Oscar
Platform: Super Nintendo Entertainment System
Region: USA
Media: Cartridge
Controller: Gamepad
Genre: Platformer, Action
Gametype: Licensed
Release Year: 1996
Developer: Flair Software
Publisher: Titus Software
Players: 1
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"Not what I thought it was -- in several ways"

At first, when seeing a game named Oscar within the annals of GameFAQs, I had a severe underlying fear: that it would be a game based on the movie starring Sylvester Stallone. I've never seen that movie in my life, but fortunately, it was not that, and my fears were clearly not founded in reason. I did have something else to be afraid of, however: it is made by Titus - yes, the very same Titus whose employees are still being pelted with rotten eggs for the crime that is Superman 64. Therefore, it was with much trepidation that I approached Oscar. It will pleasantly surprise many Titus haters to know that I in fact was pleasantly surprised by this game. It goes almost strictly by the book, which is apparently what Titus needs to do to make decent games. Come with me, if you will, as we explore Oscar.

I don't know what the main character is supposed to look like, or even what his name is. He does, however, start out in a movie theater, and can venture into one of four movies being screened - a prehistorically set movie, a horror flick, a cartoon, or a Western. He doesn't watch the movie though, he goes into that movie, and must locate several Oscars (hence the title of the game) to escape the movie. Each movie consists of three scenes, and you must find a set amount of Oscars that look strangely like our white-haired protagonist and then a clapboard, which serves as the exit, to finish the level. The hero - I'll just call him Oscar to keep it easy to follow - starts out with jumping on enemies as his only line of defense. If he finds the right icon, he'll have a yo-yo so he can strike foes from a distance (this yo-yo makes the game so much easier).

There are also bonus levels where you collect scads of items for points and extra lives played after each level. To access those, you'll have to hunt for the letters that spell BONUS before you locate the clapboard. Most of the points you earn come from finding artifacts related to the movie you're in. In the prehistoric setting, for example, you'll find primitive weapons, bones, and saber-toothed tiger teeth just floating around, and in the Western you'll find looted money lying about all over the place. Several other items can either help or hinder you as well, like the elixir which makes Oscar invisible for a while; or they may have comical effects that you weren't anticipating. One of these comical items that I nearly died laughing over was the Game Boy. Grab one, and all of the scenery turns that monochromatic green tint we all know and love. Lightening the mood like that certainly helps this platformer achieve more than just bargain bin status.

Oscar's control is a bit more laid back than I would like. Go into the prehistoric movie first - it'll give you time to get acquainted with his footloose moves and all the other ways he operates. L and R make you face left and right respectively, B jumps, and Y uses the yo-yo if you have it. Of course, the D-pad moves you around. Oscar runs everywhere he goes. This means that you're not exactly going to be making a lot of three-point landings to start out. Controlling Oscar correctly takes time and patience. Once you have the hang of him, jumping on enemies will be just as simple as swinging the yo-yo around. He moves a bit fast for my taste, but then, Sonic the Hedgehog runs everywhere he goes, so I guess Oscar doesn't have too much of a problem.

The graphics aren't anything to write back home about, but are sufficient for this offering. Oscar was released in 1996, about the time the SNES took a dive here in the States, but it looks like something that could have just as easily been put together in 1992. The zoom-in stuff at the title screen just doesn't cut it as far as cutting edge goes, but the fading to scenes is done nicely. I like the way things are executed, and even though there is a specific level for cartoons, the whole game appears to be one. I like many of the sprites, except for Oscar himself. Oscar is ugly - what is he? A badger? A monkey? What? A little more detail could have gone into everything as a whole, as well. By the way, I'm still laughing at the Game Boy thing.

It's the sound and music that are truly annoying in this game. All the music has a way too .... I don't know .... MIDI feel to it. It's nothing special, not exactly Nobuo Uematsu-caliber music, if you catch my obscure reference. Sad to say, the music does annoy me, and the sound effects aren't much better. Every time Oscar nabs another Oscar, he says, ''Thanks, everybody!'' This reaches its optimum level of annoyance when there are several Oscars grouped together in a small area. Almost every sound effect seems as though someone has just crashed head-on into some kind of metal, be it sheet metal, steel, what have you. I don't blame you if you choose to mute the sound and then plug in some of your own music. Personally, I can really get into Oscar when I'm listening to Nickelback.

A person could easily look at a game like Oscar and think, possibly aloud, ''Pfft, it's no wonder the Super Nintendo isn't around anymore, thanks to giraffe excrement like this.'' True, it is one last weak gasp of air for the SNES, and could even be looked at as an attempt to create a Mascot Who Becomes Popular And Stars In Many Sequels And A Bad Movie Of His Own. Some will even cackle with irony as they ponder how this game is eighty thousand times better than Superman 64 or practically anything else Titus has made. This game is worth a rental if you can muster the guts to give it a whirl. It has somewhat of a learning curve - a peculiar thing to say about a platformer, but Oscar does take time to become accustomed to. I commend Titus for finally doing one by the numbers, because they actually cranked out something I can entertain myself for at least an hour with.

And the Oscar Goes To...
--Hilarious items
--A decent challenge for a while
--Sufficient graphics, although dated

It Was An Honor Just To Be Nominated
--Rinky-dink music and sound
--Control takes some getting used to
--If you can't forgive Titus for Superman 64, you won't like this

Score: 8

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/09/02, Updated 06/09/02

Reviewer: Snow Dragon
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/snes/review/R35264.html
