[#02] ToeJam & Earl (Genesis)

Genre: Action-adventure
Developer: Johnson Voorsanger Productions
Publisher: Sega
Original release: 1991

Wow, hold on for a second. I need to take a breath. When you want to talk about originality and downright fun, it's damn near impossible to leave out 1991's funkadelic buds of Funkotron. I'm unflinchingly convinced that If Nick and Ted were 90's Sega characters from another world, ToeJam and Earl would be the name of their ultimate adventure. The plot revolving around the stylistic game is that unlike any other, and seems almost trivial considering the good time they have - but try and tell that to the down beat hakuna matata embodiments in every sense of the phrase, ToeJam & Earl.

The duo was cruising through space just like any other day when ToeJam gave in and let Earl take the wheel. Well, long story short their ship shattered into ten pieces, spread across a strange place called Earth, and ToeJam & Earl are on a quest to find them. Unfortunately, not everyone is as cool on earth as they are back on Funkatron, and everyone from a crazed Dentist (Painus Maximus) to a total Nerdherd (Geekus Dorkia) make it a point to get in their way. These delightfully amusing characters being just a few of many.

Along the way, the guys (which you will come to adore) pick up a wide array of power-ups hidden inside of tied presents. Things like Rocket Skates and Icarus Wings turn a game that has so much going for it into something truly classical. And if you can't manage to grab those great presents right away, don't even worry about it, because there are more than 20 main game levels. Best of all (and this is strongly emphasized), is that ToeJam and Earl is, yes you guessed it, a co-op compatible game (at least the original is). If the incredibly artistic design doesn't draw you in and keep you there, a friend should be more than enough to drag you along. What game could possibly fit better at #02 than ToeJam & Earl? If you've never experienced this game before (emphasis on experienced), then you my friend are in for one heck of a ride come its Virtual Console availability.


We've been through racers, skeleton warriors, Contra killers, Funkatronians and the Mario Bros. But what's the number one game on our 2006 list of must-have Virtual Console games? Heh, as if you didn't already know. The answer is on the next page.