NES #39: The Great Waldo Search

Developer: Radiance Software

Publisher: THQ

Release Date: December 1992. Just in time for Christmas!

 

 

You have to admire Waldo’s creator Martin Handford. He sure knows how to make the most out of his pictures. There aren’t that many original Waldo books, but there is a ton of Waldo media, much of it using the same pictures, or at least settings, from his classic early books. I loved those pictures as a kid though, so I didn’t complain too much. Still, I wish there had been more. This game is called The Great Waldo Search, so if you’ve read the book, you already know what the levels are going to look like. Actually, I’d say this is the most accurate book adaptation on the NES. It does slightly edge out The Adventures of Tom Sawyer anyway. This time around THQ would go with a different developer. Instead of Bethesda, they went with the lesser-known Radiance Software. They only have a half dozen credits ending in 1993, and The Great Waldo Search may be their most famous game. Bethesda, meanwhile, would use the lessons learned on their previous THQ trio and regroup. They would stick to PC for most of the decade, first producing sports and licensed titles then moving on to Elder Scrolls. The next Bethesda developed game to end up on console would be Morrowind on X-Box in 2002. Now if that’s not a comeback I don’t know what is.

Despite their lackluster credits, I will say that Radiance Software certainly got some things right. The main upgrade is in the graphics. The game is full of big, colorful sprites which look just like the originals. Actually, they might look a little too much like the originals. They are basically the pictures from The Great Waldo Search except that they move slightly. The characters don’t move much, but they will blink, and some of their actions, like spraying water through hoses, are even animated. You could say with their limited-motion pictures that they predicted modern e-books for kids, but that’s probably giving them a little too much credit. They also fixed the timer this time around. There is a new countdown in every level, and there are also hidden clock extenders scattered around the levels. It’s very welcome having more things to find in a hidden picture game. The focus is more on points with bonuses given for finding Waldo quickly, making few mistakes, and finding hidden point icons. There is even a mini game where Waldo’s dog rides a magic carpet which actually fits in with the overall game. Be wary, however. It is a better game than Where’s Waldo?, but is still has some glaring flaws.

 

The Great Waldo Search has the oppose problem of Where’s Waldo?. The Great Waldo search is almost too large and detailed. Finding Waldo is just too easy, even on the hardest difficulty. Even the expanded gameplay which involves finding a scroll in every level doesn’t make the game much harder. The entire game can be finished in about ten minutes, which is unacceptable even for a children’s game. It’s a bit easier to see why Where’s Waldo? had a few weird non-picture levels thrown in. The only way to make Waldo visible on a tv screen is to make him too big to hide. I suppose you and your family could take turns and see who could get the highest score, but The Great Waldo Search just isn’t engaging enough to be played arcade style. Sure, I gave Donkey Kong a rave review even though it can be technically beat in five minutes, but that game is fun and exciting no matter how many times you play. Also, while the game uses the same pictures from the book, they are simplified. As a kid I could stare at those wonderful pictures for hours and find new things. It just doesn’t happen in the video game. At least Waldo moves around and doesn’t just hide in the same spots he did in the book. I’m the type of person that still remembers after all these years.

 So, The Great Waldo Search is a well-meaning game that just falls a little flat. It’s not quite the egregious cash grab that the other THQ games for the NES have been, but I’m rating it against every game ever made, not just the ones from the same publisher. So, it is going in the middle of the purple section, because it is an okay game. It’s #112 overall, which isn’t too far from the top 100. For the NES list it’s #30. I’m really starting to get a lot of NES games reviewed. I’m already sad about running out, but I have over 700 to go so I should probably get over it. It’s nice to know that not every THQ game is one of the worst on the console, but I might keep reviewing them since I'm on a bit of a roll. Will one of them break into the good section? Usually when I say that I actually know the answer, but this time I honestly don’t. Hopefully I’ll be pleasantly surprised.

 

NES Quality Percentage: 21/39 or 53.84%

Ranking List.docx