Tomba! Special Edition Reviews
Tombi! might just be the most 8/10 game ever, and absolutely no higher than that. I personally love it; but the esoteric quests, remarkably easy boss fights, and slightly wonky controls at times do make it a hard sell. However, if you want a daft and weird little curio to spend some hours in, this will keep you as happy as a pig in – well – you know. Oh, also, if you loved the demo on the demo disc, you owe it to yourself to see what's beyond the 100 Year Old Man, believe me.
Games as special as this one continue to attract attention decades later. Some facets of control and exploration have aged regularly, but their charisma and depth are still appealing to this day, especially with all the extras Limited Run has incorporated.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Tomba! Special Edition perfectly preserves the 1997 classic. The game is just as good as it was back then, and perhaps even better now with tons of quality of life features and extras. This is an incredibly special game, and I hope it finally gets the recognition it deserves.
Tomba! Special Edition is a thorough remaster of a classic underappreciated title from PlayStation history that manages to stand out among a sea of other mascot platformers. A pioneering force in the popularisation of the 2.5D platformer, I enjoyed being given the chance to see where this subgenre began. While there are definitely relics of archaic PlayStation-era design, these are almost an expectation rather than a point of heavy critique. For those familiar with the antics of this cave boy, you'll feel right at home. And the bonus materials sweeten the deal too.
Tomba! is still a weird and mostly wonderful little platformer, packed with character and charm from beginning to end. Some of its more convoluted design elements can frustrate, and the backtracking's a bit of a slog at times, but the core, grab-happy gameplay remains satisfyingly fun. And, with the addition of unlimited saves and a rewind function, it's hard not to appreciate and enjoy this revived PS1 oddity.
Tombi! Special Edition is a great example of how something like LRG's Carbon Engine can be used to help preserve a game accurately and respectfully while also modernising the experience enough to make it compatible and palatable for future audiences. The bonus materials could be better-presented, and the game's original blemishes remain by virtue of its preservation, but it's a great way to re-live an underappreciated classic in the genre.
Tomba! Special Edition is first and foremost a preservation operation. It is a definitive edition of a classic PlayStation game with some extra and some quality of life improvements.
Review in Italian | Read full review
There is a reason why used copies of Tomba! fetch prices past the $100 range in the second-hand market. It is a blissfully enjoyable experience that makes you feel like a hyper kid again with snot running down your nose as you hold in your pee because you don’t want to stop playing. Given how many remakes and remasters get things wrong, maybe it was for the best that Tomba! Special Edition is as safe as it is.
Tomba! Special Edition is definitely a great game for those who have nostalgia for the PS1 era while everyone else will certainly find its quirkiness charming and its unconventional gameplay entertaining.
Tomba! Special Edition is a painstaking tribute to an enduring PlayStation oddity. Hopefully this is an opening salvo for rereleases of older, odder games.
Tomba! Special Edition is a really cool title to lift from the annals of history, and I think that it deserves both recognition and appreciation for what it does. While the series never quite took off in a longform way, I think Fujiwara-san should be proud of his creation and all that went into Tomba! and its sequel. Moreover, I just love that fans get a chance to play something that isn’t a go-to PS1 title when talking about this generation.
Tomba! Special Edition brings back the beloved and quirky PS1 classic, delivering a delightful blend of nostalgic charm and thoughtful modern enhancements. While the game is primarily an emulated version, Limited Run Games has enriched the experience with behind-the-scenes content, a new OST, and widescreen support, making it more than just a simple port. Despite its age, the game’s unique art style and engaging Metroidvania mechanics hold up well, though the controls can feel dated.
Tomba! The memorable PlayStation platformer is back with a remaster that does its job very well and gives the Whoopee Camp franchise a new lease of life. The Tokuro Fujiwara-designed game continues to stand out among modern offerings. It does so thanks to its colorful scenery, ingenious level design and the particular charm of our pink-haired protagonist. The 2.5D gameplay has aged like a fine wine and, although it does not reach the excellence of other titles by the author, it is a beautiful chapter in the history of gaming that is worth visiting.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The PlayStation classic is back with a slight facelift, new modes, extras, and zero intention of making new friends.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tomba! Special Edition is a great way to enjoy a classic and experimental game. It's a work of preservation of the original that adds a rich gallery of extras, but it's content to do the bare minimum to preserve it and doesn't care in any way about improving the game itself. For those who were already fans and want to get a taste of nostalgia, it's definitely worth it. Likewise, it's a golden opportunity for those who like retro experiences and have never tried it before. But, overall, it feels like the game deserved a better polish, especially considering how horrible the Portuguese version is and was simply preserved as it was.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Tomba! Special Edition is a slightly improved version of Tomba! from 1997. No graphical changes, but the changes that are there make playing Tomba! Special Edition a lot easier. It gives you a wonderful nostalgic feeling and takes you back to that time. You have to get used to the graphical style and also the sometimes clumsy controls. But if you can, then Tomba! Special Edition is a wonderful game to get through the summer with.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Limited Run Games and its Carbon Engine allow us to recover the cult game Tombi!, originally released on Sony's PlayStation console, and bring it to several of the current systems with significant quality of life improvements and various extras. Discover Tombi! In 2024 it is still worth it as much as it was in its day, the game is overflowing with quality and although the backtracking can be a bit tedious, it is worth giving it a chance.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Tomba! Special Edition is a wonderful release that gives players the chance to re-visit one of the PlayStation’s most ambitious and enjoyable platformers. It’s surprising how refreshing the unique gameplay elements still feel today, whilst there’s plenty for players to get stuck into with its multitude of rewarding quests and satisfying platforming challenges. And sure, it can show its age in some aspects of its design (particularly when tracking quests), but it still manages to stand out as a very impressive platforming adventure that’s sure to delight both newcomers and those who loved the game back in 1997.
Tomba! Special Edition might not be for everyone but it is an important moment in video game history that hopefully leads to more games ported to modern platforms and more robust ways to interact with those titles. Out of everything happening in retro gaming, the Carbon Engine is one of the most exciting things happening. Games deserve to be preserved and this release is a godsend for anyone with a passing interest on the adventures of a pink-haired feral lad.
Tombi Special Edition is a return to nostalgia, a game that was very popular at the time and that is now available to be enjoyed on current consoles without any notable improvement, except for the aforementioned extras. If you liked it at the time and don't have the chance to play it again, it could be a good option, but if you already have it, the additions may not be enough to make you pay again.
Review in Spanish | Read full review