Tombi! Special Edition Review (PlayStation 5)

by ·

Tombi! Special Edition Review, For this Tombi Review, limited Run Games finally gives us another Tomba, or Tombi if you’re reading from PAL regions entry. An adventure platform game starring a bizarrely dressed pink-haired kid, who must hunt down the 7 evil pigs who stole his grandfather’s ring. You know, that common thing that happened a lot in the 90s.

Tombi! Special Edition Review Pros:

  • Beautiful graphics.
  • 3.98GB Download size.
  • Platinum trophy.
  • A 2D platformer with 3D aspects, see something you want in the background? No problem find a ledge and climb on over!
  • Supports play with both the d-pad and analog stick.
  • Opening how to play screen which looks like a double spread game manual scan with images.
  • The game music can be set to Remastered or original.
  • Tomba Museum houses everything you could want – adverts, box art scans, development documents, high-res scanned game manuals for Japan and the USA, Official artwork, and video-like behind-the-scenes and promo material.
  • New items to find and buy to change your weapons, attack style, and the way your character plays in general.
  • The humor-injected story, never a dull moment with an excellently written script.
  • Controls are easy to learn.
  • The game uses the touchpad as the start button.
  • Very accessible.
  • Music player lets you play any song and you can play the original or remastered versions of each track.
  • A full inventory and map screen give it an RPG feel.
  • Kill enemies either with a weapon or by jumping on them and then throwing them.
  • Varied levels incorporate a lot of different scenarios, from strong winds to slippery hills to seesaws. The game has so many ways in which to challenge you.
  • Exploring villages puts you in a 3D isometric view allowing you to explore freely.
  • Frequent save points so you never feel you’re gonna lose a load of progress.
  • Enemies respawn when leaving and re-entering a screen.
  • Background (Wallpaper) has six color choices – default, green, blue, orange, purple, and grey.
  • The levels themselves have enough signposts to keep it subtle but at the same time handy to have.
  • Your life has bars so it gives you a chance to stay alive longer and heal yourself.
  • Multiple routes on some levels allow you to try and find all the hidden loot.
  • You can find one-ups (extra lives) in the levels.
  • Cutscenes are a mix of cartoon and 3D poly sequences.
  • Fantastic soundtrack.
  • Screen settings that can be bought up at any time and changed are – screen size (full/4:3/downsampled/16:9), CRT filter, and border art (off and 3 choices).
  • Save and load when you want.
  • You can rewind time to a certain point in the timeline.
  • The status screen brings up your exp levels, abilities unlocked, and general status.
  • The events menu acts like a mission log.
  • You have a map available at all times.
  • Looks retro but the players are modern.
  • An excellent trip down memory lane.
  • The game can stand up to other games in the genre.
  • It’s a game that is brilliant once you get used to its quirks and how you navigate the world, it’s a lot of jumping into the background or climbing up walls behind you to go somewhere new.
  • Health bar system, eat fruit to replenish health.

Tombi! Special Edition Review Cons:

  • Cannot remap the controls.
  • You don’t get any cheats or extras like that.
  • Jumping on enemies is done with an arc system, so if an enemy is in front of you, jumping will just make you jump over him instead of on him.
  • While some music is good, the other tunes are really droney and almost put you to sleep.
  • Annoying knockback upon taking damage.
  • Later levels are frustrating and require a lot of movement dexterity.
  • Transitions and loading times can be inconsistent and long in places causing some to be just a black screen.
  • Swinging is awkward and very frustrating.

Related Post: Pixel Car Racing: Blocky Crash Review (Steam)

Tombi! Special Edition:

Official website.

Developer: Limited Run Games

Publisher: Limited Run Games

Store Links – 

PlayStation

  • 7/10
    Graphics - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Sound - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Accessibility - 7/10
  • 7/10
    Length - 7/10
  • 8/10
    Fun Factor - 8/10
7.2/10

Summary

Tombi! Special Edition impresses with its beautiful graphics and a manageable download size of 3.98GB. The game is a 2D platformer with 3D elements, allowing players to interact with background objects by climbing ledges. It supports both d-pad and analog stick controls, making it accessible for various play styles. The opening screen mimics a double-spread game manual, adding a nostalgic touch. Players can choose between remastered or original music, and the Tomba Museum offers a treasure trove of content, including adverts, box art scans, development documents, high-res game manuals, official artwork, and behind-the-scenes videos. The game introduces new items that change weapons, attack styles, and overall gameplay, while the humor-infused story and well-written script ensure there’s never a dull moment.

The controls are easy to learn, and the game uses the touchpad as the start button, enhancing accessibility. The music player allows for playing any song in either its original or remastered version, and the full inventory and map screen give the game an RPG feel. Players can kill enemies with weapons or by jumping on them and throwing them, and the varied levels present numerous challenges, from strong winds to slippery hills and seesaws. Exploring villages in a 3D isometric view adds depth to the gameplay, and frequent save points prevent the loss of progress. Enemies respawn when re-entering a screen, and players can choose from six background colors. The levels have subtle but helpful signposts, and the life bar system allows for longer survival and self-healing. Multiple routes in some levels encourage finding hidden loot, and one-ups (extra lives) are scattered throughout.

Cutscenes blend cartoon and 3D poly sequences, and the fantastic soundtrack enhances the experience. Screen settings, including size, CRT filter, and border art, can be adjusted at any time, and players can save and load at will.

However, the game has its drawbacks. Controls cannot be remapped, and there are no cheats or extras. The arc system for jumping on enemies can be frustrating, as it often results in jumping over rather than on them. While some music tracks are enjoyable, others are droney and can be sleep-inducing. The knockback upon taking damage is annoying, and later levels require significant movement dexterity, which can be frustrating. Transitions and loading times are inconsistent and can be long, sometimes resulting in a black screen. Swinging mechanics are awkward and frustrating. Despite these issues, the game offers a rewind feature to correct mistakes, and the status screen provides detailed information on experience levels, unlocked abilities, and general status. The events menu acts as a mission log, and the map is always available. The game combines retro aesthetics with modern gameplay, offering an excellent trip down memory lane and standing up well against other games in the genre. Once players get used to its quirks and navigation, Tombi! Special Edition proves to be a brilliant game with a lot of depth and charm. The health bar system, which allows players to eat fruit to replenish their health, adds another layer of strategy to the gameplay. It is a great nostalgic trip.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!