As far as Loony Tunes characters are concerned, the Tasmanian Devil has mostly always taken a backseat to other characters such as Bugs Bunny or even Daffy Duck when it comes to games and the cartoons.  All that is about to change, though, because our wildly spinning furry friend takes center stage as the hero in Taz: Wanted . . . and boy is he as angry (and hungry) as ever!

Managing to infuriate everyone from Daffy Duck to Sylvester the Cat one day, Taz makes the mistake of annoying Yosemite Sam.  While courting his sweetheart the She-Devil, Taz and his ladylove are snatched away by Yosemite Sam and are taken to Yosemite Zoo.  However, the cage isn’t strong enough to hold Taz and he escapes.  Your mission as Taz is to elude Yosemite’s skilled Taz Catchers and rescue his beloved from the clutches of Sam himself.

Taz knows a couple of tricks that can help him on his quest and they mostly consist of his wild rants you have probably seen in the cartoons (he stops his feet, waves his arms and lets the drool fly as he’s growling). There’s also his amazing whirlwind-like spin that has become his trademark.  He could also swallow items such as trashcan bins in a single gulp and spit them out at his opponents.  Taz also has a number of power-up items such as Hiccup Soda (for super jumps) and Mega Hot Chili Peppers (to breathe a gust of fire).

The controls in Taz: Wanted will seem familiar to those gamers who know their way around the Crash Bandicoot universe.  The environments are filled to the brim with obstacles you either jump or smash and there are collectibles scattered throughout.  Thanks to some awful camera angles, it’s often difficult to maneuver around tight corners or narrow areas.  Sometimes you have to go into first-person view just to see what’s blocking his way.

Taz starts in the Yosemite Zoo where gamers will notice there are gates leading to different areas.  Each area has a list of objectives to complete and all the objectives are actually fun and interesting.  One objective might be to push over a zany vehicle that is balancing on the top of a ledge or steal honey pots from some pretty angry bears.  Of course, the main objective is to destroy all the wanted posters in each area and the more posters you destroy the higher the bounty on you head increases--the higher the bounty, the more extras become available.

The best part is that there is no limit to how many times Taz meets his demise or is captured. There are also some neat features in Taz: Wanted that make this game something of a standout such as the ACME Dial-a-Costume telephone booth that instantly gives Taz a snazzy new costume and special attack.  Completing side objectives open up bonus games such as a skateboarding or checkpoint race mini-game just to name a few.

And there’s another rare treat in the game that comes in the form of a two-player multiplayer option.  There are seven games in multiplayer mode: Destruction, Vehicle Race, Time Trial, Tournament and three secret games that can be unlocked by playing the single player mode. Destruction has you smashing and eating your way, Vehicle Race is a three-lap race using shopping carts (or floor polishers and jet-bikes) and Time Trial has you spinning across spinning across three landscapes before the time runs out. Tournament, however, is where the fun really starts with two-players competing in several different events. 

Graphics-wise, Taz’s cel-shaded characters do look particularly impressive.  Characters move and react in true animation-style gestures so during cut-scenes, you’ll swear you’re watching a Loony Tunes cartoon.  However, and this is the most disappointing part, is that the backgrounds don’t really fit the character animation at all.  While high in detail, the environments just look way too flat and unappealing.

The sound also lacks the charm of a Looney Tunes cartoon with mediocre sound effects that don’t really capture the feel of the cartoons.  Another disappointment is the score that is made up of several repetitive tunes that aren‘t really very inspiring or at least give gamers that sense of playing a cartoon.  

Taz: Wanted has all the makings of a really great game featuring a really cool Loony Tunes character, yet there are a number of things that are holding this game back from its true potential as the ultimate Taz title.  Still, with enough secrets and plenty to do, this game is definitely worthy of a rental.

Gameplay: 7.0
Taz: Wanted may not have the best controls, but they are somewhat fitting for a game of the Crash Bandicoot genre. Taz’s ability to literally chew the scenery (and spit it out) and his whirlwind spin are what separate Taz from other characters.  It all works nicely with the exception of one major flaw--the camera.  The camera can sometimes be an annoyance especially at crucial moments when you need to watch where you’re stepping.

The areas have plenty of unique objectives to complete such as disabling a ski lift or draining the world’s most larges sink and enough secondary objectives to keep players busy for awhile. Scattered throughout the areas are several power-up items such as bubble gum Taz chew and blow into a hot air balloon. There are also rewards for picking up certain objects. Collecting enough sandwiches, for instance, can open up some goodies in the Extras menu screen.

Graphics: 7.0
While the cel-shaded characters such as the Taz Hunters and Taz himself look absolutely striking, the backgrounds lack the same visual treatment.  There is an area filled with hilltops with flowers scattered throughout all that greenness that would have looked cartoon-like if that too were cel-shaded.  Instead, backgrounds look like cardboard setups.  Thankfully there are a number of interactive objects such as bushes or park benches that give the surroundings a 3D feel.

Sound: 6.9
Disappointingly the sound effects aren’t as great as they should be in a game based on a cartoon character.  While the whirlwind effect sounds straight out of a Looney Tunes short, the rest falls rather flat and pretty unfunny--unless gamers find unnecessary flatulence hilarious. 

The Loony Tunes character impressions comes close to the original cartoons in true Mel Blanc fashion--especially Yosemite Sam who can be heard throwing temper tantrums throughout the game. Taz’s rants are always hysterical to hear and will definitely put a smile on your face.  Yet the most appreciated audio feature found here is the option to change the language from English to Spanish, German and French just like in the last Loony Tunes game Space Race.

Difficulty: Medium
Even the most youngest gamer will get a kick out of making fools out of the Taz Catchers that can easily be knocked down by spitting objects at them or using the costume special attack.  Finding all the objective challenges is as simple as following the signposts that lead to the challenges. The game’s main threats are trying to access those hard to reach areas or making your way across bodies of water.

Concept: 7.1
Taz is definitely a character worthy of his own game and I’m sure that even the youngest of gamers will love the fact that you can do all the things Taz does in the cartoons.  Who wouldn’t want to spin like a miniature tornado, destroying everything in your visible path and stop only to annoy your pursuers?  Adding a slew of unusual objectives is also a guaranteed blast.

Multiplayer: 7.3
I am always grateful for a multiplayer option and this game has seven different two-player games that are actually very fun to play.  The two racing multiplayer games Vehicle Race and Time Trial may seem simplistic but they are also very enjoyable.  Still, one of the best multiplayer games in this game is the Tournament mode and the modes that can only be unlocked after having completed the single player mode.   

Overall: 7.0
With much more precise controls and a much more solid camera, Taz: Wanted could have been one of those rare treats for gamers of all ages.  Still, it’s the little flaws that can get in a game’s way and it certainly does keep this game from being a favorite.  This is definitely a worthwhile rental.