History: There was a movie called Mary Popins that needed more pop so they put people into cartoons cartoon characters and live-action. Later a cartoon named Roger Rabbit and another called Cool World came along. Its only natural to use a green or blue screen to put characters in animated features and games. Yes, now games are doing the plot of Cool World.

Plot: Drew Blank, the animator of the Fluffy Fluffy Bun Bun Show, is taken into a cartoon, just like the plot of Cool World so far. The cartoon world is called Cutopia, which is filled with characters from the Fluffy Bunny show and ruled by the good King Hugh, Drew must save Cutopia from the Evil Count Nefarious who is "Malevolating" Cutopia in his own image. Marge the cow, the sheep and the Churn a Tron 2000 milk machine are malevolated into the Wheel-O-Luv game where the cow has a thing for piercings, and bondage.

The game begins in the home of Bricabrac who explains your goals on a blackboard. After Drew goes to Cutopia he visits Zanydu, which is full of Drew’s own characters. Seedy, the butt-bowling bartender who only respect people who insult him; Warp and Woof; the owners of Wacme Concepts constantly beat up each other and peddle exploding cigars and acid spray, and other Drew creations. Drew has the help of a little purple guy named Flux Wildly, a spastic and sarcastic sidekick.

Game play: There is about 20 hours of gameplay for seasoned gamers, according to game producer David Bishop.

Interface: The game has a full inventory system onscreen and text blurbs to help with those who would prefer text instead of or with the voice.

The over 50 Puzzles are of the treasure hunt type, where you find the object, combine or not combine it with other objects you may have found, and use it in the right way in the right place and time. Some puzzles include an exploding turkey, seduce a chicken, and flush the fish.

Humor is mandatory in this type of game and is in the best tradition of the classic film it is loosely based upon. Instead of Acme, this game uses Wacme, probably because there is no Warner or Disney license including, classic cartoon humor, sight gags and twisted shenanigans.

Full Motion Video: Christopher Lloyd, of Back to the Future and Taxi, plays Drew Blanc. Chris is filmed before a green or blue screen and put into the animation over the other characters and backgrounds just like the original Toon animated feature film, who killed Roger Rabbit. The game also holds over an hour of cartoons, composed of over 50,000 frames of animation. The cartoons are rewards for solving puzzles or just carry you into the next part of the game.

Graphics appear to be two dimensional hand drawn animation characters and backgrounds with the full motion video of Christopher Lloyd shot in front of a blue/green screen. The graphics are comprised of over 75,000 frames of animation created at Nelvana, producers of the Wildcats, Eek the Cat and Beetlejuice animated cartoon series, over 100 hand-painted background scenes to explore and dozens of characters to meet, and over one hour of live action video and traditionally animated cinematic sequences.

Sound: CD-quality digital sound, samples and special effects with voice talent Christopher Lloyd playing our hero, Drew Blank, a not so clever double pun. Dome deLouise plays "Fingers" the octopus who you can challenge to a game at the arcade. Tim Curry, of Rocky Horror Picture Show and numerous computer features, such as Frankenstein and Gabriel Knight 1, plays the evil Count Nefarious. And then there's Flux Wildly, voiced by Dan Castellaneta, television's Homer Simpson, a sarcastic, flatulent, purple thingy. Davic Ogden Stiers, of MASH fame, plays another toon.

Music score: Has parts licensed form Ren and Stimpy, which is quite appropriate to this type of humor. Overall the music is whimsical and ominous at the same time.

Multi-player: not really suitable for multi-player mode.

References:
K. Hedstrom, Computer Gaming World, number 146, September, 1996, pg. 46.
Trent Ward, www.gamespot.com/previews/toonstru
Corey Cohen, PC Games, volume 3, number 9, September, 1996, pg. 52-55.