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Animaniacs Video Game In The Works

GameGossip has word that an Animaniacs video game entitled "The Great Edgar Hunt" is currently in the works. The game is being done by the in-house Warner Bros. developers. From the article: "The game is a third-person action title developed by Warthog, and puts players to the task of guiding characters Wakko, Yakko and Dot throughout six levels while trying to find the Edgar trophies; each making use of their own moves. The game will also include five "Pinky & The Brain" mini-games."

51 comments

  1. P&B by EGaming · · Score: 0

    My joystick for more episodes of Pinky and the Brain!

  2. Huh? by christopherfinke · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Did I step into a time warp? Is "The Animaniacs" even on TV anymore?

    1. Re:Huh? by nuggetman · · Score: 1

      it's on the nicktoons network on digital cable

      only reruns though

      --
      ...and that's all there is to it.
    2. Re:Huh? by Spleener12 · · Score: 1

      No, it's not. Well, they aren't making new episodes, anyway. Which is why it's newsworthy.

    3. Re:Huh? by Meagermanx · · Score: 2, Informative

      Seriously, does this even count as geek news? Oooh, Animaniacs hasn't been on TV for a while, and they're coming out with a game!! Hell, they already came out with a game. It was for the SNES, I have it, and it sucks. Games that suck this badly do not generally get their immediate predecessor featured on slashdot! This may be news, but it's not for nerds, and it doesn't matter at all to me.

    4. Re:Huh? by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 1

      The only way they can win with this, hoever good (stop laughing and let me be optimistic, dammit!) they make the game, is to aim it toward the 20somethings who grew up with the cartoon rather than the kids of today. Animaniacs and Pinky & The Brain have the potential to be really good games if done well, but if this is dumbed down for the kiddies it'll be miserable.

  3. Singalong by hollismb · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's time for Animaniacs
    And we're zany to the max
    So just sit back and relax
    You'll laugh 'til you collapse
    We're Animaniacs!

    Come join the Warner Brothers
    And the Warner Sister, Dot
    Just for fun we run around the Warner movie lot.
    They lock us in the tower whenever we get caught
    But we break loose and then vamoose
    And now you know the plot!

    1. Re:Singalong by nuggetman · · Score: 1

      We're animaniacs
      Dot is cute and Yakko yaks
      Wakko packs away the snacks
      While Bill Clinton plays the sax
      We're Animaniacs

      Meet Pinky and the Brain who want to rule the universe
      Good Feathers flock together, Slappy whacks 'em with her purse
      Buttons chases Mindy while Rita sings a verse
      The writers flipped we have no script why bother to rehearse

      We're animaniacs
      We have pay or play contracts
      We're zany to the max
      There's baloney in our slacks
      We're animany
      Totally insaney
      Here's the shows name-y

      Animaniacs
      Those are the facts.

      --
      ...and that's all there is to it.
    2. Re:Singalong by theWrkncacnter · · Score: 1

      In syndication they changed the Bill Clintion Plays the sax thing. not sure what they changed it to though.

      --
      -1 (Troll) is antihammer
    3. Re:Singalong by JustJon · · Score: 1

      Because Clinton isn't in office any more.

      They changed it during the original run in later seasons, after Clinton was voted out of office. The reruns are just playing the second opening.

    4. Re:Singalong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      clinton was voted out of office...
      animaniacs is still popular enough to warrent a video game...

      my god, what bizzare parrallel universe is this????

      it's one of those ones where the women are in charge and i can fullfill my dreams of being a beefcake secretary and marry a rich babe, right?

    5. Re:Singalong by sockdoll · · Score: 1

      ...after Clinton was voted out of office

      Huh? Clinton was never voted out of office, as president. He won both the 1992 and 1996 US presidential elections, and completed the maximum eight years allowed by the 22nd Amendment of the US Constitution.

      (He just had a little too much fun doing it - and then there was that whole impeachment thing. Glad I never voted for him...)

      I think the game has possibilities, myself, even if the show has been relinquished to sydication.

      --

      Got to keep the loonies on the path
    6. Re:Singalong by sockdoll · · Score: 1

      ...even if the show has been relinquished to sydication.

      Or relegated, or whatever.

      (D'oh!)

      --

      Got to keep the loonies on the path
    7. Re:Singalong by mink · · Score: 1

      I believe they have "Pay for Play contracts", but we would have to check the closed captioning to be sure.

      --
      Well I've wrestled with reality for thirty five years doctor, and I'm happy to say I finally won out over it.
  4. Article by someguy456 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wait, where was the article? The linked page contained pretty much the same information as the blurb. I think this is one of those times when RTFA won't help

  5. It's been done by Headcase88 · · Score: 1

    Back in the old side scroller days, they had an Animaniacs game for the Genesis and probably SNES. You should try to find the ROM*clears throat loudly* cartridge for it if you didn't try it when it came out.

    --
    "When the atomic bomb goes off there's devastation...but when the atomic bong goes off there's celebraaaaation!"
  6. Do kids still watch this show? by karn096 · · Score: 1

    I had no idea this was still on TV, and even if it was, what are the chances that the kids today will even know the cartoon characters in this video game.
    It seems to me their just running out of ideas.

    Why doesnt the video game industry bring back adventure games, now thats the good stuff.

  7. Man, why invest in this? by MagicDude · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Why can't Warner Brothers invest the money being used to develop this game into something else? Odds are this game isn't going to be a huge revolution in technology or gaming principles or programming or graphics or anything. This game is more likely to be a mediocre platformer, who's charm is going to be driven more by the story and the characters than the actual game itself. Why oh why can't they instead make more Animaniacs cartoons? That will target their prime audience better than a video game I think. A cartoonish platformer (unless it's done extremely well and elegantly) isn't likely to sell very well to the late teens/early 20's crowd, since these are the people who were the prime audience 10 years ago when Animaniacs was on the air. Since then I don't believe that Animaniacs has had a very big presence, and todays 8-14 year olds aren't as interested in it as we were. However, I don't think you'd find anyone who wouldn't be interested in the propect of new Animaniacs cartoons on TV.

    1. Re:Man, why invest in this? by game+kid · · Score: 1

      Absolutely. Less semi-useful games based on the cartoons, and more cartoons. A game won't have the same effect--especially if you play it more than, say, twice; you start hearing the same jokes again, whereas an extra season can always bring some sort of new humor (and where else would you have heard about Lake Titicaca save for a boring geography class? One can actually learn from these guys).

      I, for one, would definitely welcome back our Saturday Morning comedic overlords.

      --
      You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
    2. Re:Man, why invest in this? by SunFan · · Score: 1

      Odds are this game isn't going to be a huge revolution in technology or gaming principles or programming or graphics or anything.

      No, but it could be utterly rediculous, which might make it worth buying.

      --
      -- Microsoft is the most expensive commodity operating system and office suite vendor in the marketplace.
    3. Re:Man, why invest in this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      isn't likely to sell very well to the late teens/early 20's crowd, since these are the people who were the prime audience 10 years ago when Animaniacs was on the air

      well, i'm a mid 20's and i loved the animaniacs and i've been missing it for years, every now and again thinking back to it. it really struck a cord with me and sunk into my psyche.

      i thought i was weird but my girlfriend is the same way.

      if this game is any good. and is on a console i already own (gc) or the pc i might have to get it. if for no other reason than i can suck my girl into the world of video games. mwhahahahahahah...

    4. Re:Man, why invest in this? by MilenCent · · Score: 1

      However, I don't think you'd find anyone who wouldn't be interested in the propect of new Animaniacs cartoons on TV.

      I'm unsure.

      That era of Warner Bros. animation did produce some good material. Animaniacs, Freakazoid, Pinky and the Brain, each of these at their best were much better than anything on Saturday Morning had any right being. (Of course, Batman: The Animated Series was brilliant all the way through, but it seems difficult to meaningfully juxtapose that with Pinky and the Brain....)

      But don't forget that for every classic bit in Animaniacs, there were two clunkers. The Warner Bros., Slappy Squirrel and PatB, those were the reasons to watch Animaniacs. Mindy and Buttons, Rita and Runt, and most of the things that tried to teach the viewer usually turned out pretty cruddy.

    5. Re:Man, why invest in this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      most of the things that tried to teach the viewer usually turned out pretty cruddy.

      dude, the nations of the world is a fricken classic.

      and i don't know if it counts as educational but Good Idea, Bad Idea was brilliant.

      ok, maybe to my 15 year old mind it was brilliant, but whatever.

    6. Re:Man, why invest in this? by MilenCent · · Score: 1

      dude, the nations of the world is a fricken classic.

      Yes, agreed. That's why I said that most of the things that tried to teach were cruddy. I specifically had that (and Wakko's states-of-the-union song) in my mind as exceptions when I said most.

  8. Time warp! by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 4, Informative
    Animaniacs: 1993 to 1998

    Pinky and the Brain: 1995 to 1998

    I think the game is going to fail, simply because it's not going to have an audience. My guess is that the target audience is going to be children; the game is probably going to be too easy for anyone who grew up with the show to enjoy it.

    And barring the "third-person" line (which implies that the game will be 3D), it sounds a lot like the old Genesis/SNES title. I don't think I can think of any other franchises that made the jump from 16-bit to next-gen, and this doesn't seem like it's going to bode well for the game's fate.

    In any case, though, I'm hoping that it's going to be a good game. The franchise deserves it, especially since this could very well be the last we ever see of either Animaniacs or Pinky and the Brain.

    --
    Goo goo g'joob.
    1. Re:Time warp! by scribblej · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't think I can think of any other franchises that made the jump from 16-bit to next-gen, and this doesn't seem like it's going to bode well for the game's fate.

      Not trying very hard, are you?

      Off the top of my head, there's Mario, Zelda, and Metroid. Donkey Kong. Ninja Gaiden (and how!), Prince of Persia, etc.

      And this just what my poor 5:00 Friday brain could come up with in ten seconds.

      There's a TON of games that have "made the jump." Think harder.

    2. Re:Time warp! by cowscows · · Score: 1

      I think this is bound to be a niche game, due to the fact that the animaniacs have well passed their heyday. That being the case, I wish they'd take a different angle on the game.

      More specifically, I wish they'd make an adventure game, along the lines Lucas Arts stuff of Day of the Tentacle or Sam&Max hit the Road. And I think the animaniacs would be a perfect fit for that game type. It allows for lots of silliness and clever writing, good times all around.

      --

      One time I threw a brick at a duck.

    3. Re:Time warp! by Gothic_Walrus · · Score: 1
      Thsoe are all franchises that began as video games.

      Admittedly, I didn't specify in my first post. But can you think of any entertainment (movies, TV, books...) franchises that made that jump?

      Or am I just proving my stupidity again?

      --
      Goo goo g'joob.
    4. Re:Time warp! by scribblej · · Score: 1

      Bit late now I guess, but hell yes I can!

      Batman, Spiderman, Superman, X-men, etc, etc, etc... all had old 8-bit incarnations that were successful and newer ones as well.

      How about Raiders of the Lost Ark? Was there ever a 16-bit version of that? Even if not, I think I could say "Indiana Jones" and still be OK -- counting the whole concept rather than just the one movie. After all, we're not talking about a single Animaniacs episode...

      And Star Wars, for that matter. Done up in every system from A to Z.

    5. Re:Time warp! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about Raiders of the Lost Ark? Was there ever a 16-bit version of that?

      Don't recall one. But there was an Atari 2600 game.

  9. As others have said, this isn't the first game... by leland242 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    As others have said, this isn't the first game for the Animaniacs.

    See: http://www.gamefaqs.com/search/index.html?game=Ani maniacs for all the gory details.

    I think this game will follow the trend of other Animaniac titles - no one will care.

  10. is this really a game? by hammeredpeon · · Score: 2, Funny

    or is it one of Brain's plots to take over the world?

    --
    best college pickem site ever: pickem.terrbear.org
  11. Time Warner + Technology = Failure by hirschma · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "The game is being done by the in-house Warner Bros. developers."

    Time Warner has a near perfect track record of failing with any content that uses any kind of technology. This game should carry on the same sad tradition.

    They need to stick to distribution, ink and paper, and celluloid.

  12. Slow news day? TGIF? by bersl2 · · Score: 1

    Don't get me wrong---I love the Animaniacs, and along with Freakazoid, they made some great cartoon humor---but how is this even news, even if it were timely?

    1. Re:Slow news day? TGIF? by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

      Because a lot of us are fans and it's interesting to see some life in a brand that was thought to be dead and buried years ago.

  13. umm.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    why is this even on /.? i'm posting as anon because i know someone (Zonk) won't like it when i say what a waste of time the article is, but come on now. the article doesn't even have screencaps, let alone any graphical content whatsoever. i guess congrats for getting mod points from pasting in the theme song, but does any of it really fall under the "Stuff that matters." half of the slogan?

  14. Are you threatening me? by tepples · · Score: 3, Funny

    and where else would you have heard about Lake Titicaca save for a boring geography class?

    Everything I know about Titicaca I learned from The Great Cornholio.

  15. Brain: Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinking? by El_Muerte_TDS · · Score: 2, Funny

    Pinky: Yeah, but how will they ever fit all those llamas in such a small box?

    Brain: Come on, we have to prepare for tomorrow night.

    Pinky: Why what are we going to do?

    Brain: Same thing we do every night, try to make a good video game.

  16. Re:Singalong: My favorite is.... by Gehenna_Gehenna · · Score: 2, Funny

    And now the nations of the world, brought to you by Yakko Warner!

    United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama
    Haiti, Jamaica, Peru,
    Republic Dominican, Cuba, Carribean
    Greenland, El Salvador too.
    Puerto Rico, Columbia, Venezuela
    Honduras, Guyana, and still,
    Guatemala, Bolivia, then Argentina
    And Ecuador, Chile, Brazil.
    Costa Rica, Belize, Nicaragua, Bermuda
    Bahamas, Tobago, San Juan,
    Paraguay, Uruguay, Surinam
    And French Guiana, Barbados, and Guam.

    Norway, and Sweden, and Iceland, and Finland
    And Germany now one piece,
    Switzerland, Austria, Czechoslovakia
    Italy, Turkey, and Greece.
    Poland, Romania, Scotland, Albania
    Ireland, Russia, Oman,
    Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia
    Hungary, Cyprus, Iraq, and Iran.
    There's Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan
    Both Yemens, Kuwait, and Bahrain,
    The Netherlands, Luxembourg, Belgium, and Portugal
    France, England, Denmark, and Spain.

    India, Pakistan, Burma, Afghanistan
    Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan,
    Kampuchea, Malaysia, then Bangladesh (Asia)
    And China, Korea, Japan.
    Mongolia, Laos, and Tibet, Indonesia
    The Philippine Islands, Taiwan,
    Sri Lanka, New Guinea, Sumatra, New Zealand
    Then Borneo, and Vietnam.
    Tunisia, Morocco, Uganda, Angola
    Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Botswana,
    Mozambique, Zambia, Swaziland, Gambia
    Guinea, Algeria, Ghana.

    Burundi, Lesotho, and Malawi, Togo
    The Spanish Sahara is gone,
    Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Liberia
    Egypt, Benin, and Gabon.
    Tanzania, Somalia, Kenya, and Mali
    Sierra Leone, and Algiers,
    Dahomey, Namibia, Senegal, Libya
    Cameroon, Congo, Zaire.
    Ethiopia, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar
    Rwanda, Mahore, and Cayman,
    Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Yugoslavia...
    Crete, Mauritania
    Then Transylviania,
    Monaco, Liechtenstein
    Malta, and Palestine,
    Fiji, Australia, Sudan.

    (Notice: Transylvania is included, but South Africa is not!

    --

  17. Re:Brain: Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinkin by kaellinn18 · · Score: 1

    Brain: "Pinky, are you pondering what I'm pondering?"

    Various Pinky responses:
    "I think so Brain, but where are we going to find a tattoo parlor at this time of night?"

    "I think so Brain, but if people called them Sad Meals, people just wouldn't buy them."

    "I think so Brain, but what if we can't get the stockings on the chicken?"

    --

    --------
    This isn't the sig you're looking for. Move along.
  18. Re:Brain: Pinky, are you thinking what I'm thinkin by Wampus+Aurelius · · Score: 2, Funny

    "I think so Brain, but me and Pippi Longstocking...what would the children look like?"

  19. Before this page gets filled up... by Headcase88 · · Score: 1

    :)

    Let's get this over with, here's a link to the WikiQuote page. No more quotes! :P

    --
    "When the atomic bomb goes off there's devastation...but when the atomic bong goes off there's celebraaaaation!"
  20. Re:Singalong: My favorite is.... by jonadab · · Score: 2, Funny

    > Notice: Transylvania is included, but South Africa is not!

    There are a number of little things like that. For instance, Scotland, Ireland, and England are included, but not Northern Ireland or Wales. I chalk this up to the fact that they were trying to make it fit the rhythm at least somewhat, as well as rhyme if possible. Also, since you mentioned South Africa, both Swaziland and Lesotho are included, even though South Africa is not. Then there's the small matter of using nonstandard names for some countries (e.g., naming the UAE by the capital city; though I can certainly sympathize with that one, as far as fitting rhythm and rhyming schems is concerned). Borneo, as far as I am aware, was *never* a country, and I'm not so sure about Sumatra either in that respect; Brunei is not included (was it an independent country at the time? it is now...); Tibet was no longer independent when the song was written; the song also lists the Spanish Sahara even while pointing out its demise as a recognized political entity. Another glaring omission on the continent of Africa is the C.A.R. There's also some inconsistency in how countries with similar names are handled; "both Yemens" seems reasonable enough (it is a song after all, so something has to give in the name of poetic license), but "Korea" and "Vietnam" were just listed as if one country each. Also, I am firmly of the opinion that Anvilania should have been squeezed in somehow.

    Of course, the whole song is quite obsolete now, as world political geography in certain regions (northern Asia and the Balkans notably) has had quite a number of new lines drawn ad interim. Additionally, most island nations were not included unless they are closely associated with a major continent. Thus, most of Oceania was omitted, and most of the tiny Carribean nations. Between all of that and the breakups of the USSR and Yugoslavia, you could probably write three additional verses if you wanted to include a bunch of the nations that were not included at the time. You could also throw in San Marino (omitted), Eritrea (new), and whatever else strikes your fancy.

    --
    Cut that out, or I will ship you to Norilsk in a box.
  21. Re:Singalong: My favorite is.... by antifoidulus · · Score: 1

    but "Korea" and "Vietnam" were just listed as if one country each.
    uh, Vietnam IS just one country.....

  22. Comeback!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    woot!
    animanics will be back
    yakko wakko and dot!

    1. Re:Comeback!! by NekoIncardine · · Score: 1

      Animaniacs will be back after about 3,000,000 copies of this game are sold. Unless it proves to be the next Metal Gear Solid in terms of inspiring mass mania, it's gonna suck. And why couldn't they have had Konami do this one, like they did with the original Animaniacs game? Hell, if THEY'D done it, I can only imagine how messed it would be.

      --
      Omeg La. Rofl Leh.
    2. Re:Comeback!! by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      And they'll be all extreme now!

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
  23. If they want to make money off of old fans... by Kuukai · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ...why not release a DVD?

    --
    Sendou Wave Kick!!
  24. Whither the Wacky Pack? by NaDrew · · Score: 1

    Back when I worked for Davidson/Knowledge Adventure/CUC Software/Cendant Software/Havas Interactive (I left before they became Universal Interactive and were subsequently shut down), we released the "Animaniacs Wacky Pack". This was a very fun game for PC and Mac, comprising (I seem to recall) four activities: miniature golf, a maze game, and a couple more I can't remember now. It was in about 1997, and I went from writing the tech support FAQ for the game to coding the installer for the second release; got my name in the scrolling credits for that one. Sadly, I can't find any evidence of its existence now.

    --
    Vista:XPSP2::ME:98SE
  25. Another garbage news post by fondue · · Score: 1

    This game was announced many months ago. All that is being announced in the article is that Ignition will be publishing it. Also:

    "The game is being done by the in-house Warner Bros. developers. From the article: "The game is a third-person action title developed by Warthog,"

    Does Zonk actually read submissions before running them?

    --

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