Tomba

Similar to Castlevania: SotN, Tomba is a classic, almost perfect 2D platformer with the 32-bit look. Meaning that game play is still pretty much 2D despite fully polygonal 3D graphics. What really drives this game along is the intriquing story & the downright addictive gameplay. Every little twist & surprise in the plot sends you down different paths & gets you into all kinds of wild, & wacky situations. Some of the events include scavenger hunting, pig-car racing, butterfly catching, learning to swim, & so much else. It's fun all the way to the end. The stages are huge & have all kinds of nooks & crannies for you to explore. Not to mention that most of the stages connect to each other in some way or another. Which really helps to create a world that feels almost universal in terms. Again the story is also entertaining & helps keep the pace of the game up. Though at times it lacks especially once you get all the key elements completed & are just trying to uncover all the hidden routes & side stories. Which you don't necessarily have to do if you want to beat the game & get it over with. It's more of an option for all the hotdoggers out there who feel it necessary to do every little thing in the game. (almost like collecting the 120 stars in Mario 64, which was pointless if you think about it) All in all, this simple, but incredibly fun title just goes to show you can't go wrong with 2D gameplay. Old-school gamers will definitely wan't to take a look at Tomba.

Overall 8.6