Marcus Level
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 The French version of the Legend of Zelda
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Marcus Level is a 2014, French, flash animated, video game television series. It was created by Ahmed Guerrouache and co-produced by Mondo TV France and Pictanovo Nord-Pas-de-Calais (as Pictanovo) with the participation of TF1.
Plot
One weekend, a boy named Marcus plays a video game when a storm suddenly causes him to be zapped into the T.V. screen and he ends up in the game. Not only that, but he also happens to switch places with the game's main character and protagonist, Gorbar the Magnificent, a viking warrior, who ends up in the real world. In the game, Marcus meets other characters, an elf named Elphi, a rat-crab hybrid named Gratrok, and a flying light bulb named Lumy. In each episode, they accompany Marcus through the game's various levels and assist him in playing them, battling enemies along the way before he can return home and reach that goal. In every level, he faces off with the villain, Vipkrad, and rescues a princess named Aria, whose pieces of a mirror are what Marcus wins and collects. Meanwhile, back in the real world, each episode's subplot features Gorbar in the real world and staying with Marcus's babysitter, Seraphim, and Gorbar carries out his own tasks assigned by her.
Why It Rocks
- While the art is alright, the flash animation is done even better.
- Despite the repetition of the main plot and subplot, the episodes's storylines are still well-written enough in that they have plenty of other things about them due to the variety to continue keeping viewers engaged. It's still a fun series.
- Most of the characters designs are alright as well.
- Many of the characters have their likability. There are a large variety of minor and one-off characters the main ones come across.
- There are still some surprises to be found, regardless of the aforementioned, repetitive main plot and subplot. The two-part "Vipkrad Strikes Back" made an effort to do something slightly different.
- The video game-sounding theme song is composed well and sounds catchy aplenty.
- The levels and worlds the main characters visit have a lot of diversity to them.
- The dialogue is well-written.
- There are several pop-culture references mostly to real-life, other video games and parodies, such as those of Mario Go Kart and Pokemon. The double part "Vipkrad Strikes Back", is based on Star Wars.
- Some good jokes and other, funny moments.
- The voice acting of the English dub sounds great.
- The world-building has much creativity.
- The concept of the boy going on the video game, and the video game hero going on the real world is very unique and interesting!
Bad Qualities
- Some may still have difficulty getting through the repetition of this and other shows that are repetitive in general.
- The video game based on this and following this isn't as good nor enjoyable, and is a disappointment.
- It's not explained about the running gags of how nor why Vipkrad constantly confuses Marcus with Gorbar. It's vise-versa for Seraphim, despite the differences being clear enough.
- Marcus's, Gorbar's, and Seraphim's ears are pointy, making them appear more elfish than human.
- It didn't receive the proper ending of Marcus finally achieving his goal to return home.
Videos