Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck

"Duck Amuck: the ultimate short-attention-span theater"

Greetings, all -- first review here, but I picked Duck Amuck for a good reason. Here it was, one of my favorite Nintendo DS games on GameFAQS getting slammed by other reviewers worse than Daffy during duck season. Well, I'm not gonna stand for these idiots dissing my main Duck like that! So, welcome or not, here's my two cents on Duck Amuck.

For those who didn't know, this is loosely based on acartoon of the same name from the '50's. As with all Looney Tunes, though, it lives still today; if you haven't seen it, YouTube it or something so you can pretend you don't live in a rock. Call it "Cultural Pre-Requisite training."

Alright, folks, so there are some complaints about Duck Amuck not being an all-engrossing Looney Tunes masterpiece. I will keep my review short and sweet and say what I think people like me (with little time for gaming, whether it be by real-life breadwinning or a tight college schedule) need to hear: this game is different, and well worth taking home.

Why? Simple. First off, it's funny as hell. Sure, Daffy can get tired after several hours on end, but this is not a game to be played for several hours. Used as a "toy," almost like Nintendogs, it's amazing to play around with Daffy's mini-games, laugh your ass off at Looney Tunes' best character for a while, then get back to life.

Second, it's simple, "short-and-sweet", but highly replayable in its own right. I'm a casual gamer now in my old age (28), and that's just what I need -- a game that doesn't Morrowind my hours away into nothingness. Pop it in on your lunch break, give the Duck a few facefulls of TNT, and return smiling to the real world, in far better shape than you left it a few minutes ago.

And, if you're married or have kids or even roommates, you will be amazed at how irritated everyone else in the household at how often you find yourself yelling, "Wow, you GOTTA see this!" It is often a good "Come Check This Out" title, as good for show as it is for play. And this game does indeed show well, with naught but incredible graphics, sound, and 100% voice-over.

At least give it a try, you'll thank me. Even if it's just to slap a duck around on your lunch break, it'll find an interesting place in your heart.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/03/08

Game Release: Looney Tunes: Duck Amuck (US, 10/09/07)