Looney Tunes: Duck Dodgers Parent Guide

Remember getting up early to watch the moronic misadventures of Daffy Duck on Saturday morning cartoons? It was the only time I was ever allowed to eat in the living room, because both breakfast and cartoons were too important to miss. At least that’s the excuse Dad used on Mom… and I figured if it worked for him it would work for me.

Well, the years have flown by. My wife won’t let me eat breakfast in the living room anymore, and Daffy Duck has graduated to the videogame platform. But one thing remains constant… Daffy is still a space cadet.

It’s the 24th and a half-century, and Marvin the Martian has invented a weapon capable of annihilating the Earth. However, just as he flips the switch, something prevents him from carrying out his destructive deed. Apparently Marvin’s machine is a little short on the energy atoms required to power his creation, so he sends his cronies on an intergalactic search for the much-needed fuel. Enter Duck Dodgers (a.k.a. Daffy Duck). With P-P-P-Porky P-P-Pig at his side, Dodgers embarks on a mission to gather all available energy atoms before Marvin’s minions can get a hold of them. He’s all that stands between the misguided Martian and the extermination of humanity. The future is in good hands.

As Dodgers explores every possible level on five different planets, he is required to retrieve a total of 100 energy atoms, but his participation in extra-curricular activities will provide some additional comic relief (this is based on a cartoon, remember?). You’ll also find that Dodgers comes equipped with a few special maneuvers, enabling him to best anyone or anything that stands in his way by kicking, shoving, or jumping (sorry, he can’t fly). Speaking of equipped, our superhero has access to the latest gadgets available in the ACME company warehouse… those dethpicable Martian misfits don’t stand a chance.

Once you get the hang of it, playing this game is a lot like watching a cartoon unfold. In fact, you’ll be excused for having a Saturday morning flashback when you see Daffy chased by an adversary, squashed by a car, or attempting to tiptoe unawares around his enemies (especially when that familiar Warner Brothers soundtrack accompanies every scene). And since violence is limited to what you’d normally expect from the clumsy waterfowl, there are no surprises awaiting the unsuspecting parent.

If you’re okay with little Johnny spending time with TV’s Daffy Duck, you can rest assured that he’s safe with a virtual Duck Dodgers… Th-th-that’s all folks! Updated April 30, 2009