Why Clone when you can Morph?
- NA release: 17th December 2002
- EU release: N/A
- JP release: N/A
- Developer: Midway
- Publisher: Midway
- NGC Magazine: 70%
- Mods Used: Widescreen Code


Dr. Muto is a mad scientist whose latest invention went slightly wrong, resulting in the destruction of his own planet, called Midway. To fix his slight error, he needs to collect organic matter and other materials from some nearby planets which, as you might imagine, results in a 3D platformer. Dr. Muto himself may seem like an odd candidate as most 3D platformers head more in the cuter direction, but there’s an odd “ugly but charming” quality to Dr. Muto, both the character and the game.

A big part of Dr. Muto is transformations, as he can morph himself into hideous versions of various animals, all of which have specific uses and give each section of the game a distinct feel. The mouse has the most intense platforming, with mostly linear sections but hugely enjoyable. By contrast, the huge gorilla is slow and used often for climbing sections. The spider is a bit of a mixed bag, as it can go upside down, but only on sections covered in spider web. The fish makes the underwater sections of the game actually enjoyable. The last transformation is a flying squirrel that is immensely fun to use, but sadly isn’t used that much after its initial section.

To reduce the amount of things a player has to try (and presumably also to mean they have to less testing to see if you can complete things in unintended ways), there is a big downside to this morph system: each area only gives you access to a couple of transformations at a time (usually two). I can understand this somewhat – full access to the flying squirrel would mean you can just fly past a lot of sections, but at the same time, it can also be disappointing.

This is especially notable in the final world of the game. Other than one small optional section where you fly through rings as the flying squirrel, the only transformation you use (and the only one you have access to outside of that one part) is the spider, with some of its most frustrating parts. For the last stretch of the game, you’d expect each transformation to have its moment of glory, but, no, instead we only have the one that turns it into a slog. It’s a bit of a shame as it puts a downer on the end of the game.

Because when Dr. Muto plays to its strengths, it’s a lot of fun. While you have a sarcastic computer giving you hints, they’re only rough guidelines and seem to be very appropriately done, as they still leave plenty for the player to work out themselves. On top of the very plentiful collectables that unlock abilities, you have to collect glowing balls called pieces of Terra, which require completing objectives as you progress through the game. Some are a required part of progressing, while others are rewards for doing additional stuff, many I did without consulting the checklist because I naturally got them by interacting with the environments and exploring.

Despite a poor final level (which still has enjoyable platforming), Dr. Muto is a very enjoyable platformer with a unique vibe to it. It’s a shame it never got a sequel as it could have mixed up the transformations a bit more and played to its strengths. The game performed poorly, though, and the European release of the GameCube version was cancelled at the last minute. It seemed like Midway were expecting this game to help put their company back together (as that’s the plot of the game), but it didn’t work.

Fun
While Dr Muto isn’t going to give Mario a run for his money, the enhancements and transformations the doctor utilises throughout the game give this platformer an interesting and inventive hook. Add to that the doctor himself, a genuinely likeable character in the Emmett Brown mould, and the result is an entertaining experience. Midway haven’t exactly reinvented the platformer, but they’ve definitely come up with an interesting new formula.
Rich Owen, NGC Magazine #9
Remake or remaster?
A remaster would be great.
Official Ways to get the game
There is no official way to get Dr. Muto.
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