Around twenty years ago, a fellow gamer asked me to look out for a reasonably priced copy of Tomba. Some two decades later, it’s a request I’ve been unable to fulfil. Since vanishing from store shelves in the late ‘90s, Tomba (and its 1998 sequel) have been tricky to track down. Although they were published by Sony themselves in some regions, gaining a playable demo and large spreads in magazines, neither appears 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 a following over the years due to its unconventional gameplay and sideline of silliness. Developer Whoopee Camp was run by ex-Capcom staff who’d worked on Mega Man and Ghosts ‘n Goblins, and there’s a bit of Capcom DNA present here too. This is mostly evident in the way Tomba controls, performing a bellyflop instead of a traditional jump, and able to grab and throw enemies. Movement is a lot more methodical as a result, stopping to tackle enemies individually and calculate jumps. The plot meanwhile is pleasingly daft, with Tomba out to retrieve a bracelet from an army of rampaging portly porkers. These mischievous menaces have left mayhem in their wake, ruining towns and upsetting the oddball residents – and you’ll need to help put things right by taking on quests.
Yes, this isn’t a typical side-scrolling platformer (if that wasn’t obvious already.) There are adventure-game-style quests with items/people to find, plus an inventory to manage. You’ll need to backtrack through stages and figure out how to progress, often while scouring for items of importance. The townsfolks may have a hint or two, and there’s a map which reveals branching paths, but generally, you’re on your own. Making this task trickier is that many stages have two plains, with this being a 2.5D platformer with 2D sprites on 3D backdrops. In most areas, it’s possible to leap freely, although there are a few instances where Tomba must stand in certain areas before jumping back and forth. It’s as finicky as it sounds.
Seeing the camera spin to reveal an alternative view of an area remains neat – and for PS1 standards, the sprite work and animation are pretty good – but this re-release is still marred by the black screens that occur when entering/exiting a door or loading a new area, no matter how small. The screen even goes black whenever the camera relocates. Opening the inventory? A three second pause to enter, and another three seconds to exit. It doesn’t help that the inventory screen is unintuitive, with several tabs and no button prompts. Around midway, Tomba must explore a spooky four-sided tower with dozens of rooms. This section is famously maddening, as you’ll need to revisit most rooms while working out which are yet to be explored.
Fortunately, the new features present help lessen woes. There’s a rewind tool that prevents every miscalculated jump from ending badly, and it’s now possible to save anywhere. The ‘Special Edition’ moniker is due to a bunch 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 watch, featuring an oddly proportioned Tomba. Aside from the presence of loading screens, it’s clear that Limited Run has done what it can to make it more playable in this modern era while brushing up the presentation. For the effort put into it, the £16 asking price is reasonable.
Tomba remains inviting and compelling in 2024, mixing silly side-quests and challenging platforming with uniquely designed locations populated by oddball characters, but the years have taken their toll. It was never a breeze to play in 1997, and now it comes off as even more obtuse with its vague quest descriptions. I wouldn’t blame anyone for using a guide to progress, which is an unusual thing to say about a side-scrolling platforming adventure. But then again, there isn’t much else like Tomba out there – even some twenty years later. The unconventional elements that helped greatly to give it personality in 1997 are even more unconventional in 2024. Thankfully for anyone thinking of taking the plunge, that personality continues to shine through the cracks that are beginning to emerge.
Tomba! Special Edition is out now on PC, PS5 and Switch. Published by Limited Run Games.