Frantic Antics is one of the better games ported from a TV show. You can play as Tom the cat, Jerry the mouse, or both for some two player side scrolling action. In my experience, it’s actually better as a two player game. Playing solo is on par with the Shinobi games for Genesis, it takes a lot of practice. When you have two players, the game is much better.

The game is based on Tom and Jerry: The Movie from 1992. Tom and Jerry have to help the Robyn defeat her aunt Figg, the final boss and reunite her with her father. The levels are based on places from the movie. It starts in a nice enough neighborhood dodging dogs, pits, and other obstacles. Other levels include a condemned house, an alley, the sewers, a library, the dog pound, the carnival, and finally a cabin.

Each level relies on very well timed jumps and dodges. Sometimes a frisbee, football, or other weapon is available. However, these attacks are limited to 3 shots. The only other way to take out enemies is to roll into them. Mostly, it’s better to just avoid anything thrown at you.

This game heavily relies on being able to jump properly. Meaning getting a running start and jumping as close to the edge as possible. I’ll admit there are places in the library, the carnival, and the cabin where it’s brutal if you miss certain jumps. These jumps are the most challenging part of the game. The end boss is easy compared to some of those jumps.

My favorite parts are the two player mode. Being able to play side by side is a rarity for many Genesis games. Frantic Antics gets this part right. The two player mode lets players look out for each other and spread the damage out so both can live longer.

Tom can jump higher and is a bit of a tank character while Jerry can jump farther, slides more, but has a very small hit box. These small differences have advantages in two player mode but seem to make it harder in single player mode.

The critical jumps in most levels from the library on. Really there are only about 3 or 4 hard jumps total. You’ll know them when you get to them. Missing them eats up crucial time or sends you plummeting back a long way.

Other than those extremely difficult jumps, the game is a lot of fun. The timer can be a bit of a bummer from time to time. But we learned to keep running as much as possible to beat the clock.

Overall, Tom and Jerry Frantic Antics is a lot of fun, and very rewarding to see that final screen shot. It takes a lot of practice to get there but it’s worth it.

If you like two player games, Tom and Jerry Frantic Antics is worth a try. The strengths and weaknesses of each player is really important to finishing each level. Staying in sync and on screen gets to be second nature after a while. It makes for a fun gaming experience.

Tom and Jerry Frantic Antics came out in 1992 for the Sega Genesis but still holds up as a great game.

Best of Sega Genesis Games Tom and Jerry Frantic Antics
brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.