Looney Tunes: Back in Action (video game)

Looney Tunes: Back in Action
North American cover art for GameCube
Developer(s)	Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2, Game Boy Advance, GameCube
Release date(s)	Game Boy Advance NA November 11, 2003 PAL January 30, 2004 PlayStation 2 NA November 19, 2003 PAL January 30, 2004 GameCube NA November 24, 2003 PAL January 30, 2004
Genre(s)	Platform
Mode(s)	Single-player

Looney Tunes: Back in Action is a platforming video game released in 2003 by Electronic Arts. The game is based on the film of the same name.

Gameplay

The various elements of Looney Tunes Back in Action (GameCube version) in the Las Vegas world are shown.

Gameplay involves playing as Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck. Each character has their own unique special abilities and the game requires using both characters. Along the way, money is found all over the place, usually as coins and bills. Gold bullions are also found but rarely. Coins are worth $5, bills are worth $50, and gold is worth $100. Some items are buried in the ground. The money is used to access any of 4 other regions in the game such as Vegas or Paris. Each character can take 3 hits. Upon the third hit, they return to the last checkpoint. There is an unlimited number of lives.

Special abilities

Bugs Bunny has the special abilities of digging and double-jumping. By digging into the ground, buried items can be bumped up and be collected. It can also be used to get under low pathways. Double-jumping is used to get to high areas that Daffy cannot reach.

Daffy Duck has the special abilities of fluttering and swimming. Fluttering allows Daffy to cross large gaps (Bugs Bunny could if his double-jump is well-used). Bugs Bunny would drown upon falling in the water, but Daffy can swim in the water and collect items in it.

Challenges and regions

Bugs and Daffy must accomplish 4 to 6 challenges within each of 5 regions. Each region has about 5 different rooms that, at first, are not all accessible, but as challenges are fulfilled within the area, they become accessible. There are many types of challenges:

To move between regions, a varied amount of money is needed, from $2000 to $5000, depending on the area. It's a one-time fee and switching between areas is done in the map screen.

Areas and Challenges

• Warner Bros. Studios
  • Chimp Chase-Hit the Munkey three times to collect it.
  • Wanted Duck-Destroy all "Wanted" posters of Daffy.
  • Kaboomer Tag-Use a studio cart to sabotage the others (Duck Danger challenge).
  • Plugs and Clouds-Use Daffy to unplug the drains and follow the Munkey through the clouds.
  • Fast & Furry-ous!-Catch the Road Runner at 220 mph.
• Paris and the Louvre
  • Blacque Jacque Bashing-Stop Blacque Jacque and retrieve the paintings.
  • Duck, Rabbit, Duck!-Stop Elmer by turn the hunting season signs to Fudd Season and blast him.
  • Chimp Chase-Follow and capture the Munkey before he gets away.
  • Buckaroo Bully-Stop the crazy bull in the courtyard (Duck Danger challenge).
  • Kaboomer Tennis-Use Daffy's frying pan to hit the Kaboomers back at Elmer's clones.
  • Fast & Furry-ous!-Catch the Road Runner at 240 mph.
• Wooden Nickel
  • Gamble, Ya Varmints!-Destroy Sam's speakers and enter his casino.
  • Yosemite's Miner Millions-Rescue Daffy from Yosemite Sam and pop all of the balloons.
  • Chimp Chase-Catch the Munkey before he gets away.
  • Crusher's Grand Knuckle Challenge-Grapple the Crusher to the ground three times (Duck Danger challenge).
  • Yosemite's Balloon Fight-Pop all of Sam, Canasta, and Smith's balloons in midair.
  • Fast & Furry-ous!-Catch the Road Runner at 260 mph.
• Area 52
  • Foghorn's Body-Find Foghorn's body and return it to him.
  • Martian Marathon-Win the race against the Instant Martians (Duck Danger challenge).
  • Chimp Chase-Stop the Munkey from getting to the teleporter.
  • Marvin's Martian Invasion-Stop the Instant Martians and destroy their teleporters.
  • Marvin's Big Gun Game-Use the laser to protect Daffy from the Instant Martians and defeat Marvin the Martian.
  • Fast & Furry-ous!-Catch the Road Runner at 280 mph.
• Jungle Ruins
  • Jungle Fall Walls-Stop the Munkey from reaching the top.
  • Yum Yum Fun-Feed Yum-Yums to the giant monkey heads.
  • There's A Toon In My Soup-Rescue everyone from the tribesmen: Foghorn Leghorn, Porky Pig, Pepe Le' Pew, Speedy Gonzales, and Owl Jolson.
  • Rubber Duck Rapids-Rescue Daffy from the tribesmen before time runs out.
  • Taz's Tribal Troubles-Use Taz to take out all of the tribesmen (Duck Danger challenge).
  • Crushing Munkey, Hiding Daffy!-Knock out the Stone Munkey Guardian.
  • Fast & Furry-ous!-Catch the Road Runner at 300 mph.

Monkeys and other special items

Monkeys are the most important items in the game. There are also Michigan J. Frog statues and bird seed boxes. Monkeys are obtained in a variety of ways.

Each region has 20 Michigan J. Frog statues and 7 bird seed boxes. The Michigan J. Frog statues collected do not reset upon leaving the region but the bird seed boxes collected does reset (meaning that they must be recollected when revisiting the area, if all were not collected in the previous visit).

Monkeys can be collected by:

• Hitting them 3 times in a Chimp Chase challenge
• Rescuing Tweety 3 times from Sylvester
• Buying them from Foghorn Leghorn
• Completing certain challenges
• Collecting all 20 Michigan J. Frog statues
• Winning the Fast and Furry-ous bonus level

Costumes

Each area has a unique costume for each character. For some challenges, such as the bull ride, the Duck Danger costume is required in order to access and fulfill the challenge. A small fee is used to rent the costume, usually $50 or $75 and can be reentered from the same door indefinitely until certain conditions are met.

Characters

• Bugs Bunny: One of the biggest stars at Warner Bros. Studio, he joins the chase to stop the Monkey for the sake of the world. He specializes in vertical travel like jumping and burrowing. Bugs is able to slip into different costumes that give him advantages against various foes.
• Daffy Duck: Another star at Warner Bros. Studio, he joins the chase for the Blue Monkey Diamond so that he may steal it and retire in wealth. He specializes in horizontal travel with the ability to glide as well as being able to swim for treasures. Daffy is able to slip into a Duck Danger costume which gives him the strength and courage to fight foes like Crusher the wrestler and Torro the Bull.
• Tweety Bird: After being chased by Sylvester the cat throughout the game, Tweety is accidentally turned into a pterodactyl by the Blue Monkey Diamond and so is the only one capable of fighting off the Stone Monkey Guardian. After the battle, Tweety is returned to his original state.
• Wile E. Coyote: A coyote living in the desert, he is involved in a minigame where he is strapped to an Acme Rocket in chase of his foe the Road Runner on a crowded highway. Each chase ends in the capture of the Road Runner who turns out to be a monkey in disguise.
• Gossamer: This red haired beast, making his debut in the Bugs Bunny short Hair-Raising Hare, is an optional costume in the Warner Bros. Studio level accessible by imputing the code GOBBLE in the cheat code screen. While Bugs is in this costume he has the ability to eat his opponents as well as the addition of Daffy's horizontal jumping skills to his own.

Enemies

• Monkey: This monkey (misspelled as munkey) is the main drive of the plot as the characters chase him after he steals the Blue Monkey Diamond from the ACME chairman. He is revealed in the end to be Michigan J. Frog.
• ACME Chairman: He attempts to stop Bugs and Daffy from getting the Blue Monkey Diamond from the Monkey so that he can use it for his own diabolic plans.
• Porky Pig: A stuttering pig working security at the Warner Bros. Studio. Confused by the chaos brought on by the chase for the Monkey, Porky and his partner Speedy attack Bugs and Daffy. He is part of the group kidnapped by the African tribesmen.
• Speedy Gonzales: A Mexican mouse who works security at the Warner Bros. Studio. Confused by the chaos, Speedy attacks Bugs and Daffy backed up by his partner Porky. He is part of the group taken by the African tribesmen.
• Elmer Fudd: Hunting in the Louvre Museum, he tries to shoot Bugs and Daffy with his shotgun. He is a boss.
• Yosemite Sam: Owner of the Wooden Nickel in Vegas. He is after Bugs and Daffy for disrespecting the casino in their chase for the Monkey. He is one of the bosses Bugs and Daffy face.
• Marvin the Martian: An alien who abducts Bugs and Daffy for experimentation. He is stationed on Earth to prepare it for the oncoming Martian fleet which plans on concurring the planet. He is unable to stop Bugs and Daffy's escape from the Area 52 base he mandated as his base.
• Tasmanian Devil: Found in a deep part of Africa, he poses a threat to the local tribesman which can be used to the players advantage..
• Stone Monkey Guardian:Final boss. He is the ancient guardian of the Temple of the Blue Monkey Diamond. He is defeated by a prehistoric Tweety who throws him into lava.
• Sylvester: Appearing throughout the adventure trying to catch Tweety. The player is rewarded a Monkey if they stop Sylvester from eating Tweety twice in each level.
• Toro the Bull: Found rampaging the Louvre.
• Blacque Jacque Shellacque: Found thieving paintings from the Louvre by utilizing invisible ink to sneak in unseen.
• Crusher: A guest at Yosemite Sam's casino, he is challenged and defeated by Daffy disguised as Duck Danger.
• Nasty Canasta: A henchman of Yosemite Sam's. He serves the purpose of guarding several doors around the casino.
• Cottontail Smith: Another henchman of Yosemite Sam's. Is seen in the last mission of the Las Vegas level trying to pop the balloons keeping Daffy afloat.
• K-9: Marvin's loyal canine sidekick. Can be found roaming the hallways in Area 52.
• Instant Martians: Found in the Area 52 level, they are creations of Marvin the Martian and work as his army.
• Tribesmen: Local African natives who are offended by the main characters' assault on the Temple of the Blue Monkey Diamond. They are afraid of the local monster, the Tasmanian Devil. They kidnapped a group of Bugs and Daffy's allies to feast on but they gang is saved by the two protagonists.
• Tourists: These crazy men are Bugs and Daffy's biggest fans, and they'll try to take their picture with cameras which stun them with the flash.
• Golf Karts: Rowdy assistants that drive recklessly.
• Guards: Security forces that create short battles utilizing the continued pressing a designated button.
• Scientists: They work at Area 52 and will try to zap you.

Others

• Michigan J. Frog: This small frog is discovered to be the true identity of the Monkey.
• Granny: The owner of both Sylvester and Tweety, she rewards the player for finding her pets in each level of the game.
• Foghorn Leghorn: A loud mouthed Southern rooster. He appears in each level to sell a monkey to the characters. He was kidnapped by Marvin the Martian where his head was put on a monkey's body and vice versa. He is part of the group taken by the African tribesmen.
• Pepe Le Pew: A detective at the Louvre Museum. He gives the player the mission of Blacque Jacque Shellacque in the museum. He is part of a group kidnapped by the African tribesmen.
• Mr. Warner: The head of the Warner Bros. Studio. He is kidnapped by the ACME Chairman and saved by the end of the game.
• Road Runner: The foe of Wile E. Coyote, he appears in several minigames involving the pair which are unlocked by collecting 7 cans of birdseed in each level.
• Owl Jolson: Makes several appearances through the game singing the title song from his debut short, I Love To Singa. He is part of the group taken by the African tribesmen.
• Beaky Buzzard: Has a cameo appearance as a statue in the Louvre museum.
• Marc Antony: Makes a cameo appearance as a statue in the Louvre
• Penelope Pussycat: Known as the love interest of Pepe Le Pew, she can be seen in several background shots in the Wooden Nickel level.
• Lola Bunny: A love interest for Bugs Bunny debuting in Space Jam. She can be seen in the audience of the Crusher fighting level of Las Vegas.

Cast

• Joe Alaskey - Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, ACME Chairman, Sylvester, Marvin the Martian
• Jeff Bennett - Foghorn Leghorn, Mr. Warner, Golf Kart Drivers, Scientists, Tribesmen
• Bob Bergen - Porky Pig, Tweety, Tourists
• Jim Cummings - Taz, Guards
• June Foray - Granny
• Maurice LaMarche - Yosemite Sam, Pepe LePew, Blacque Jacque Shellaque
• Billy West - Elmer Fudd, Speedy Gonzales

Note: Although Speedy Gonzales is voiced by Billy West in this game, the internet states that Bob Bergen voiced him; Though Bergen did not voice Speedy until the Direct-to-video feature, Bah Humduck! a Looney Tunes christmas in 2006.

Game Boy Advance version

The GBA version differs from the other versions. In the plot, Daffy shows up at Mr. Warner's office intending to pitch a movie (starring himself) but is prevented when he enters the office and discovers that the office has been taken over by ACME. He exits and Bugs shows him a letter from Foghorn Leghorn which says to meet him at the Wooden Nickel (where the player begins, skipping the WB Studios location), and includes "molecular rearrangers" which allows them to switch between each other. The player can use them in the game to swap between Bugs and Daffy throughout the game.

The game also featured a hitherto unseen boss level pitting Bugs Bunny against Marvin the Martian in a pong game to beat all pong games.

Reception

Reception

Aggregate scores Aggregator Score GameRankings (GC) 67.63%[1] (PS2) 58.77%[2] (GBA) 49.38%[3] Metacritic (GC) 64/100[4] (PS2) 51/100[5] (GBA) 47/100[6] Review scores Publication Score Computer and Video Games 7.1/10[4] Game Informer 5/10[7] GameSpy [8] GameZone (PS2) 7.8/10[9] (GBA) 6/10[10] IGN 4.5/10[11] NGC Magazine 56%[12] Nintendo Power (GC) 3/5[13] (GBA) 2.2/5[14] Official PlayStation Magazine (US) [15] X-Play [16]

The game was met with mixed reception upon release. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it a score of 49.38% and 47 out of 100 for the Game Boy Advance version;^[3][6] 58.77% and 51 out of 100 for the PlayStation 2 version;^[2][5] and 67.63% and 64 out of 100 for the GameCube version.^[1][4]

References

External links

• Looney Tunes: Back in Action at MobyGames
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action (Game Boy Advance) at MobyGames