Previous Next

Gomez Addams is a man of little worries. To him, torture is synonymous with true love and pain the soul mate of pleasure. Death has abandoned the Addams family, having made numerous appointments with each generation which none have seemed able to attend! The fact that Gomez' beloved are being held captive by strange monsters throughout the Addams' abode presents the indomitable Gomez with nothing more than a little intrigue.

Yet when the benign Addams discovers that the family fortune is at risk then - and only then - does a slightly ruffled Gomez take the kind of steps that only a furious, immortal fiend can! A fortune-seeking judge is out to cheat the Gomez of the family treasures. Only by releasing his closest relations from their confines within the residence are the judge's claims to the vast fortune made null and void. Acclaim, in association with Ocean, present this rather unsophisticated portrayal of the whole crazy situation in the form of a platform game. Guide Gomez in his search abroad the enormous mansion and its grounds, using his cunning and guile to outwit the judge's mercenary ghosts and ghouls. Many locations, some of which are secret, and their associated surprises await Gomez at the click of the fingers and a flick of the Megadrive's power-switch.

The original Addams Family cartoon strip was devised by Charles Addams in the early '50s. Based on his own family!

Guide Gomez Addams about the platform-laden mansion in search of his family.

For the sake of being different, and for the sake of all domestic animals' safety, the Addams family's household pet is a human hand. Named "Thing", this intelligent, ex-extremity lives in a box and is occasionally quite helpful. Thing's box is often found in significant areas throughout the Addams mansion where Gomez may consult Thing about his whereabouts and what he might find there.

The switches with which the Addams family are most acquainted are the type used for beating people with - light switches are virtually non-existent as the mansion is illustrated by candles. There are, however, secret switches located in and around the Adam residence that trigger doors and open hatches so that Gomez may further explore in the hope of finding each family member.

This is a smooth, slick platform game with decent enough graphics and sound. The problem is that the concept of this game is extremely ancient and the programmers have made no attempt to add any aspect of originality to the game. I was really bored with the game after a very short while and I can't really recommend the cart at all - there are loads more decent platform games available (Sonic II, Tiny Toons, Rocket Knight, Flashback, Cool Spot... I think you get the idea). Away with you Addams Family, away!

Having been dumb-founded at the praise The Addams Family received at its premier on the Super NES, I'm further convinced of its lack of appeal when playing the Megadrive version.

In its favour, the graphics are good - but not great - and the music is entertaining, though not at all brilliant. Players may lead Gomez through over 100 locations too which is great, only most of them are nothing more than tiny ante-rooms holes containing score-enhancing collectibles.

Gomez is personified as a cute character but fails to amuse since his response is so terribly slippery. At no time is one inspired to merrily click the fingers - breaking those of the programmers responsible is more often the inclination as Gomez coots into enemy sprites and deadly drops time and time again.

Perhaps I'm being too harsh but this product does not warrant the acclaim it received over a year ago and Acclaim would have been wiser not receiving the game from Ocean at all.

Presentation 76%
P. Presentation is cool and passcodes assist the player through the game, preventing repetition.
N. No options to speak of.

Graphics 81%
P. The sprites are interesting and varied. The backdrops are very competent.
N. The Addams Family is no showcase of the Megadrive's high standards.

Sound 81%
P. Remixes and variations of the familiar tune are rendered well.
N. The music and sound effects don't make the best of the system.

Playability 63%
P. Discovering the secrets of the Addams residence passes the time.
N. A person can only take so much of a game that has nothing new to offer.

Lastability 58%
P. The Addams' family home takes time to explore.
N. For the most part, the poor controls make the game frustrating.

Overall 55%
One of the most derivative, unoriginal platform games we've seen for months. This isn't worth £40 of anyone's money.