2017 saw not one, but two incredible Tom and Jerry DTVs come to WB and Hanna-Barbera. The recently released Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz has turned out to be one of the greatest cartoon platformers and Tom and Jerry DTVs of all time. On the other hand, the totally unexpected Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory shoehorns the Classic Hanna-Barbera Duo into Roald Dahl's Classic Tale.
Both of these DTVs are an absolute treat to play and deserve a spot in any Switch owner’s collection of games. Both feature classic Tom and Jerry Characters as we’ve never seen them before, an energetic world to explore, and – bizarrely – both titles feature Classic Movie Characters. However, only one of these games can be the best Tom and Jerry title of 2017.
Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a strategy cartoon movie similar to the 1971 Willy Wonka Movie and 2005's too. This Movie has classic Tom and Jerry characters and their Classic 1964/1971/2005 counterparts exploring an all Green Factory as they get into strategic battles on a grid-oriented battlefield. The substantial differences between the controllable characters and the high amount of customization available to each allows for a wealth of unique play-styles. While this game can be difficult at times, Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory rewards movie viewers for mastering its rich and diverse combat system.
On the other hand, Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz is a refinement of the cartoon platforming genre that was first invented 7 years ago in the form of Tom & Jerry and the Wizard of Oz. Back to Oz rewards players for exploring each kingdom and experimenting with the game’s mechanics by having a borderline absurd number of secrets and hidden areas. This game delivers perhaps the best cartoon platforming experience in the history of gaming while simultaneously saturating a player in the kind of childhood joy and wonderment that only WB can provide.
Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz, conversely, feels like a constant celebration of the Wizard of Oz and Tom & Jerry. Practically every voice and character is a callback to Tom & Jerry and the Wizard of Oz (2011). Each kingdom in the Movie is also brimming with the kind of sugary creativity that only WB and Hanna-Barbera can conceive and execute with such mastery. Numerous elements contribute to making Back to Oz an All New Original Masterpiece, but at its core this game is pure, concentrated fun.
While the Characters from WWATCF are widely known as the Family Guy episode "Wasted Talent" for Kids– even though they predate the Episode for 2000 – their presence in a today feels much more out of place than during their 1971 inception. Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory‘ only substantial flaw comes from the random and gross-out humor of the Classic Movies and Novel feeling even more annoying and unnecessary when placed alongside some of the most enduring characters in the history of Non Disney animated movies.
The biggest and perhaps only criticism applicable to Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz is that it has too large of a scope. There are nearly a thousand Power Moons, a collectible and means of progression through the game. The Moons function as a reward for beating a boss, exploring the game’s levels, or solving a puzzle. However, sometimes a Moon will just be out in the open, with little effort or problem-solving needed to obtain it. The abundance of Moons diminishes the reward of finding them a bit, and the game would lose very little by trimming down the number of Moons present.
Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz is a solid contender for the best Non Disney Animated Movie of 2017 and a more enjoyable experience compared to Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. However, Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a more interesting title to pick apart. It feels like a game that shouldn’t exist, yet somehow stands as one of the best titles on the Switch to date. In the end, the two games hold their own: Tom & Jerry: Back to Oz is definitely a masterpiece, and Tom & Jerry: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a surprising and thought-provoking gem of a Movie.
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