[Toasty]

When I was a kid my mom dated this hippy dude named Gordy. He told a tale about a game that mocked the early 90's rapper stereotype, and explained to me the concept of walking around, collecting presents, and using them whether they were good or bad. You didn't know, because until you unwrapped it, you didn't know what you were going to get.

My mom bought my brother and I both games when we were growing up. We got them at the same time, so I never particularly favored one over the other, I liked them both. The games just seemed way too long for a 12 year old's attention span though, I look at them as only games that hardcore gamers would ever beat. I'll explain my opinion on both of them:

Toe Jam & Earl:

I really thought this game had a unique concept. Overhead view, pick up random presents, run away from monsters (or kill them if you're lucky!) and collect pieces of ship. People tell me when you select "random world" the game can end as soon as you collect all 10 pieces of the ship, whether it be level 15 or level 25, but I swear all the times I beat this game it always ended at level 25, random or not. Is it just a coincidence?

If you know how to play this game, it's pretty easy. Any newcomer will have to go through a trial and error basis and probably get multiple gameovers before they succeed. There is one present in particular that dictates how well you'll do, and you can only identify it one way. The randomizer present will make or break you. If you can manage to have that identified by the carrot dude, your chances of losing are pretty slim. You can open a Total Bummer present and still win. As long as you steer clear of Randomizer, you'll be good. My personal favorite present is the Icarus Wings, you can escape pretty much any enemy with them, and you can even fly through the pits.

One super fucking annoying enemy is the post office box. Oh god, if you happen to come across that thing, say goodbye if you don't have any decent presents. When I see him coming towards me, I just suicide jump off the level. I have seen that shithead drain my life in seconds because there's no recovery time after you get hit; he just keeps raping you into oblivion. Another enemy that really pissed me off was the Ice Cream Truck. You know you're in trouble when you hear that obnoxious HONK HONK sound....

spoilers: http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/3087/tjeh.jpg

I beat the game with Toe Jam, because he seemed like the more logical choice. Earl has more bulk, but he's also considerably slow, not being able to escape most enemies. He's probably hard mode.

Toe Jam & Earl 2: Panic on Funkotron:

One thing I could never understand is all the negative repetition this game gained. It's almost as bad as SOR3's repetition...and I always asked myself why? Well, after playing through the game for the first time a few minutes ago, I have come to the conclusion that the game is way too fucking long. I wrote down passwords, I collected all of Lamont's stuff, I explored everything and it took me way longer than any other Genesis game I've played, except for the games that actually...you know, SAVE. Besides that, I don't have much else to complain about, except how boring it was towards the end. I always enjoyed the company of Earl's friends like Sharla, Ottis, Chester/Lester, etc. and I always followed their directions. The levels were pretty well designed except for the water mazes (hate those) and the graphics are beautiful.

The earthlings I really hate are the flying duck (whatever that thing is?), and of course, that douchebag in the box. God, do I hate him. The photographers can sod off, too.

spoilers: http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/4348/tje2.jpg

I beat this game as Earl, just to do something different from the first game.

My overall favorite?

Ten years ago I would have said the second game, but after playing through both of them recently, I'd say definitely the first one. The second one is dragged out, boring, and I doubt I'll ever try to beat it again. I still like it, just not as much anymore.

Has anyone here played TJ&E for the XBox? I don't own an Xbox or I'd definitely give it a try. I've read mixed reviews on the game, but I'm wondering if Retro ever played it?

This post has been edited by Toasty: 21 October 2010 - 06:24 PM

[JaxTH]

I like TJ&E2 more. But that's mostly because me and my cousins were always on it as kids (That and Mean Bean Machine).

I haven't played the third one, but I do like their character select raps. All I really know is that SEGA didn't the creator enough time to do what he wanted so the third game come out as a worse version of the first game. In fact, there is no playthrough of the game on YouTube at all, just random clips.

[PsychoSk8r]

Oh man, I love TJ&E2.
And my god, the music! It is amazing. =P

[True Dude]

PUT THOSE ENDING SCREENS IN SPOILERS DAMMIT, I WANTED TO SEE THOSE ON MY OWN SOMEDAY. >:(

[Overlord]

I prefer the second game simply because I had it back on my original Mega Drive and didn't pick the first one up until relatively recently. It's a cracking title, albiet bloody hard later on. Never beat it, though I haven't SERIOUSLY played it in years - should give it another go, really, when I did the same for Earthworm Jim I got further than I'd ever managed before =P

[Banoon]

ToeJam & Earl, I used to play this game all the time with my brother back in the day, along with the second game which we enjoyed equally. We never really came even close to finishing either of them though, despite how much fun they were =P
I have actually played the third game, however (quite heavily in fact) and I can say that it's not really that good. It's alright but it doesn't even touch the first two games; a lot of the funky charm is gone and replaced by generic "yo yo yo rap gee" painful dialogue. As JaxTH, it's essentially an inferior version of the first game. Nevertheless, it's pretty fun, in the same way Sonic Heroes is fun.

This post has been edited by Banoon: 21 October 2010 - 01:46 PM

[Namo]

Dude, Toejam and Earl and Ed Edd, n Eddy is what I grew up on. While everyone was playing the new-fangled Playstation, my brother and I were playing this and it's sequel while saying "Buttered Toast!"

Toejam and Earl is a damn good game, very unorthodox for it's time - a simultaneous 2 player game with heavy roguelike elements? Yes Please.

Never played the 3rd game though. That any good?

[Rika Chou]

Too bad the third one flopped. Also too bad this isn't on XBLA yet. Whenever they work that out, I hope they let you play it online.

I love these games.

[Toasty]

Too bad the third one flopped. Also too bad this isn't on XBLA yet. Whenever they work that out, I hope they let you play it online.

I love these games.

Yeah I know what you mean, now there's almost absolutely no chance they'd make another sequel. Oh well, perhaps TJ&E is best left to the 16 bit consoles, kind of like Sonic...

[nensondubois]

ToeJam and Early had great music, graphics and the overall game-play was one of the few fun wacky things in my childhood. Panic in Funkotron wasn't so great. =P

This post has been edited by nensondubois: 21 October 2010 - 07:07 PM

[Bobinator]

Argh, T&E3 was so, so awful. The basic gameplay was all right, because it was basically just the first game, like everyone else said, only you actually had a decent form of attack. The problem was that the humor was pretty much completely off. Every level had this annoying black choir that made you embarrased to actually play the game while everybody was around, and the game was full of supposedly 'risque' jokes that weren't actually funny.

[JaxTH]

and the game was full of supposedly 'risque' jokes that weren't actually funny.

"My mommy says that you're my daddy and that you owe us money."

[Bozo]

Toe Jam & Earl:

I really thought this game had a unique concept. Overhead view, pick up random presents, run away from monsters (or kill them if you're lucky!) and collect pieces of ship. People tell me when you select "random world" the game can end as soon as you collect all 10 pieces of the ship, whether it be level 15 or level 25, but I swear all the times I beat this game it always ended at level 25, random or not. Is it just a coincidence?

If you know how to play this game, it's pretty easy. Any newcomer will have to go through a trial and error basis and probably get multiple gameovers before they succeed. There is one present in particular that dictates how well you'll do, and you can only identify it one way. The randomizer present will make or break you. If you can manage to have that identified by the carrot dude, your chances of losing are pretty slim. You can open a Total Bummer present and still win. As long as you steer clear of Randomizer, you'll be good. My personal favorite present is the Icarus Wings, you can escape pretty much any enemy with them, and you can even fly through the pits.

One super fucking annoying enemy is the post office box. Oh god, if you happen to come across that thing, say goodbye if you don't have any decent presents. When I see him coming towards me, I just suicide jump off the level. I have seen that shithead drain my life in seconds because there's no recovery time after you get hit; he just keeps raping you into oblivion. Another enemy that really pissed me off was the Ice Cream Truck. You know you're in trouble when you hear that obnoxious HONK HONK sound....

spoilers: http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/3087/tjeh.jpg

I beat the game with Toe Jam, because he seemed like the more logical choice. Earl has more bulk, but he's also considerably slow, not being able to escape most enemies. He's probably hard mode.

Few things:

-The game is set so the last ship piece, no matter what, will always appear on level 25, so you would have to get through all 25 levels.
-If you hit the B button at the right time, you can use an item and keep the Total Bummer from killing you (if you have the correct present)
-Favorite Present- Promotion <3
-I hate the same enemies you do, but I also add in the lawn-mower guy. He can be a pain to try and get away from him without something to kick-start you.

I've never come across the same level twice in Random mode. Does anyone know the possibilities of finding the same level twice, if its even possible (it should be, right?)

[Sawhog]

Ironically just I beat the first one as Earl today. I own the third one but hate how it made the characters more "modern" (Rap has changed a lot since the original game, and I hated the cliche 'black rapper' stuff) and added a Hub world to it, It didn't work in this type of game. If you take those things out, It would have been one of the great games. Too bad I didn't get to beat it, since I sold it later because I got bored of going back to the other levels and collecting keys.

[Flygon]

I loved this game in my childhood, I played it a lot with my Father and Sister. The mailbox's make me want to throw a brick, however.

The music is awesome.