Uuhhhhh....huh huh huh. Huh huh huh. Huh huh huh. Heh. Eh Heh Heh heh. Heh Heh..
Ummmm, so, like, this time we're going to be talking about the Beavis and Butt-Head game for Super Nintendo or something. I don't know if it's going to be good, but like... it looks pretty cool. Yeah! heh heh. This game is going to rule! There's going to be tons of action! And Music Videos! And FIRE! Uuuhhhh, yeah. Sounds pretty cool. But what if it like, sucks? Like it's just a bunch of Bon Jovi videos or something?
Beavis and Butt-Head in a video game? I'm there dude! In all seriousness, I figured I would give Beavis and Butt-Head on the SNES a shot now that the not-so-dynamic duo is back. I have yet to see the new show or movie, but they have received what I feel is a surprising amount of critical acclaim. Remember, Beavis and Butt-Head was the show that represented the oncoming downfall of society, the animated effigies of disinterested, braindead youth into which video games and the devil's music would soon warp all of our children. I myself wasn't a fan, I found the show to be ridiculous and childish, though I did appreciate it for introducing some pretty serious heavy metal music to the mainstream. But if the show was so juvenile, why did I find myself appreciating it more as I got older instead of less? Well, like a lot of folks in the 90's I didn't really understand what Beavis and Butt-Head was trying to accomplish. This was true of fans of the show as well as its critics, many people that loved it back then were totally unaware they were the precise group the show aimed to criticize. Look, I could go on all day debating the show's merits and cultural impact. But I'm just going to sum it up by saying, go watch the movie "Idiocracy," then re-watch Beavis and Butt-Head with the knowledge that they were created by the same person.
I was very interested to see how the game, developed by a company called Real Time Associates (huh huh, ASSociates) would incorporate the show's humor. Even when I wasn't high on the show, I always appreciated the music video segments and thought they brought about some of its best moments. Aside from featuring some really heavy bands, we're talking stuff like Death, Morbid Angel and Crowbar, they were comedically merciless. Sure, the boys would pick on easy targets like hair metal and pop acts, but they were just as quick to rip on a song like "God of Emptiness" or "This Love" (Damn it Pantera! This beer is warm!). Unfortunately, it wasn't really going to be possible to include any of that in the game, and the music tie-ins pretty much start and end with the plot, which sees Beavis and Butt-Head trying to acquire tickets to a GWAR concert. They must travel through a series of levels, including the hospital, Highland High School and TurboMall 2000, battling a variety of bizarre and familiar enemies. Most of the show's important characters are here, with Principal McVicker, Mr. VanDreesen, Coach Buzzcut, Tom Anderson and Todd all trying to stand in the way of the duo's quest. It's pretty dumb, but remember who we are dealing with here.
In terms of gameplay, it's a relatively simple side-scroller. You play as both Beavis and Butt-Head, moving left to right as you fight off enemies on your way to the end of each level. You can pick up items, including a gun and a stick, as well as health powerups. You can switch between the two characters, but it really doesn't matter much because they share a life bar. The best use in switching is to have one of the boys pick up a stick and the other a gun, so you have both options. I will say the gun is actually way less effective, we will get to why in a little bit, but it's still generally worth having. You can perform double team moves, but they only come into play occasionally throughout the game. Most of the challenges come from enemies, but there will be the occasional background obstruction that can mess you up as well. These can be a bit frustrating, but they are offset by the lack of pitfalls or platforming. Each level ends with a boss, which makes sense, though they are frequently the easiest part of the level.
The biggest issue here is how stiff the controls are (huh huh, you said stiff). Beavis and Butt-Head move very slowly which, while appropriate, makes the game feel extremely plodding. It also makes it extremely difficult to contend with enemies, as they almost all move way faster than you and many of them move in incredibly irregular patterns. Many of them also attack from behind without warning, and it's damn near impossible to turn around and swing at them without taking a hit. You have five lives and a pretty long life bar, but you also rarely, if ever, find health powerups. The jumping isn't too bad, but it's also not required all that often. The characters have a lot of frames of animation, which is a positive from a presentation standpoint. However, that combined with the slow controls leads to some problematic gameplay. It would be somewhat forgivable if the levels were better designed, but they are all just boring straight lines with a few different rooms. At least they look cool, but they are all overly straightforward and bland.
If there is one thing I have to give them credit for, it's that the game truly looks and feels like you are playing an episode of the show. It has that signature art style and has tons of really well-done voice samples. Beavis and Butt-Head will absolutely let you know if they think something is cool or if it sucks, just like the show. If anything, their nonsensical laughing is almost too present, it kind of drowns out the background music. The environments also look like they are straight out of the show and the attention to detail on things like how the TV looks are great. I wish the music were better, this would have been a great opportunity to have digitized versions of some really cool music, but the soundtrack is mostly just filler. It might have been tough, but games like Rock 'n Roll Racing made it work. At least it has the theme song from the show, which is accompanied by a pretty faithful recreation of the signature title screen.
At the end of the day, Beavis and Butt-Head wasn't a great game and it probably won't appeal to anyone who isn't a fan of the show. It's not all that long, but it's very hard (huh huh, long. Hard) and the juice really isn't worth the squeeze for a mediocre platformer. America's favorite juvenile delinquents may have been a bit misunderstood, but that doesn't change the fact that their game is okay at best. There are just too many good side scrollers from this era that this one isn't all that worth playing. You are better off just checking out the show. It might not be your cup of tea, but the game definitely won't be. I have to give it some credit for staying true to the source material and being a functional game, but that's all it is. I won't give it too low of a mark, lest the great Cornholio perceive such a score as a threat. But still...change it!
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