Wiz 'N' Liz

The Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive if you're reading this across the pond) has a library full of excellent games, many of which are "must-haves" for any owner of the console.  But you can only play so many action platformers, side-scrolling beat-em ups, adventurous outings and never-ending waves of sports games before you crave some variety.  Maybe you need to try something a little different, albeit fun and addicting.  Allow me to humbly suggest a game sadly overlooked by many a Genesis owner: Wiz 'N' Liz.

The game starts by explaining that all the "wabbits" (as the game calls them) have gone missing due to a magic spell gone awry.  Using either "Wiz" (a wizard) or "Liz" (a witch), your job is to enter each of eight different levels to collect these wabbits.   While you're gathering up these frisky bunnies, you'll be collecting the items they release.  First, they produce letters in a "spell" (some nonsensical word), all of which you must collect before they start releasing fruit.  Collecting enough will give you that fruit for mixing into a spell between levels.  From there the wabbits will move onto releasing stars (used for currency between levels - assuming you open the shop) and clock-icons (for replenishing your time between rounds).  Once you gather up all the wabbits, you jump in the door and start the next round.  Yes, I know it sounds complicated but, trust me, it all becomes routine before you know it.

Sega was really working their system's "blast processing" power with this title.  Wiz and Liz both move blazingly fast and fluidly.  You can fly up, down and across platforms without any hiccups.  And that's a good thing because your time limit is strict (as a matter of fact, it's the game's only "enemy" besides the shoehorned-in boss battles).  Collecting those above-mentioned clock icons the wabbits release are the primary way to replenish your time - and even then it won't take effect until you get to the door.  If you're running low on time, one wabbit will release a special orb that'll give you an extra 30 seconds.   But you have to be nimble to catch it before it floats away.   Running out of time costs you a life.   You will learn soon enough to conserve every second by any means possible.

Spell "Woofy" and then you can start having some real fun!

Once you get back to you house between levels, you have the opportunity to mix the fruits you found for some extra game magic.  Some combinations will give you bonuses or open up shops.  Others may turn the wabbits into a different color or something equally fun but useless.  One combination even gives you an immediate "game over" screen, only for it to be replaced with a "just kidding" message shortly thereafter.   It's fun to mix and match the fruit to see what surprises come up in the game.  It's a nice little diversion before getting back to the frantic action of wabbit-collecting.

Reading the description and looking at the screenshots, you may be thinking that this is a silly, non-violent game is geared towards children.  While it's true the game's "Apprentice" level eases younger and non-experienced players into this surreal game, choosing the game's default difficulty level will test your gaming reflexes.  You'll have to make quick decisions constantly.   Should you stop and grab the bonus items or do you just mow down all the rabbits to conserve time?  Should you mix the fruit now or gather more and hope for a more lucrative combination?   It looks simple and repetitive, but you'll be figuring new ways to play better and get further each time you fire it up.

Get to mixing those fruit to change the game up.

If you find yourself face-to-face with a copy of Wiz 'N' Liz, I highly recommend you pick it up.  It's a nice change of pace from the usual Sega Genesis fare and will provide some quick, goofy - and challenging - fun.