 Game Players (US) NTSC-U 85 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 83 Gamers (DE) PAL 47 GamesMaster (UK) PAL 69 Games World: The Magazine (UK) PAL 77 Game Informer (US) NTSC-U 72 Igry Sega Luchshiye iz luchshikh. Vypusk 2 (RU) 56 Joypad (FR) PAL 80 Joypad (HU) 83 Mega (UK) PAL 74 Mega Force (FR) PAL 80 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 70 Mean Machines Sega (UK) PAL 70 Player One (FR) 79 Play Time (DE) 70 Power Up! (UK) 81 Secret Service (PL) 70 Sega Power (UK) PAL 90 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 83 Sonic the Comic (UK) PAL 70 Todo Sega (ES) 77 Tricks 16 bit (RU) 83 Video Games (DE) PAL 50 VideoGames (US) NTSC-U 70

	72
Based on 34 reviews

Taz in Escape from Mars

Mega Drive, US (GA Rating)
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, US (KA Rating)
Cover
Cart Manual Manual Back

Mega Drive, US (Mega Hit Series) (Sega)
Cover
Cart Manual Manual Back

Mega Drive, US (Mega Hit Series) (Majesco Sales)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU
Cover
Cart Manual PCB

Mega Drive, EU (CE mark)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, EU (Hollow CE mark)
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, FR
Manual

Mega Drive, FR (Blister)
Cover

Mega Drive, ES
VHS

Mega Drive, PT
Cover

Mega Drive, AU
Cover
Cart Manual

Mega Drive, BR
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear version

Sega Retro Average
Publication Score Source

{{{{{icon}}}|L}}
Based on 0 review

Sega Retro Average
Publication Version Score Consoles + (FR) 84 GamePro (US) NTSC-U 73 Gamers (DE) PAL 40 Games World: The Magazine (UK) PAL 78 Mega Fun (DE) PAL 59 Player One (FR) 67 Play Time (DE) 65 Sega Magazine (UK) PAL 62 Sega Power (UK) PAL 61 Sega Pro (UK) PAL 63 Video Games (DE) PAL 51

	64
Based on 11 reviews

Taz in Escape from Mars

Game Gear, US
Cover
Cart

Game Gear, EU
Cover
Cart Manual

Game Gear, BR
Cover

Master System version

Master System, BR
Cover
Cart

Master System, BR (newer)
Cover
Cart File:TazInEscape-SMS-BR-Manual.pdf Manual

Technical information

Main article: Taz in Escape from Mars/Technical information.