Taz-Mania

From Sega Retro

For the Sega Master System game, see Taz-Mania (Master System). For the Sega Game Gear game, see Taz-Mania (Game Gear).

n/a

Taz Mania Title.png

Taz-Mania
System(s): Sega Mega Drive
Publisher: Sega
Developer:
Licensor: Warner Bros.
Sound driver: GEMS
Genre: Action[1][2][3]

















Number of players: 1
Release Date RRP Code
Sega Mega Drive
JP
¥6,8006,800 G-4089
Sega Mega Drive
US
$49.9549.95[5][6] 1032
Sega Mega Drive
EU
1032
Sega Mega Drive
PT
MDJ1032
Sega Mega Drive
UK
£39.9939.99[9][10] 1032
Sega Mega Drive
SE
(Rental)
Sega Mega Drive
AU
Sega Mega Drive
CA
Sega Mega Drive
BR
043180
Sega Mega Drive
KR
GM4085JG
Sega Mega Drive
AS

Taz-Mania (タズマニア) is a 1992 platform game developed by Recreational Brainware and released by Sega in 1992 for the Sega Mega Drive. It is based on the cartoon series with the same name, and stars Taz the Tazmanian Devil on the search for seabird eggs. It is unrelated to the Super Nintendo and Game Boy games with the same name, aside from the Taz-Mania license.

Taz-Mania was a fairly popular game, and received favorable reviews when it was released for being one of the first games to look like a Warner Bros. cartoon (previous attempts had been held back by hardware restraints). The game was followed by Taz in Escape from Mars.

Ironically, although the game was made by Sega of America and released in most countries in time for the Christmas season in 1992, it was first released in Europe in the summer of that year.

Story

Taz-Mania, Introduction.png

Introduction

One evening, Hugh Tazmanian Devil was telling a story to his three children (Taz, his sister Molly and his brother Jake):

Once there were huge Giant Seabirds that laid giant eggs which could feed a family of Tazmanian devils for over a year. There are also legends that somewhere along the island of Tasmania, there is a Lost Valley where the Giant Seabirds still nest. Fascinated by the prospect of a potentially large omelette, Taz leaves in search of the Lost Valley.

Gameplay

Taz-Mania, Map.png

Map

The game is a platformer where players control Taz as he searches for the giant egg. Taz moves with Left and Right. He is able spin into a tornado with B and jump with C. Spinning into a tornado allows Taz to defeat most enemies, gain extra jump distance, knock away items, and get past certain obstacles unharmed.

Taz can also eat various objects by walking into them, including health recovering food items, extra lives, and continues. Other items, such as bombs and weed killer, can be thrown at enemies but damage Taz if he eats them. Pressing A when next to an item picks it up and B throws it. A is also used to operate switches when next to them.

Taz has a health bar that goes down as he takes damage from enemies and hazards. 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.

Items

Taz eats items by walking into them.

Taz-Mania, Items.png
Chili Peppers
Allows Taz to breathe fire with A to defeat stronger enemies.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Water Jug
Recovers health and awards points.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Roast Chicken
Recovers health and awards points.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Frozen Fish
Recovers health and awards points.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Fruit Plate
Recovers health and awards points.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Bomb
Bombs can be thrown at enemies to attack them but harm Taz if he eats them.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Star
Grants Taz temporary invincibility.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
No Weed
No Weed can be thrown at Weed-Ola in the Jungle to attack it but harms Taz if he eats it.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Photo 1
Gives the player an extra life.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Photo 3
Gives the player an extra continue.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Milestone
Checkpoint where Taz is revived after losing a life.
Taz-Mania, Items.png
Signpost
Indicates the end of the level.

Levels

Taz-Mania, Stage 1-1.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 1-2.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 1-3.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 1-1.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 1-2.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 1-3.png

The Badlands
The boss is a truck driven by Bull Gator and Axl Gator.

Taz-Mania, Stage 2-1.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 2-2.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 2-1.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 2-2.png

The Factory

Taz-Mania, Stage 3.png

Iceland

Taz-Mania, Stage 4-1.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 4-2.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 4-3.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 4-1.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 4-2.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 4-3.png

The Jungle
The boss is Francis X. Bushlad.

Taz-Mania, Stage 5-1.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 5-2.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 5-1.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 5-2.png

The Mine

Taz-Mania, Stage 6-1.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 6-2.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 6-1.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 6-2.png

The Jungle

Taz-Mania, Stage 7-1.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 7-2.png

Taz-Mania, Stage 7-3.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 7-1.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 7-2.png

  • Taz-Mania, Stage 7-3.png

The Taztec Ruins

Taz-Mania, Stage 8.png

The Giant Seabird Nest

History

Development

I was very excited about Taz. We knew that we had a lot to live up too with that license. We all worked in the same room, and the room was filled with Taz merchandise. Taz was so well defined that we didn’t have to guess how to make him fun, we just had to convey that in the limitations of the hardware. Taz has attitude, and is a brute. That means you can get away with a lot of character traits that don’t have to be so subtle. The toughest part of Taz was coming up with a way to have over two hundred frames of animation and still fit in a cart. This led to a layered sprite tool where we could use the same arm in several frames, the same head, etc etc, and just move them within the tool to get the animation. This saved a ton of space on the cart, and allowed for eight and twelve frame animations, giving the character a lot of fluidity. The other trick we did was to build different levels with the same artwork, and just use different palettes. You’ll notice the ice level and the sand level use the same tiles.

David Foley[11]


Production credits

Thank You for Playing Taz-Mania!
©1992 Recreational Brainware
Source:
In-game credits
Taz-Mania MD credits.pdf
[12]


Magazine articles

Main article: Taz-Mania/Magazine articles.

Promotional material

Suuri lelukirja FI 1992 Sega.jpg
FI advert (1992)
Suuri lelukirja FI 1992 Sega.jpg
Simbas RU flyer Silver.png
Flyer (RU)
Simbas RU flyer Silver.png
Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in GamePro (US) #37: "August 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
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Logo-pdf.svg
Print advert in Mega Force (ES) #4: "Agosto 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
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Print advert in Sega Force (SE) #1992-02: "2/92" (1992-11-19)
also published in:
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Print advert in Sega Force (SE) #1992-02: "2/92" (1992-11-19)
also published in:
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Logo-pdf.svg
Mega Drive print advert in Mega Force (ES) #8: "Diciembre 1992" (1992-xx-xx)
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Print advert in Beep! MegaDrive (JP) #1993-01: "January 1993" (1992-12-08)
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Print advert in Pixel (GR) #96: "Fevrouários 1993" (1993-0x-xx)
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Physical scans

Sega Retro Average 
Publication Score Source
{{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
Based on
0 review
Sega Retro Average 
Publication Version Score
1700 igr dlya Sega (RU)
50
[15]
Alaab Alcomputtar (SA)
85
[16]
Beep! MegaDrive (JP) NTSC-J
53
[17]
Consoles + (FR)
75
[18]
Cool Gamer (RU)
60
[19]
Computer & Video Games (UK)
93
[9]
Electronic Gaming Monthly (US) NTSC-U
80
[20]
Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
75
[21]
Famitsu (JP) NTSC-J
55
[22]
Game Mania (UK)
85
[23]
Game Power (IT)
90
[24]
GamePro (US) NTSC-U
98
[25]
Hippon Super (JP) NTSC-J
70
[26]
Hobby Consolas (ES)
92
[27]
Joypad (FR)
85
[28]
Joystick (FR)
90
[29]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK)
85
[30]
Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
85
[31]
Mega Drive Fan (JP) NTSC-J
61
[32]
Mega (UK) PAL
80
[33]
Mega Fun (DE) PAL
81
[34]
Mega Play (US) NTSC-U
78
[35]
MegaTech (UK) PAL
88
[36]
Micromanía (segunda época) (ES)
78
[37]
Mean Machines (UK)
81
[38]
Marukatsu Mega Drive (JP) NTSC-J
70
[39]
Mean Machines Sega (UK)
81
[40]
Player One (FR)
85
[41]
Play Time (DE)
76
[42]
Sega Power (UK) PAL
89
[43]
Sega Pro (UK)
89
[44]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
90
[45]
Sega Pro (UK) PAL
93
[46]
Sega Force (SE)
85
[47]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
89
[48]
Sega Force (UK) PAL
96
[49]
Svet Igara (YU)
82
[50]
Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) NTSC-J
55
[51]
Supergame (BR) NTSC-U
89
[52]
Supersonic (FR)
93
[53]
Tricks 16 bit (RU)
82
[54]
User (GR) PAL
91
[55]
VideoGames & Computer Entertainment (US) NTSC-U
70
[6]
Video Games (DE)
59
[56]
Zero (UK)
90
[57]
Sega Mega Drive
80
Based on
45 reviews

Taz-Mania

Mega Drive, JP
Taz Mania MD JP Box.jpg
Cover
TazMania MD JP CartTop.jpg
TazMania MD JP Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, US
Taz Mania MD US Box.jpg
Cover
Taz-Mania MD US Cart.jpg
Cart
Taz-Mania MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (Alt Cart)
Taz Mania MD US Box.jpg
Cover
TazMania MD US Cart Alt.jpg
Cart
Taz-Mania MD US Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, US (KA rating)
TazMania MD US Cover KARating.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, EU
Taz Mania MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
TazMania MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
TazMania MD EU Manual.jpg
Manual
Mega Drive, FR

Taz-Mania MD FR Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, PT

Mega Drive, SE (Rental)
Tazmania MD SE Rental Cover.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, AU
Taz Mania MD EU Box.jpg
Cover
TazMania MD EU Cart.jpg
Cart
Taz Mania MD AU Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, BR
Tazmania md br cover.jpg
Cover
Taz-Mania MD BR Manual.pdf
Manual
Mega Drive, CA
TazMania MD CA Box.jpg
Cover
Mega Drive, KR
TazMania MD KR Box.jpg
Cover
TazMania MD KR Cart.jpg
Cart
Mega Drive, Asia

TazMania MD AS Cart.jpg
Cart

Technical information

Main article: Taz-Mania/Technical information.

References

  1. File:Taz Mania MD JP Box.jpg
  2. 2.0 2.1 https://sega.jp/history/hard/megadrive/software.html (Wayback Machine: 2020-07-20 09:51)
  3. File:TazMania MD KR Box.jpg
  4. GamePro, "June 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 60
  5. 5.0 5.1 GamePro, "August 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 41
  6. 6.0 6.1 VideoGames & Computer Entertainment, "September 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 39
  7. 7.0 7.1 Sega Pro, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-16), page 7
  8. 8.0 8.1 Sega Power, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-04), page 10
  9. 9.0 9.1 Computer & Video Games, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-15), page 38
  10. Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 32
  11. Interview: David Foley (2007-10-23) by Sega-16
  12. File:Taz-Mania MD credits.pdf
  13. Sega Force, "1/93" (SE; 1993-01-14), page 2
  14. Sega Force, "1/93" (SE; 1993-01-14), page 35
  15. 1700 igr dlya Sega, "" (RU; 2001-xx-xx), page 236
  16. Alaab Alcomputtar, "" (SA; 1995-08-xx), page 72
  17. Beep! MegaDrive, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-08), page 31
  18. Consoles +, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 78
  19. Cool Gamer, "9" (RU; 2002-10-13), page 218
  20. Electronic Gaming Monthly, "August 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 22
  21. Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide, "" (UK; 1993-11-18), page 105
  22. Famitsu, "1993-01-01" (JP; 1992-12-18), page 44
  23. Game Mania, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-xx-xx), page 80
  24. Game Power, "Settembre 1992" (IT; 1992-0x-xx), page 40
  25. GamePro, "August 1992" (US; 1992-xx-xx), page 40
  26. Hippon Super, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-04), page 84
  27. Hobby Consolas, "Agosto 1992" (ES; 1992-0x-xx), page 16
  28. Joypad, "Août/Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-07-1x), page 80
  29. Joystick, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-0x-xx), page 202
  30. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-xx-xx), page 79
  31. Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming, "January 1993" (UK; 199x-xx-xx), page 95
  32. Mega Drive Fan, "March 1993" (JP; 1993-02-xx), page 59
  33. Mega, "February 1993" (UK; 1993-01-21), page 79
  34. Mega Fun, "07/92" (DE; 1992-0x-xx), page 36
  35. Mega Play, "August 1992" (US; 1992-0x-xx), page 63
  36. MegaTech, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-20), page 24
  37. Micromanía (segunda época), "Octubre 1992" (ES; 1992-xx-xx), page 85
  38. Mean Machines, "June 1992" (UK; 1992-05-28), page 52
  39. Marukatsu Mega Drive, "January 1993" (JP; 1992-12-xx), page 109
  40. Mean Machines Sega, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 142
  41. Player One, "Septembre 1992" (FR; 1992-09-10), page 62
  42. Play Time, "10/92" (DE; 1992-09-02), page 109
  43. Sega Power, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-02), page 28
  44. Sega Pro, "Christmas 1992" (UK; 1992-12-10), page 66
  45. Sega Pro, "April 1993" (UK; 1993-03-11), page 68
  46. Sega Pro, "August 1992" (UK; 1992-07-16), page 58
  47. Sega Force, "1/92" (SE; 1992-xx-xx), page 10
  48. Sega Force, "May 1993" (UK; 1993-04-01), page 80
  49. Sega Force, "July 1992" (UK; 1992-06-xx), page 30
  50. Svet Igara, "Jun 1996" (YU; 1996-xx-xx), page 61
  51. Sega Saturn Magazine, "September 1995" (JP; 1995-08-08), page 87
  52. Supergame, "Agosto 1992" (BR; 1992-08-xx), page 18
  53. Supersonic, "Juillet/Août 1992" (FR; 1992-xx-xx), page 6
  54. Tricks 16 bit, "Tricks Sega Gold 800 igr" (RU; 1998-03-20), page 195
  55. User, "Aprílios 1993" (GR; 1993-0x-xx), page 49
  56. Video Games, "8/92" (DE; 1992-07-22), page 88
  57. Zero, "October 1992" (UK; 1992-09-xx), page 32


Taz-Mania

Taz Mania Title.png

Main page | Maps | Hidden content | Magazine articles | Video coverage | Reception | Region coding | Technical information | Bootlegs


Sega Mega Drive
Prototypes: Prototype



Looney Tunes games for Sega systems
Sega Mega Drive
Taz-Mania (1992) | Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure (1993) | Sylvester and Tweety in Cagey Capers (1994) | Taz in Escape from Mars (1994) | Tiny Toon Adventures: ACME All-Stars (1994) | Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1995) | Desert Demolition Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote (1995) | Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales (1995) | Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble (1996) | Road Runner (unreleased)
Sega Game Gear
Taz-Mania (1992) | Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote (1993) | Taz in Escape from Mars (1994) | Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1994) | Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales (1995) | Bugs Bunny in Double Trouble (1996)
Sega Master System
Taz-Mania (1993) | Desert Speedtrap Starring Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote (1993) | Daffy Duck in Hollywood (1994) | Cheese Cat-Astrophe Starring Speedy Gonzales (1995) | Taz in Escape from Mars (1996)
Sega Saturn
Space Jam (1996)
Sega Dreamcast
Looney Tunes: Space Race (2000)
Unlicensed Looney Tunes games for Sega systems
Sega Mega Drive
Tiny Toon Adventures 3 (1996)