About

<h2>Overview</h2><figure data-align="right" data-size="small" data-img-src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2766720-home%20improvement%20%28u%29%20%5B%21%5D_00002.png" data-ref-id="1300-2766720" data-ratio="0.875" data-width="256" data-embed-type="image" style="width: 256px"><a class="fluid-height" style="padding-bottom:87.5%" href="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2766720-home%20improvement%20%28u%29%20%5B%21%5D_00002.png" data-ref-id="1300-2766720"><img alt="No Caption Provided" src="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2766720-home%20improvement%20%28u%29%20%5B%21%5D_00002.png" srcset="https://www.giantbomb.com/a/uploads/original/2/23093/2766720-home%20improvement%20%28u%29%20%5B%21%5D_00002.png 256w" sizes="(max-width: 256px) 100vw, 256px" data-width="256"></a></figure><p>Home Improvement, also known as <em>Home Improvement: Power Tool Pursuit!</em>, is a comedic side-scrolling platformer developed by <a href="/imagineering-inc/3010-1788/" data-ref-id="3010-1788">Imagineering</a> and published by <a href="/absolute-entertainment/3010-666/" data-ref-id="3010-666">Absolute</a> for the <a href="/super-nintendo-entertainment-system/3045-9/" data-ref-id="3045-9">Super Nintendo Entertainment System</a> exclusively in North America on November 1994.</p><p><a href="/games-based-on-television-shows/3015-9602/" data-ref-id="3015-9602">Based on</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Improvement_(TV_series)" data-target="true" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">the American TV sitcom of the same name</a>, Home Improvement puts players in the role of handyman and TV personality <a href="/tim-taylor/3005-44995/" data-ref-id="3005-44995">Tim "The Tool Man" Taylor</a> (portrayed by comedian <a href="/tim-allen/3040-19442/" data-ref-id="3040-19442">Tim Allen</a>) as he ventures through various fantastical studio sets (themed after prehistoric jungles, ancient Egyptian temples, haunted mansions, and alien spaceships, all of which have "special effect robots" as enemies) using his various power tools in order to recover a line of "Binford-Taylor Turbo-Power Tools" stolen from his "Tool Time" set.</p><p>The game is notable for its instruction manual, which keeps with the show's comedic masculinity by shortening the manual to just the game's controls, with an additional pair of pages showing the game's instructions covered up with a fake "Real Men Don't Need Instructions" sticker. However, the game did come with a <a href="/poster/3055-3500/" data-ref-id="3055-3500">printed poster</a> that included the real game instructions on its backside (as <a href="/blueprint/3055-3893/" data-ref-id="3055-3893">"blueprints"</a>).</p><p>A <a href="/genesis/3045-6/" data-ref-id="3045-6">Sega Genesis</a> version of the game was advertised, but later cancelled.</p><h2>Gameplay</h2><h3>Tools</h3><p>Tim uses a variety of power tools, both as weaponry and to navigate around the level. Along with his main tool, he has a variety of tools for both navigation (a <a href="/grapple/3055-5/" data-ref-id="3055-5">grappling hook</a>) and for breaking blocks (including a <a href="/sledgehammer/3055-302/" data-ref-id="3055-302">sledgehammer</a> for breaking forward blocks and a <a href="/jackhammer/3055-3940/" data-ref-id="3055-3940">jackhammer</a> for breaking downward blocks).</p><h4>Main Tools</h4><p>Known in the manual as "Collected Tool", Tim can only hold one of these at a time, firing forward with the A button and firing diagonally with the left and right bumpers.</p><ul><li><a href="/nailgun/3055-722/" data-ref-id="3055-722"><strong>Nail Gun</strong></a> - Fires a steady, but inaccurate stream of nails. Unlike most tools, these cannot shoot through walls. Tim starts each life with the Nail Gun equipped.</li><li><strong>Arc Welder</strong> - Launches a steady stream of electricity, which can break apart to form homing balls of energy.</li><li><a href="/blow-torch/3055-6405/" data-ref-id="3055-6405"><strong>Blow Torch</strong></a> - Launches a steady stream of flame, like a <a href="/flamethrower/3055-45/" data-ref-id="3055-45">flamethrower</a>.</li><li><a href="/chainsaw/3055-168/" data-ref-id="3055-168"><strong>Chainsaw</strong></a> - Swipes to launch blast waves that spread into a wider arc at longer ranges.</li><li><a href="/dynamite/3055-390/" data-ref-id="3055-390"><strong>Dynamite</strong></a> - Throws explosive sticks of dynamite.</li></ul><h2>Levels</h2><ol><li>Dinosaur Safari</li><li>Temple of Tools</li><li>Monster Theater</li><li>Lost on Mars</li></ol>