Admit it, the idea of spending two hours with Ronald McDonald doesn't sound like the most exciting afternoon. He'll probably spend the whole time selling you hamburgers and shakes. You would rather be shooting aliens and taking down bosses. As it turns out, the makers of Gunstar Heroes created a game that even the most cynical gamer can get behind. McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure offers a surprising amount of fast action with a familiar face that uncharacteristically avoids the hard sell. Believe it or not, this is a McDonald's game you can feel good about owning.


Our adventure starts when Ronald stumbles across a mysterious map with the word "treasure" on it. He immediately puts two and two together and sets off on an adventure to, you guessed it; find whatever buried treasure awaits him. Unfortunately, Ronald only has part of the map. It's up to him to travel around the world, battle bosses, collect more pieces of the map and, if everything goes well, finally unearth the buried treasure.

Ronald is up to the challenge, bringing a grappling hook-style scarf and a magic projectile. He takes on four lengthy stages, each offering multiple parts and creative boss fights. Ronald first must travel through the colorful mountains, fight through the caves, take a trip on a speeding train, stroll around the city, ride on robotic ballerinas and journey deep into the mountains to see if "X" really does mark the spot.


Despite seeing a few familiar characters from time to time, this 16-bit Genesis game is more Treasure Land Adventure than McDonald's. Treasure could have easily substituted any animated character with precisely the same results. You can also see the famed developer's signatures throughout the adventure. The stages are gorgeous and there are more than a few creative flourishes you'll be talking about long after the end credits. Plus the bosses are all worth fighting, a specialty of Treasure.

Even with a lot of the inventive touches, McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure isn't without a few problems. For one thing, the gameplay doesn't change much over the four stages. Speaking of which, the four stages wrap up right as it feels like the game is getting started. Also, when compared to other Treasure action games, this McDonald's adventure just doesn't stack up.


With strong visuals and a charming style, it's easy to recommend McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure. It may not be perfect, but even the worst Treasure games are still worth checking out. Don't be chased off by its junk food roots, McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure is part of a healthy diet.