There are some amazing film tie-in games, there are some terrible film tie-in game, but for the most part, they’re mainly alright but dull games – and Toy Story 2 is no exception. The nicest idea is something you’ll see very early on – the first person aiming mode from inside Buzz’s helmet (you can even sometimes see a reflection of his face), but outside of that, it’s just an average, clunky platformer.

Toy Story 2 is split up into a bunch of simple levels. None of them have any sense of wonder or exploration, which is a massive shame as the perspective of playing as a small toy should easily lead to something special. Instead, each level consists of repeating most of the game objectives. Each level has four Planet Tokens to collect (with no story justification or explanation), but four are the same for each level: find 5 toys, collect 50 coins, destroy a boss, and complete a platforming challenge.

The final one is usually a little puzzle, a race against RC, or collecting 5 objects in a short time, so there’s not much variety in the final one. It makes the game seem very dull and it just drags on. On top of that, you’re just playing a game that has places that look a bit like the places in the film – at no point does it feel like you’re playing part of the movie (even though a simplified version of the film is shown in stills). The whole game just lacks atmosphere.

That said, the platforming functions just fine, and there are a few extra moves to find along the way – and in some cases, you need to unlock the ability and return to a previous level. The graphics look really ugly in some levels, but nice in others, however pop-in is always an issue. Toy Story 2 is acceptable as a film tie-in game, but it just feels like going through the motions.

Fine

It’s entirely unoriginal, of course, but Toy Story 2 is competent and playable, with proper analogue control and a camera that, even if it has trouble keeping up with the action, centres behind Buzz pleasingly quickly.

Jes Bickham, N64 Magazine #37. Review Score: 71%

Remake or remaster?

Perhaps in a Disney 3D platformer collection.

Official ways to get the game.

There’s no official way to get Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!