Let me start this review by giving you a very easy to understand description of the game. Take Mario Strikers, Mario Golf, Mario Tennis, Mario Slam Basketball, combine all four into one game, reduce the quality and mechanical depth, then replace the Mario cast with the Looney Tunes squad, and what you end up with is Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports. There is perhaps no better way to envision this arcade and simple sports game, and in that description you can probably already deduce the many pros and cons that come with such a premise.
I only spent a few hours in Wacky World of Sports and felt like I’d seen it all. This is usually a trend in smaller sports games, but here it’s increasingly evident. The main dish was the Acme Ultimate Cup. This is a multi-sport tournament where you play as one of nine Looney Tunes characters and compete in soccer, tennis, golf and basketball. You play each sport once, are rated and graded based on your wins and individual performance, and once all is said and done, the winner is determined.
There’s little depth here, and the only way the game tries to keep things interesting is the difficulty setting for hostile rivals, and the fact that each Looney Tunes star is rated based on their strength, skill, and intelligence. It’s almost the exact same deal we’ve seen in the Mario sports games, as the Roadrunner is incredibly fast and Wile E. Coyote is (hilariously, maybe cruelly…) much smarter. Another example in practice is that Yosemite Sam’s strength means he can hit the ball further than Lola Bunny, but Lola is definitely better at scoring three-pointers in basketball. Of course, there are various Looney Tunes levels and maps to unlock and compete against, but these are cosmetic and, unlike character ratings, do not affect gameplay.
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So, gameplay. Let’s start with what I think is the best: tennis. It’s very simple, as the camera is positioned at the back of your court and you simply lurch around in 3D and return the opposing player’s serve and stroke, whether that’s by responding with a lob, flat or topspin. You can aim your shots where you want them to land, reach otherwise unreachable shots by using a time-slowing mechanic, and use superpower-like ultimate shots to try and score a point. There’s quite a bit of depth to this mode, and the pacing really means it’s fun and exciting, even more so when you add the Acme term into the equation. Occasionally, a target will appear above the net that, when hit, creates an obstacle and hazard on the opposing team’s side of the court. This could be an explosive that would knock players out when they stepped on it, meaning a well-placed ball on the explosive would be nearly impossible to return. It’s a simple idea, but it works incredibly well, making tennis the undoubted highlight of Wacky World of Sports.
Next up is football. It’s a more simplified version of the back-and-forth we’ve seen in the Mario Strikers series, where small teams battle in cramped arenas trying to score points on a small ball guarded by an AI goalkeeper. You can pass, lob, dodge or tackle (depending on possession) and of course unleash shots of varying power depending on how long you hold down the shot button. You can also use a similar ultimate strike here, but this is easily blocked with a well-timed tackle. There’s really not a lot of depth to pick from here, aside from the Acme care packages that pave the way for additional challenges by introducing hazards and weapons, but that doesn’t change the fact that the football is available and tends to flow easily.
The cracks in the Golf are really starting to show. From a macro perspective, the sport works like a charm, with a simple mechanical setup that promotes massive opportunities for player agency and proficiency. What’s really ruining the sport is micro. There’s absolutely no putting depth, which makes one wonder why it’s even featured, the ball and wind/weather physics are terrible and basically don’t do anything you expect, and the props and Acme item usage elements feel trivial and like an afterthought Just thought of it, the design of the course and holes felt uninspired and too simple to be anything special. Does it mostly work as a mechanical experience? Yes. Is it fun, and does it compare to other arcade golf adaptations? No. . . No.
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But while golf is hit or miss, basketball is the one that needs the most improvement. In this mode, developer Bamtang Games seems to have put together the most mechanical depth and focus, and ultimately it puts together an experience that feels too bloated and unrefined to impress. There are too many inputs to do something similar, the camera angles and small size of the court mean it’s difficult to keep tabs on everything that’s going on, the shooting system is flawed at best, and each game is divided into four quarters , flies by so fast that the game is over before you realize it has begun. It’s an overwhelming nightmare, and by far the worst of the sports quartet to appear in Wacky World of Sports.
While I will say that local multiplayer support is a positive and great feature, the lack of online multiplayer is disappointing. Sure, there are a few additional ways to play in Challenges and more exhibition-like modes, but there aren’t enough ways to enjoy the game overall. Yes, the characters are still timeless and delivered in a true and brilliant way, although it would have been nice to get more than 9 (10, including the bonus character Yosemite Sam). The map design pays homage to the Looney Tunes cartoon and the environments, and the backgrounds are always littered with a whole host of extra and more niche characters, even Gossamer. Additionally, the bouncy and iconic theme song adds a lot to the Looney Tunes experience, but having an extra song or two playing in the background would go a long way to keep it fresh.
It’s with these points in mind that Looney Tunes: Wacky World of Sports left me wanting more. There are moments and parts of the game that impress and work well, but there are also a lot of areas, mechanics, and features that feel frustrating or disappointing. It feels limited in content and lacking in mechanics at times, but it’s still authentic Looney Tunes, and that alone means it’ll provide the occasional laugh and giggle when you plug it in, score a few screamers, and Shoot, tee off, and smash some aces. What can I say…That’s all Folks!
