So, who remembers Tomba!? Also referred to as Tombi! in Europe, it was a distinctly Japanese platformer that charmed many a PS1 participant all the way in which again in 1997. Typically weird however virtually all the time vivid and cheery, Tomba! provided one thing very completely different to the style’s blockbusters, like Crash Bandicoot or Spyro. It was a curious mix of sprite-based, 2D platforming and layered 3D environments. It even had RPG parts.
The sport all the time deserved one other crack at discovering a wider viewers, and so we’re delighted that Tomba! Particular Version exists. This can be a port that comes geared up with a few key trendy conveniences: the flexibility to avoid wasting wherever, and a rewind possibility. Within the unique launch, saving might solely be achieved at signposts scattered all through the title’s interconnected environments, and truly discovering them might change into one thing of a chore — particularly should you had been in a rush to set the controller down.
Evidently, these new options can spare you from so much of potential frustration. Tomba! is not a very arduous recreation, but it surely can be surprisingly tough — and just a little tedious at occasions. As talked about, the journey is about throughout an online of interconnected areas, and so there’s fairly a little bit of backtracking so as to entry beforehand unreachable places, or to complete off a quest.
Yep, Tomba!’s received quests. The pink-haired protagonist runs right into a bunch of bizarre characters on his travels, and typically, they will cough up a process, and a subsequent reward once you’re achieved. From discovering misplaced canine to fixing unusual riddles, the sport’s world is full of daft little storylines. The one downside is that really protecting observe of your present goals may be troublesome. There is a quest record and a map, however you will nonetheless want to recollect who requested for what and the place.
As such, backtracking, full with chatting up each NPC within the neighborhood, can begin to lavatory the expertise down. To be truthful, it isn’t like the sport’s world is very sprawling — however you will nonetheless end up having to exhaust each risk once you hit a wall. Was there a hidden quest that you just missed? A treasure chest with a particular merchandise? Perhaps you needed to discuss to that one NPC not as soon as, however a number of occasions? It will get a bit… convoluted every so often, in typical PS1-era trend.
However even with these annoyances, there is a severe quantity of appeal and madcap 90s vitality that runs throughout Tomba!. It may be an intoxicatingly odd journey that nonetheless feels distinctive shut to 3 many years after its preliminary launch — and that is partly right down to the core gameplay, which has, fortunately, stood the check of time.
The platforming’s a satisfyingly tactile mixture of leaping, leaping, and grabbing. Certainly, our shorts-sporting hero can seize absolutely anything — together with his enemies — and he may even clamber up most partitions, which results in some fascinating stage design. You are additionally afforded plenty of directional management throughout a leap, and though the sensitivity can take just a little getting used to, it provides a type of skill-based edge to Tomba! that is not essentially current in comparable titles.
It simply feels constantly enjoyable to play when you’re within the zone, pouncing from ledge to ledge, swinging on branches, and chucking evil pigs throughout the display screen. What’s extra, the journey would not outstay its welcome, clocking in at round 7 hours — in all probability much less should you make common use of the aforementioned rewind system.
The efficiency can also be just about flawless on PS5, as you’d rightfully anticipate. Though having mentioned that, the port does throw up some surprisingly lengthy load occasions when getting into sure places. Do not get us improper, the pig-themed load screens are joyous, however the lengthier breaks is usually a tad jarring.
Conclusion
Tomba! continues to be a bizarre and principally great little platformer, full of character and appeal from starting to finish. A few of its extra convoluted design parts can frustrate, and the backtracking’s a little bit of a slog at occasions, however the core, grab-happy gameplay stays satisfyingly enjoyable. And, with the addition of limitless saves and a rewind operate, it is arduous to not respect and luxuriate in this revived PS1 oddity.