Wizard of Oz

Who doesn't love The Wizard of Oz? Happily, the characters, images, and even some of the songs from the classic film have made it onto the SNES.

You play Dorothy, venturing through the wonderful world of Oz in search of the Wiz. When you find the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion, you can play as those characters, too.

Hindering your progress, though, are the green-faced Wicked Witch of the West, naturally, and all kinds of mazes and puzzles that younger gamers will find tough to solve. Fields of imaginative enemies and some big bad bosses add to the challenging fun.

Off to See and Hear the Wizard

The strong graphics make the trip rewarding. Colorful scenes, some based on the movie and others that are new to the story, are around every bend in the Yellow Brick Road. Multi-scrolling backgrounds and some Mode 7 effects are extra attractions. The main characters, while somewhat stiff-moving, have distinctive details and show personality (a sassy Dorothy twirls her wand impatiently if you stop playing). Enemies can be cartoony at times, but this is still a game worth a look.

Complementing the graphics is the music, featuring four songs from the film. While not as pumped up as you might imagine, the music still might have you singing along. Additional sound effects would've enriched the game play, however.

There's No Place Like Home

Slowing things down are the controls. Your heroine isn't very speedy or versatile, making this a simple walk, bounce, hit-with-your-wand game. The enchanting graphics don't fully compensate for what at times becomes plodding game play. Still, Seta's got its heart in the right place. The Wizard of Oz brings back fond movie memories, and it creates some mild 16-bit memories of its own.