Here's another failed mascot for today!
VGR: Wild Woody
From Sega
Played on Mega CD
Also available on /Type Sidescrolling platformer
What is this Wild Woody I'm talking about?!
It's a little obscure game that was released just before the sad end of the Sega/Mega CD for the Megadrive.
As such the game got quickly discontinued and it's hard to find copies of it these days same as it was back then originally. (most ended up in bargain bins quickly)
Anyway, besides that piece of information, the game isn't that bad on the surface.
It looks like your usual 16-bit platformers.
He has one difficult name to take seriously.
And it was developed internally by Sega of America.
Let's take a closer look....
The "story" starts in the home of a reputed adventured named Dusty.
He is heard returning home with a magical Totem Pole he just found... and then suddenly has to rush out the door on yet another epic journey.
But this story doesn't concern that guy anyhow.
Due to a rare and bizarre and coincidental suite of events the Totem heads spring to life!
Each one of those heads goes into a different direction and takes control of one of the objects in this room. A painting, a magazine in the trash, etc.
They create alternate dimensions from these while our regular world is stopped in time.
The finale head is the only good one though. As such this one, named Lowman, decides to stop the other pieces of the Totem.
Lowman needs some muscle. He spots a yellow pencil on the desk and brings it to life to help find his brothers and stop them for creating further parallel universes.
Thus Wild Woody is born!
Okay it doesn't make much sense, but video games didn't need "stories" to work back then.
And this one sure doesn't take itself too seriously!
Actually it sort of parodies the games of the time via its exaggerated cutscenes and gaming aspect.
The game takes place over 5 stages - pretty classic ones at that, the Pirate level, Mount Olympus, the Industrial/Power Plant one, the Alien Homeworld and finally Dark Caves. All from where the Totem heads went into. (the Greek painting in the office, the comic book/poster lying around, etc.)
There's also a boss per World (one of the heads possessing stuff), Woody must take them down one by own to bring the Totem pieces back to Lowman in-between stages.
The story, if you want to call it that way, is told through cutscenes.
Aaaaaand it's hard to make a perfectly honest opinion on those.
It's very strange CGi cutscenes, even for that time.
In one hand they're actually well animated. Woody runs around cartoony, nicely. The voice acting is great/parodical.
Buuuut, when the characters get up close....things get Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild!!
Like the faces make all these strange motions, eyes popping out, tongues jumping around, etc.
I dunno. I doubt the same animators made the motions around and the faces talking.
Game-wise, the game really wants to be the new Earthworm Jim.
Even the health system is the same! (in percentage %)
It's the only game were you'll control an anthropomorphic pencil for sure!
Woody can erase enemies with his butt(!).
You also get a selection of sketch you can collect around or spend by using those.
Woody will then draw stuff that will become real temporary.
Like using the airplanes sketch to make an actual paperplane to fly around. Or sail around via a paperboat. There's also some more direct actions like a mini-tornado.
You can also find and erase boxes around which can contain other items/sketches.
But Woody will shrink in size if you use him up too much.
There's also some power-ups like to go back to your proper size.
It's really a crazy game in tone!
Though it does look quite simpler, almost like an early 16-bit game rather than a CD-powered one.
The sprites and animations are nice though. Cartoony enough.
Anyway, besides that piece of information, the game isn't that bad on the surface.
It looks like your usual 16-bit platformers.
He has one difficult name to take seriously.
And it was developed internally by Sega of America.
Let's take a closer look....
The name's Woody... WIIILD Woody!!~
The "story" starts in the home of a reputed adventured named Dusty.
He is heard returning home with a magical Totem Pole he just found... and then suddenly has to rush out the door on yet another epic journey.
But this story doesn't concern that guy anyhow.
Due to a rare and bizarre and coincidental suite of events the Totem heads spring to life!
Each one of those heads goes into a different direction and takes control of one of the objects in this room. A painting, a magazine in the trash, etc.
They create alternate dimensions from these while our regular world is stopped in time.
The finale head is the only good one though. As such this one, named Lowman, decides to stop the other pieces of the Totem.
Lowman needs some muscle. He spots a yellow pencil on the desk and brings it to life to help find his brothers and stop them for creating further parallel universes.
Thus Wild Woody is born!
I was BOOORN to save the world!
Okay it doesn't make much sense, but video games didn't need "stories" to work back then.
And this one sure doesn't take itself too seriously!
Actually it sort of parodies the games of the time via its exaggerated cutscenes and gaming aspect.
The game takes place over 5 stages - pretty classic ones at that, the Pirate level, Mount Olympus, the Industrial/Power Plant one, the Alien Homeworld and finally Dark Caves. All from where the Totem heads went into. (the Greek painting in the office, the comic book/poster lying around, etc.)
There's also a boss per World (one of the heads possessing stuff), Woody must take them down one by own to bring the Totem pieces back to Lowman in-between stages.
The story, if you want to call it that way, is told through cutscenes.
Aaaaaand it's hard to make a perfectly honest opinion on those.
It's very strange CGi cutscenes, even for that time.
In one hand they're actually well animated. Woody runs around cartoony, nicely. The voice acting is great/parodical.
Buuuut, when the characters get up close....things get Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild!!
Like the faces make all these strange motions, eyes popping out, tongues jumping around, etc.
I dunno. I doubt the same animators made the motions around and the faces talking.
Game-wise, the game really wants to be the new Earthworm Jim.
Even the health system is the same! (in percentage %)
It's the only game were you'll control an anthropomorphic pencil for sure!
Woody can erase enemies with his butt(!).
You also get a selection of sketch you can collect around or spend by using those.
Woody will then draw stuff that will become real temporary.
Like using the airplanes sketch to make an actual paperplane to fly around. Or sail around via a paperboat. There's also some more direct actions like a mini-tornado.
You can also find and erase boxes around which can contain other items/sketches.
But Woody will shrink in size if you use him up too much.
There's also some power-ups like to go back to your proper size.
It's really a crazy game in tone!
Though it does look quite simpler, almost like an early 16-bit game rather than a CD-powered one.
The sprites and animations are nice though. Cartoony enough.
My principal problem is with the controls, a bit rough and sloppy. The jumps are awkward and take some getting used to. The attack as well.
For some reason there's also some 3D segments not to far from those bonus stages in Sonic CD.
Probably a decision from Sega to sell it better as a CD-based game.
And the music, did I almost forgot to talk about the music?
The entire score was performed by Ron "BumbleFoot" Thal, who is notably the current lead guitarist for Guns N Roses!
It's a pretty loud metal/rock soundtrack that really sell the "wiiiiiiiiiild" aspect of this game.
Also who is the actor behind Woody??
I ask this because our character here sounds like he was voiced by "Weird Al" Yankovic..
(he isn't, right?... right? I couldn't find the info anywhere...)
Overall, it's Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild!
Not really bad as some people are a bit quite to brand mostly thanks to the title.
Visually it's your standard classic Megadrive looking game...with Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild music in the background.
The game tries really hard to be edgy, rockin'. You know, for kids!
It is well animated enough (even the cutscenes, despite the Wiiiiiiiiiild faces). The character is crazy enough.
But the level design is a bit shaky and boring.
The first level is easily the worst. Once I passed it the rest went much easier. (even to look at)
It's like an Earthworm Jim on drugs! (mmmh... I wonder if that's the "Wild" part...)
It has become a sort of cult title for the Mega CD, for its good (the music, the cutscenes) as well as the bad (sloppy controls...).
If you like the idea of guitars for background music, rubbing your ass to get through things and some trash humor, then this is for you!
Not really bad as some people are a bit quite to brand mostly thanks to the title.
Visually it's your standard classic Megadrive looking game...with Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiild music in the background.
The game tries really hard to be edgy, rockin'. You know, for kids!
It is well animated enough (even the cutscenes, despite the Wiiiiiiiiiild faces). The character is crazy enough.
But the level design is a bit shaky and boring.
The first level is easily the worst. Once I passed it the rest went much easier. (even to look at)
It's like an Earthworm Jim on drugs! (mmmh... I wonder if that's the "Wild" part...)
It has become a sort of cult title for the Mega CD, for its good (the music, the cutscenes) as well as the bad (sloppy controls...).
If you like the idea of guitars for background music, rubbing your ass to get through things and some trash humor, then this is for you!
I give it:
Not as bad a game as most people make it out to be! If I still had a YouTube account, I'd give it a fully-done Let's Play, rather than just give up after half-assing the Pirate Stage...
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