About twenty years ago, another gamer asked me to look for a budget copy of Tomba. Some two decades later, I’ve been unable to fulfill that request. Since Tomba (and its 1998 sequel) disappeared from shelves in the late ’90s, they’ve been difficult to track down. Although they were self-published by Sony in some regions and received a playable demo and large print runs in magazines, neither seems to have had a large print run. It’s an ideal candidate for a revival – and unlike the 2012 PSN re-release, this time it graces Switch and PC.
Starring a pink-haired caveman, Tomba has gained popularity over the years for its unconventional gameplay and silly side. Developer Whoopee Camp was run by former Capcom employees who had worked on Mega Man and Ghosts ‘n Goblins, and there’s a bit of Capcom DNA here too. This is particularly evident in the way Tomba is controlled: he does a belly flop rather than a conventional jump, and can grab and throw enemies. Movement is much more methodical as a result, stopping to attack enemies one at a time and calculating jumps. The plot, meanwhile, is enjoyably silly, with Tomba on his way to retrieve a bracelet from an army of rampaging fat pigs. These mischievous menaces have wreaked havoc, destroying towns and angering the weird residents – and you must help put things right by taking on quests.
Yes, this isn’t your typical side-scrolling platformer (if that wasn’t already obvious). There are adventure game-style quests with items/people to find, as well as an inventory to manage. You’ll need to backtrack through levels and figure out how to progress, often while searching for important items. The townspeople might have a clue or two, and there’s a map that shows branching paths, but generally you’re on your own. This task is made more difficult by the fact that many levels have two layers, with this being a 2.5D platformer with 2D sprites on 3D backgrounds. In most areas, it’s possible to jump freely, though there are a few cases where Tomba has to stand in certain areas before he can jump back and forth. It’s as tricky as it sounds.
It’s still cool to see the camera rotate to show an alternate view of an area — and by PS1 standards, the sprites and animations are pretty good — but this remake is still marred by the black screens that appear when entering/exiting a door or loading a new area, no matter how small. The screen even goes black when the camera moves. Opening the inventory? Three seconds’ pause to enter, and another three seconds to exit. It doesn’t help that the inventory screen is unintuitive, with multiple tabs and no button prompts. About halfway through, Tomba must explore a creepy four-sided tower with dozens of rooms. This section is notorious for getting maddening, as you’ll have to revisit most of the rooms while figuring out which ones still need to be explored.
Thankfully, the new features help to alleviate the problems. There’s a rewind tool that prevents every miscalculated jump from ending badly, and it’s now possible to save anywhere. The ‘Special Edition’ name comes from a number of other extras and features, including an improved soundtrack, artwork scans, and FMV interviews with key staff. There’s also an abandoned CGI intro to be seen, featuring an oddly proportioned Tomba. Loading screens aside, it’s clear that Limited Run has done everything it can to make it more playable in this modern era, while polishing up the presentation. For the effort, the £16 price tag is reasonable.
Tomba is still inviting and engaging in 2024, mixing silly side quests and challenging platforming gameplay with uniquely designed locations populated by quirky characters. But the years have taken their toll. It was never a breeze in 1997, and now it seems even more obtuse with its vague quest descriptions. I wouldn’t blame anyone for using a guide to progress, which isn’t something you can say about a side-scrolling platform adventure that often. But then again, there isn’t much else like Tomba – even twenty years later. The unconventional elements that gave it plenty of personality in 1997 are even more unconventional in 2024. Fortunately for anyone thinking of taking the plunge, that personality continues to shine through the cracks that are starting to show.
Tomba! Special Edition is out now on PC, PS5, and Switch. Published by Limited Run Games.
