Bugs Bunny: Rabbit Rampage is an action video game developed by Viacom New Media (a then-sister company to Nickelodeon, who had broadcast Looney Tunes cartoons at the time of the game's release) and published by Sunsoft released exclusively for the SNES in 1994. The player controls Bugs Bunny as he fights traditional Looney Tunes villains in order to confront the main villain of the story, animator Daffy Duck. The game's title is derived from the 1955 animated short Rabbit Rampage, which follows a similar plot of Bugs at the mercy of an antagonistic animator, revealed to be Elmer Fudd.
In Japan the game was released as Bakkusu Banī Hachamecha Daibōken (バックス･バニーはちゃめちゃ大冒険, Bugs Bunny's Insane Great Adventure).
The player controls Bugs Bunny as he fights traditional Looney Tunes villains in order to confront the main villain of the story, animator Daffy Duck.
Gameplay[]
Most levels in the game are based around various Looney Tunes shorts. The game features characters such as Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, the Tasmanian Devil, and Wile E. Coyote.
Level 1: Level 1.1[]
A snow forest level where Bugs battles Elmer Fudd and his hunting dogs, as well as the Goofy Gophers. Defeat Elmer by hitting him in the face with a pie and then scurrying down a rabbit hole. While in the rabbit hole, Elmer will shoot a bullet that will miss you. When you emerge from the ground, repeat this process. When you get enough hits, Bugs will stick his finger in the barrel of the gun, causing the bullet to fire back at Fudd's face.
Level 2: Level 2.1[]
In a saloon, Red Hot Ryder and Hiawatha cameo as bartenders try trick you by sliding beers down the counter tops. Big holes in the floor can only be crossed by jumping on nearby TNT barrels. The barrel will explode and the lid will fly sky high. Before you do battle, post a "Bugs was here" sign. Nasty Canasta from "Drip-Along Daffy" awaits Bugs at the end. To win, stick next to him and jump up on him repeatedly. The final blow will send him down a hole in the floor.
Level 3: Level 400[]
Toro the bull from "Bully For Bugs" is here. It's best to go to the right first. Stop in front of a bulls-eye target to lure the bull near you. Jump up and right out of the way just in time for the bull to smash into the target and not Bugs. The bull will be dizzy from the impact, so quickly head to the next target. When you reach the right side of the arena, grab the 1 and the anvil and start heading to the left side. Avoid the bull jumping over him when he charges. You need to jump to the right to avoid his first charge and the left on his second charge. Look for anvils and other items in the rabbit holes. On the left side, get the bull to run into the white wall to pass underneath it to reach a big switch. Flip the switch to release a metal wall on the right side of the arena. Head back to the right side, jump over the bull and drop an anvil for him to run into. Continue to the right using anvils whenever necessary. If you run out of anvils, you will need to use the previous technique of jumping over the bull's charges. Bugs must make the bull crash into a steel girder.
Level 4: Level 1.3[]
This level is based on "Bewitched Bunny". It features Witch Hazel (and her gingerbread men army who throw candy), who casts temporary spells on Bugs (one of them transforms him into Michigan J. Frog), Hansel and Gretel, the three pigs from "The Windblown Hare" who use slingshots to throw acorns, and the Big Bad Wolf, who tries to blow tumbleweeds, wood, and bricks at you or blow you away. At the end, Yosemite Sam shows up in his outfit from the animated short "Knighty Knight Bugs", complete with his dragon. Make his dragon sneeze back several times. Then the dragon will stop charging and Yosemite Sam will fall off his dragon and smash on the ground being flattened. The Goofy Gophers also show up in this level.
Level 5: Level 2001[]
This level takes place on Martian space vehicles. Some Instant Martians attack Bugs with laser guns, which can shrink him temporarily. Bugs can deflect these shots back at the Martians with mirrors, shrinking them instead. Marvin the Martian also makes an appearance. There are maroon colored Bob-ombs in certain locations which split up after they explode and Bugs gets damaged by them.
Level 6: Level 9.1[]
Bugs must traverse Tasmania in this level. The Tasmanian Devil constantly tries to attack Bugs. Get the Tasmanian Devil to fall off the ground or eat exploding TNT turkeys. But he will return appearing from underground. Hop on giant parrots to get to different grounds. Head to the right side. When the Tasmanian Devil spins like a twister, jump up and have him go through trees to go further. When you get to the white tree, have him hit the tree and a coconut will fall on his head. After several hits, Bugs will dress up as a Tasmanian She-Devil and the Tasmanian Devil will fall in love with him. Then the real she-devil (whom the Tasmanian Devil married) comes in, starts smacking him across the head with her rolling pin, and drag him away.
Level 7: Level 3 x (y/c-Z-10)[]
Bugs must travel through Acme's factory, facing various mechanical contraptions such as robots and ACME's Christmas gift wrapping machines. Wile E. Coyote is fought at the end.
Level 8: Round 42,759 3/8[]
Bugs Bunny must fight The Crusher, the wrestler from the short "Bunny Hugged", ultimately making him fall into a hole. Bugs must jump over him avoiding his charges, kick him, and spin around punching him.
Level 9: Level 13[]
There are many black cats in this level. This causes bad luck (in the form of falling objects) to follow you wherever you go. If Bugs hits a cat with a paintbrush pickup, Pepé Le Pew will show up to take the cat away. Sylvester appears riding a train in some parts of the level.
Level 10: Is This Trip Really Necessary?[]
The final level, where it is discovered Daffy Duck has been animating the entire game, not unlike in the shorts "Duck Amuck" and "Rabbit Rampage". Bugs has to spill the paint so Daffy cannot draw anymore. While he is doing this, Duck Dodgers, Robin Hood Daffy and Drip-Along Daffy try to stop him. After Bugs empties out the last of the paint, the player must strike the Robin Hood Daffy a few times before finally completing the game. If Bugs defeats Robin Hood Daffy, but doesn't empty the paint cans, he then has to fight Drip-along Daffy. If Bugs defeats Drip-along but still has not spilled all the paint, Robin Hood Daffy appears again.
Bosses[]
Elmer Fudd—uses his rifle.
Nasty Canasta—uses a gun.
Bull—runs at player with horns ready.
Yosemite Sam and Dragon—usually march about the field with Sam using a jousting lance. Sometimes, the dragon will spit a fireball at Bugs.
Taz—spins like a twister.
Wile E. Coyote—controls a machine and uses it to drop robots.
Crusher—charges after and punches Bugs; if Bugs gets caught in his punch, Crusher will wind his ears up and let him loose like a toy airplane.
Daffy—Duck Dodgers is immortal and uses a blaster pistol that can kill the player in one hit, while Robin Hood and Drip-along can be defeated and use a quarterstaff and guns to attack, respectively.
Gallery[]
Reception[]
Bugs Bunny Rabbit Rampage garnered a highly favorable 4.3-out-of-five review from Nintendo Power, giving much praise to the graphics, animation, variety of level types and audio and writing that "Sunsoft uses the Looney Tune license for the maximum effect and fun."[1]
Trivia[]
Cultural References[]
The hunting dogs in the first level may have been inspired from "The Heckling Hare" and "Hare Ribbin'".
Elmer hunting during the winter was inspired from "Duck! Rabbit, Duck!"
Red Hot Ryder and Hiawatha were used from "Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt" and "Buckaroo Bugs".
The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf were used from "The Windblown Hare".
The Instant Martians were used from "Hare-Way to the Stars".
Marvin's Palette for his outfit have been used from both "Hare-Way to the Stars" and "Mad as a Mars Hare".
"Bedevilled Rabbit" makes use of the Wild Turkey Surprise Bomb item for Level 9.1.
Hansel and Gretel, who are seen eating a gingerbread house came from "Bewitched Bunny".
Daffy's personas used for the final battle came from "Duck Dodgers in the 24½th Century", *"Drip-Along Daffy", and "Robin Hood Daffy".
Notes[]
An early screenshot of a level, printed in issue #55 of Nintendo Power showed early Looney Tunes star Bosko as one of the characters in the audience watching the fight; he does not appear in the finished version, however.
References[]
↑Nintendo Power. February 1994. Volume 57. pp. 105–107.
