Wayne’s World is an absolutely classic early 90’s film. While one of many films based on Saturday Night Live skits, it maintains a cult following to this day. Much like seemingly any movie, it was natural, if an odd choice, that video games based on the film would be made and in this episode The Nerd takes a look at two of them.
Before we get into the games themselves, I just want to point out that this is the first AVGN episode in the new house to feature the “game wall” background — the paneling of the Nerd room that was once covered in posters is now covered with shelves containing some mini arcade’s and a collection of other random boxed games which would become distinctive of “later” era Nerd.
As for the games, James first takes a look at Wayne’s World on NES. Here we have what has to be one of the most bland looking NES games ever — it almost looks like a Game Boy game that’s been colorized!
You’re in a world of sentient music instruments attacking you in some of the worst level designs the Nerd has seen in a long time. Honestly, you already know what to expect here, with the information already provided. James spends some time pointing out everything odd he can find, both gameplay wise and even in the between-level “scenes” from the film.
In fact, to lighten things up, James actually puts in clips from the Wayne’s World films, a rare treat in the YouTube versions of his videos — he usually has to edit those out to avoid copyright issues, but not here. Nice.
We move on to Wayne’s World on the SNES which is… oddly similar, yet completely different to the NES game. Wayne is trying to rescue Garth in yet another poorly designed gaming world. The attacks suck, the sound effects are annoying, and the Nerd can’t even make it off of the first level.
So, he uses a cheat code to access the other levels, starting with a giant-size version of the diner (yeah, it makes no sense in the video either) and then we’re treated to a butchering of the classic Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
Then comes the “Gas works,” a bar in the film where Wayne apparently has to avoid a dozen copies of his crazy ex girlfriend and at the end fight Elvis. Yep, Elvis. Makes a lot of sense.
Then comes some kind of dream.. or, should I say, nightmare esq version of a neighborhood, eventually to come to the final boss who, amazingly, is an actual reference to the film!
The game complete, James disposes of it in a different, but still typical Nerd style.
Final Rating: 4.0/5
Another solid episode. Honestly, the “feel” of the episode is probably top notch Nerd, only brought down by the games themselves. They just don’t provide quite the kind of material James can work best with. Still, he gives these two games a strong shot, and made a solidly entertaining video.