ToeJam & Earl in Panic on Funkotron is a sorta sequel to the original TJ&E game, more like a spinoff. This time around it's up to 2 player coop platformer. It was actually supposed to be a more direct sequel but developers decided to switch to more mainstream side-scrolling platforming genre, dropping many unique features such as rougelike elements and split-screen. This one was made by same Johnson Voorsanger Productions along with Sega of America and was released at the very end of 1993. 16 Megabit ROM full of goodies and uses 12 letter passwords.
The game that you have here is nothing more than emulation of Sega Genesis version.
Now, technical part about Sega's emulation here:
The Sega Classic games that you purchase on Steam count as DLCs for "Sega Mega Drive & Genesis Classics" game that should appear in your library.
It has Bedroom HUB which is the one with many features yet lags for many and Simply Launcher which lacks Workshop and Online but at least it works just fine for everybody.
However, Simple Launcher has it's fair share of glitches as well. It can crash. And it does the second time you go to main menu, so always quit after saving there so it doesn't crash when you want to save next time!
Emulation itself, mostly sound, isn't that good but it does it's job. Also, yes, emulator supports quick saves.
As alternative, you can use external emulator to run games that you purchased. Sega kindly placed in all games that you purchased in "uncompressed ROMs" folder that program itself doesn't use, just change file extension to ".bin" or so. The file for this one being "ToeJamEarl2_USA.SGD".
I also demand you to read digital manual of this game first. You can find it here on store page or go to "manuals" folder of game root and open "12 TJ2_PC_MG_EFIGS_US_v6.pdf".
Has online (in Bedroom HUB only) and local multiplayer.
And yea, one of games to use 6-button controller. X, Y and Z are shortcuts for same powerups you access by pressing pause.
ToeJam & Earl have escaped the crazy Earth and got back to Funkotron! Yet they have brought Earthlings along outside of ship that are now causing a havok! Such as naked man in a box singing opera or tourists flashing everybody.
Now is your job to shake the trees and look into every manhole in order to find Earthlings, jar them and send them back to their natural inhabitance.
And no, there is no gameplay difference between ToeJam and Earl.
All while listening to even more high-quality funkee bassy songs that will help you to enjoy the somewhat slow pace of the game. Albeit still faster paced than original game.
That, and whole game is quite high-quality stuff. Mostly graphics that have big colorful well-animated and humorous characters as well as incredible background with a load of paralax layers. Especially the meadow scene that looks amazing, even containing two foreground layers for flowers. And it got a whole load of voice samples that also gives this charming world even more of wacky personality. “Awesome” is the best. Albeit there are few bad scratchy ones.
So yep, you are walking around multi-stage levels that you can go back and forth and attempt to find earthling, as levels are filled with objects you can search, sometimes revealing presents or bad items. Presents aren't randomized and there is no inventory system, you just get one of the powerups or score. You can get extra life by getting 10k points so they are useful. There is also an arrow that points you toward Earthlings so you will not be too lost.
The only randomization is amount of Super Jars you get.
Protip: To stay on bubbles push opposite direction to where you are sliding off.
Thankfully, the game has a good Western Level Design. That means that levels are filled with secrets. You have a funk move that allows you to go past the thin walls, perhaps into the secret rooms that are hidden behind foreground. And funk scan allows you to see screen for danger, bonuses and secret doorways. The difficulty is just right. The game also has great sense of pacing, sometimes ambushing you. Or maybe gives you a door maze. Or using the arrows points to confuse you around. Though the game is a bit too long for a single sitting.
Protip: To talk with friendly Funkotronians just stand still in front of them.
Fighting Earthling isn't too basic either, each one of them has his own tactic and approach. So prioritize if you meet a group of them. Pressing Down button does it's own thing when some Earthlings are around.
The game does a good job of explain game mechanics through in-game tips so you don't need to look up manual in this case.
Protip: Never forget that you jump higher if you jump while squatting.
You can find limited power ups that are panic and func vac. See for yourself!
Protip: You can use panic to rush through fire unharmed.
The game also has some diversive mini-games. There is rhythm dancing mini-game where you repeat the series of buttons with timing. You can actually do it with eyes closed, just listen. There are underwater mazes with limited air to give you some stress, aha. There is a fungus jumping while being judged, just turn around a lot.
Protip: To move while jumping off fungus hold jump button otherwise you simply turn.
Oh, it also has Hyperfunk Zone Special stages alike Sonic ones, you even get unlimited Super Jars if you beat them all. Just one button, hold it to phase through bad stuff, but collect good ones. Apaprently, you there are 3 zones with 3 stages each and you have to beat each zone twice, possible on next entrance each time and possibly while getting all presents. No idea. I avoid them, they are too primitive and too hard. You get some good bonus from presents but only if they were never picked up before and I never get past the first zone.
Starting with level 6 you also get a sub-objective of finding Lamont's fav item on each stage in order to get best ending. No worries, you get best ending even if you miss some and they are easy to find, just listen to what NPCs say. Normal ending isn't bad either. Hm, I wonder if ending between getting none and getting very few items is different.
And yep, there are options. Controls, tunes. Or set speed of how long the message stays on screen, I recommend setting it to either fast or near-infinite if you want to advance em yourself. Or disable fountain tips.
There is also Lil Kids Mode. You never run out of health or air, Earthlings take only two jars to defeat but you can play only the first five levels. After that you get lame ending.
As for multiplayer, well, it's two player coop. The second player can join anytime. There is no friendly fire, no collision. Sadly, you don't get split-screen this time around, probably would be too demanding. Both players are usually kept on screen unless one falls down. Remember: player that isn't on screen can appear back just by pressing start. Players also take turns when jumping on fungus in control and can stand on top of each other on bubbles.
The recources aside from health are shared between players. You can share health too, just turn toward each other, stand close and then both have to hold Down. Boom, high-five!
So yea, there isn't anything unique to multiplayer, it's just quality coop platformer and there aren't that many of them to begin with.
While TJ&E went for more generic genre that are platformers the developers still brought more than enough little unique things and personality to stand out in this genre. There are going to be fans of original who won't get Panic, there are going to be fans of Panic who won't like original. And it's totally cool, try both games on their own.
