Welcome to EXPlay, (Explain & Play) the review series where we care not for scores but tell it how it is when it comes to every game we get our hands on, whilst also taking the time to include some lengthy gameplay, to give you the reader, the chance to shape your own impressions and views whilst watching and reading.
In this explanatory review, we’re covering Tomba! Special Edition by developer Whoopee Camp:
Tomba! Special Edition (The Explanation)
Ah, Tomba!. Now this is a game that I have not thought of in a long time, to the point that it has laid dormant in the deep dark recessess of my mind. Sure I have heard a friend of mine mention it from time to time but and I would get a mere stirring in the old grey matter and not think much of it again. Imagine my surprise when I found out that PSX classic Tomba! was getting a revival, courtesy of Limited Run Games for modern consoles.
Now my experience with this game in the past was somewhat limited. It released for the Sony PlayStation back in 1997 and while I owned the console at the time, I never actually owned the game. What I did own however was a number of PSX demo discs and on one of the discs was Tomba!. I can’t remember if the demo was timed or you could play it up to a certain point but I do recall that my brother and I did play the demo quite a lot back then so when Limited Run Games announced that they were bringing the game back via a special edition, we of course, had to pick it up and see if Tomba! Special Edition is still as fun now as it was then.
The story of Tomba! Special Edition follows the titular character Tomba, a feral child who was happily running around in the plains and jumping on boars when all of a sudden, he spies some bipedal pigs digging up his grandfather’s grave and looting his treasures. Tomba attacks the pigs but during the scuffle, he is knocked out and the pigs take all the gold, along with the gold bracelet on Tomba’s wrist. Upon coming to, Tomba realizes that the bracelet is gone and sets off after the pigs to get it back, and the rest of the gold they have stolen.
Tomba! Special Edition is labelled as a 2.5D metroidvania that has platforming and RPG elements. Tomba can walk, jump, run, climb, and swing his way through the world and can traverse between the foreground and the background by climbing up or down certain surfaces. As is common with metroidvania games, the traversal of the world is as much vertical as it is horizontal, so one moment you can be crossing a leafy forest, and the next you are scaling a mountain with some areas where you will have to venture back and forth from the foreground and background to find alternate routes and areas.
The main enemies in Tomba! Special Edition are the Evil Pigs. These are the meanies that are going around stealing everyone’s gold for some rather nefarious reasons. The Evil Pigs have their own bosses who have set up base throughout the world but can only be found upon collecting their Pig Bags which have been scattered nearby. Their henchmen scour the land and can give Tomba a bad time, unless he pounces on them first and throws them. Alternatively, Tomba can also use weapons like a flail or a boomerang to hit enemies with, although they may require multiple hits before they are defeated. Throwing enemies has the added benefit that if you throw them into another enemy, they will be defeated also. It is always handy to weigh your options before going in swinging as it may be better to take out two pigs with one throw instead.
The evil pigs are not the only enemies either as there are also large flying birds, carnivorous plants, and even floating centipede like foes to keep you on your toes. Defeating enemies can score you AP or Adventure Points which can be used to open AP Chests, allowing you to collect special loot or items. Defeating foes is not the only way to earn AP either, as you can also earn it by completing Events. Events will sometimes appear upon reaching a certain point in the game, interacting with an NPC or picking up a specific item.
If you complete an Event (for example, return the item to the NPC that requires it), you can earn AP which will help you unlock AP chest upon collecting the necessary amount to unlock it. AP Chests are not the only chests you can find either, other chests require specific keys to open them so always be on the look out to help NPCs as they can return the favour with items, AP, and even keys.
That pretty much sums up the base game of Tomba! Special Edition without going into what is new with the game. With that said its time to look at what has been added, which makes this edition so special. First off. The game’s visuals are very much the same as the PSX original. You do have the option to turn of the CRT lines or keep them on, however. You can also adjust the screen ratio, change the border around the game screen, and toggle analog control on or off.
With the original game being somewhat difficult at times. You have the ability in the special edition to save anywhere by accessing a special menu when you press the ZR button. This means you no longer have to keep backtracking to find a checkpoint signpost. Another handy feature is the Rewind. Should you find yourself in a tricky situation or foolhardedly ran into an enemy, you can simple rewind back to before the incident occured by holding ZL and ZR together and then sliding the cursor back to where you like.
Other features include a museum full of artwork, original print advertisements, manuals with the original packaging for the game and even developer documents that have neve been seen before by the public. There is even a remastered soundtrack included and an interview with the game’s director and creator, Tokuro Fujiwara. Although I would have liked Tomba! to have received a visual remaster, there is no denying that the devs went all out with the extra features in this game which series fans will undoubtedly love.
As we round out this EXPlay review, I am glad that Tomba! got the opportunity to come to modern consoles. It gave me the chance to play it for real and while it may not have held up as much as I had hoped, my brother Jack is enjoying it very much and I am sure the original fans will enjoy it also. The gameplay is still fun although it can be rather confusing at times with being left bewildered as to where to go next or even knowing the destination but having no clue on how to get there. That said, I can see Tomba! Special Edition appealing much more to the original fans but I do hope it may pick up new fans too.
Tomba! Special Edition (The Gameplay)
Game Specifications:
Developer: Whoopee Camp
Publisher: Limited Run Games
Platform: Nintendo Switch (eShop)
Category: Action, Platformer
No. of Players: 1 (Single System)
Release Date: August 1, 2024
Price: $19.99
File Size: 3.5 GB
Nintendo.com Listing
