They're tiny, they're toony and, according to the theme song, they're all a little looney. That's right; it's time for Tiny Toon Adventures, the remarkably clever Looney Tunes spin-off from the early 1990s. Starring Buster and Babs Bunny, Tiny Toons managed to run an impressive one hundred episodes. And like all popular kids shows of that era, this Spielberg-produced cartoon was quickly adapted as a video game. Unfortunately, Buster's Hidden Treasure isn't nearly as toony or looney as the theme song suggests.

A mysterious treasure map has everybody in Acme Acres buzzing with excitement. It's up to Buster Bunny to set out on an epic adventure to see what's hidden under that giant "X". But he's not alone, because Montana Max will stop at nothing to beat Buster to the prize. Max has gone as far as to recruit Dr. Gene Splicer to kidnap all of Buster's friends. Worse yet, thanks to the mad doctor's proprietary technology, the normally good-natured inhabitants at Acme Acres have turned into blood-thirsty rabbit killing machines.


Instead of taking players on a sightseeing trip around Acme Acres, Buster's Hidden Treasure sends our hero deep into the wilderness. We start out running through the forests, climbing the mountains, swimming through the ocean, creeping around caves and surviving the Himalayas. Before long you will have battled your brainwashed friends in all kinds of exciting locations. Survive the climates and you'll have a chance to go head-to-head with Montana Max and his giant mech suit.

Buster's Hidden Treasure borrows a lot of gameplay ideas from Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Although you wouldn't know it from his look, Buster can be a speedy little bunny when he's on a mission. But just like Sonic, the game rewards players for taking a cautious approach. Each stage is full of branching paths and secret locations; exploration is encouraged.


Although the action feels a bit derivative, the gameplay isn't bad and I like most of the outdoor environments. The difficulty swings violently towards the end, going from far too easy to far too frustrating. Cheap deaths in the factory world bring down an otherwise enjoyable action/platformer.

Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure won't win any awards for originality, but it does look good and has enough content to keep even the most cynical gamer happy. Konami knows how to make a great action/platformer, as demonstrated by all of their 16-bit Tiny Toon titles. This may not be the best, but you can't go wrong with Buster's Hidden Treasure for the Genesis!