If you were wondering how someone could make a sequel to T&C Surf Designs, then this is your answer. The developers took Thrilla the Gorilla and made a side scroller where you have to skateboard and surf your way through a series of levels. In some ways, it’s as if they took everything “cool” from the 1990s and turned it into a game.
This game shares some similarities with Green Dod on the Sega Genesis. This is a better game, but it shares many similarities with other skateboarding games.
There isn’t too much else that the developers could do with a game like this. Town & Country II shares some of the same issues as the first game. There isn’t too much to it, and it gets repetitive quite quickly.
TLDR: A fun game that is somewhat better than other games published by LJN
Narrative
This game has a fairly generic story. Thrilla’s girlfriend, Barbie Bikini, has been kidnapped by a witch doctor. You have to try to save her, because there isn’t much else to do.
Instead of being set in Hawaii, this game takes place in Africa. It doesn’t necessarily say where in Africa, so I can only assume it takes place across the whole continent. It isn’t the worst setting for a game like this, and most kids probably wouldn’t have known much about Africa to begin with.
In many ways, this story isn’t too far from the other stories in games of this kind. It is a standard “go and save the princess” plot. I don’t have any issues with the story; it is what it is, and what you should expect from a game like this.
Gameplay
The gameplay is fine, but it can be extremely frustrating. Your character simply has to avoid obstacles and navigate a series of levels. There isn’t too much variety in the gameplay, and there is a momentum system that makes it frustrating.
The game alternates between skateboarding and surfing. If you mess up, there are some hilarious death scenes in the game. You can also backtrack on something to avoid making a mistake.
Because the game uses a momentum system, this is one of the things that I liked about the game. It might take some time for you to get used to it, and stopping can be an issue. I don’t think this is a perfect game, but it is above average.
Playing this felt like you were going through the racing levels in Battle Toads. There is a level of memorization required to complete each level. It feels like the visuals and gameplay are fighting each other as you play it at times.
If there were more variety in this game, it would be much better. As it stands, the gameplay can get repetitive. The setting and level designs change, but what you’re being asked to do doesn’t.
Visuals
I like how the game looks. That being said, the sprites are a little on the small side. It felt like they were trying to show off more of the background and level design.
The graphics require the player to memorize the level design to navigate it correctly. This is where the gameplay and the visuals are working against each other a bit. You can try to take your time as you go through the level, but this will work against you because of the game’s timer and the ramps you’ll have to use.
Everything looks good, but there is a level of frustration because of the game’s speed. This is a case where the graphics and gameplay are holding this game back from being great. It’s a fun game with good graphics, but there are some issues that can’t be overlooked.
Reviews at the Time
I can only see one review for this game at the time. It was from GamePro. This publication gave the game a 4/5. GamePro focused on the graphics and technical achievements of the game.
There have been several reviews in the last 20 years, and the results of those are mixed. Some of them have been tainted by people’s feelings about LJN, or they are just trying to sound “cool.” I looked this up on MobyGames, which is a nice place to see an aggregate of review scores (Link).
This is why I try to stick with the reviews of games from the years that they were released. It gives you an idea of what people thought about something, and then you can see how they’ve changed over time.
7.5/10. This is close to being an above average game. If the gameplay had more variety, I would’ve rated this game in the 8s. It isn’t that bad of a game, and it is one of the better ones published by LJN.
Pros
- Good Graphics
- Decent Controls
- Can be very funny
Cons
- Repetitive
- Frustrating
Conclusion
I don’t have any memories of playing this game as a kid. It wasn’t something that my friends and I rented, and I don’t think I knew anyone who owned it. Even when I started collecting retro games, I wasn’t aware this game existed until the mid-2010s.
This is one of the better games that LJN published, but that doesn’t mean it is anything great. T&C II is a decent game that would’ve been fun as a weekend rental. It is better than the first game, but not by much.
This is one of those games that you can play and laugh at. Much like the first game, this is one of those games that’s fun to laugh at while playing with friends. It isn’t an amazing game, but it is a lot of fun.
If you liked this post, please check out my other posts about LJN games, such as T&C Surf Design and Jaws.