ToeJam & Earl

"A Most Unique And Wonderful Game"

This is a hard game for me to review. For one thing, it will be extremely difficult for me to express the enjoyment and pleasure that this game has brought me. And, of course, I will have to dig hard to remember any possible flaws this game might have in the eyes of a more casual gamer. But nobody ever said this game reviewing stuff was easy.
'Toe Jam & Earl' is a wonderfully weird game, in all respects. You (or you and a friend) take the reins of Toe Jam and/or Earl, two rapping aliens from Funkotron who crash-landed on Earth following a particularly shoddy driving display from Earl. Toe Jam and Earl soon find out that Earth is a pretty inhospitable and decidedly unfunky place, and worse yet, their ship is in pieces. But they're not the type of aliens to take it lying down.
As the player, you guide one of the aliens through twenty-five levels of action, searching for the lost pieces of your ship. Various Earthlings, ranging from seductive hula girls to angry suburban Dads with lawn mowers, and many more, will attempt to stop you. But Toe Jam and Earl won't be completely alone. Some Earthlings, including wizards and wise men, will lend you a hand. And the aliens can find presents lying all over the place (dropped by Santa as he rocketpacks all over the Earth) to gain the (usually) useful items within.
The game has a fun assortment of play options. You can play a completely random twenty-five levels each time (although each game of 'Toe Jam & Earl' has a lot of constants, such as increasing difficulty in later levels). Or, you can play the 'fixed world,' which always has the same level design. And if you're feeling musical, you can 'jam' for fun, and play drums or funny sound effects with the controller buttons to a funky musical backdrop. All of these options are fun as a solo player, but believe me, this game is ten times as fun in any aspect with a friend to play with you. (One plays as Toe Jam, and the other as Earl.)
The game play is simple and addictive. You move your respective alien around, exploring each level map for money, presents, and the all-important ship pieces. Simply put, the game is a riot. Even the way the characters walk is fun. (Toe Jam strolls along on his three legs, while Earl moseys around blithely in big, colorful shorts.) As you uncover map tiles and open presents, you will gain experience points and upgrade your class, which adds to your lifebar. Each present is fun, in its own way. There are Icarus Wings to fly around with, tomatoes to chuck at your foes, and much more. Even the 'cursed' presents, such as rain clouds or the soporific school book, are more amusing than aggravating.
The graphics in 'Toe Jam & Earl' are colorful and entertaining. Little visual touches, like the blinking lights on the elevators or the Earthling character animations, really add some personality to the game. None of the visuals in the game are especially staggering, but the game is very pleasant to behold, and there's always something funny happening on the screen.
'Toe Jam & Earl' has, in my opinion, one of the all-time great soundtracks. Each tune features a memorable melody, backed by booming bass and funky guitars. You'll soon find a goofy grin on your face as you bob your head to the beat and sing the bass lines to each song. The sound effects are equally enjoyable, especially the laugh-out-loud attack cry of the sneaky Boogeymen.
At the risk of exaggeration, I will boldly say: this game is almost infinitely replayable. My two best friends and I played this game incessantly for years, and never seemed to tire of it. And the one of us who wasn't playing would WATCH the other two play, and not be bored one bit. Best of all, the random world generator ensures that each game is going to be different than the last.
The game has no great flaws that come to mind. It might be a little too 'different' for some gamers. (What other game lets you control a rapping alien as he flees from an an angry phantom ice cream truck?) And if you have some sort of moral opposition to getting funky, then this game will definitely freak you out.
This is, quite simply, video gaming at its best. Easy to play, replayable as all heck, fun, creative, and it supports two players in cooperative play. What more can you ask? My personal choice as the greatest console game to date, and I recommend it, quite simply, to every single gamer in the world.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/06/00, Updated 02/06/00