Toobin’
System: NES
Release Date: December 1989
Developer: Tengen
Publisher: Tengen
Genre: Racing
Toobin’ is one of those games where you have to ask what the developers were smoking when they made it. Atari and Midway are both credited as developers on the original arcade cabinet. I guess we all need to put out some stinkers in order to balance our hits.
You take the role of Bif or Jet and you want to master something like 50 rivers around the world, on the moon, and in the underworld. If you find them on the river, you can equip cans to throw diagonally at enemies on shore. Grab a six pack for unlimited can throwing action… that level. You need to avoid enemy projectiles and obstacles on the river. You can attack some floating sticks to reveal items.
Movement is handled with the d-pad and you can move however you want, but current occasionally make your floating more difficult to control. Travel through gates (like a slalom) to add to your score. The higher the point value, the more narrow the gates. You can also catch floating letters to spell Toobin’ for more points. Make it to the whirlpool at the end of the level to move on to the next.
Graphics: 1.0
Everything looks pretty bad. The banks of the river outside of the jungle are plain.
Sound: 1.0
Music and sound are annoying and not very fitting.
Gameplay: 1.0
There’s very little depth to gameplay. Giving the player a couple more things to do would have done wonders.
Difficulty: 1.0
There are places that are instant death traps because you aren’t at one specific spot on screen.
Fun Factor: 0.5
This game is so boring and unfun.
Overall Grade: 0.9
Toobin’ earns a D. I feel bad for anyone who had it as a kid. I would have revolted.