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Cover art of Taz-Mania

3.3 / 5

32 votes

Platform
Sega Genesis
Genres
Action · Platformer
Player Perspective
Side view
Developers
Recreational Brainware
Publishers
Tec Toy · Sega Enterprises, Ltd.
Release date
December 25, 1992

Summary

Taz-Mania on the Sega Genesis lets you unleash the Tasmanian Devil’s signature spin across 16 varied stages, from scorching deserts and tangled jungles to a noisy car factory, a dark mine and crumbling ancient ruins. While barreling forward, Taz can gobble almost anything he bumps into—food restores health, hot peppers grant a fiery breath, and stars make him temporarily invincible—while bombs and weed‑killer can be tossed at foes, though eating them hurts. The game’s visual flair owes a lot to a custom “compositor” tool created by programmer Burt Sloane, which stitched together pixel parts to give Taz an unusually expressive face for a 16‑bit platformer. Critics in the UK loved the graphics, with Mean Machines awarding an 81 % score and Mega ranking the title #19 among Mega Drive classics; it even topped UK sales charts for two months. Though some felt the challenge was a bit light, the combination of bright animation and chaotic spin‑action still makes it a memorable retro platform experience.

Storyline

In the Sega Genesis platformer Taz‑Mania, the ever‑hungry Tasmanian Devil roams a treacherous island filled with classic Taz‑stopping obstacles. Players must help Taz whump his foes, spin through hazards, and, when a challenge proves too tough, simply gobble the enemy up. The game flips the usual “save the world” premise on its head: one night Hugh Tazmanian Devil spins a tale for his three children—Taz, sister Molly and brother Jake—about giant seabirds whose massive eggs could sustain a devil family for a year. Legends speak of a Lost Valley on Tasmania where these birds still nest, and the prospect of a gigantic omelet sends Taz off on a quest. Across a series of colorful stages, the player guides Taz toward the Lost Valley, hoping to snag a giant egg and uncover the mysterious Giant Bird.

Edited by Maya Carter

Game Videos

Game Screenshots

  • Screenshot 1 of Taz-Mania

Multiplayer

Game modes
Single

Alternative Titles

  • Taz Mania Alternative
  • Tazmania Alternative