I’m going to try really hard not to let my nostalgia for this game cloud my judgment when it comes to writing an honest review, but I can’t promise anything.
Part of the reason I’m so obsessed with Tomba is that it really is a good, fun, original game. Back when I was around 7 years old, my brother and I bought a gaming magazine (I can’t remember which one). The magazine was cool and all, but what we really wanted was the free PS1 demo disc that came with it. You could play through the first area, then the demo would end abruptly, leaving you wanting more. I swear, I played through the first area of Tomba probably 30-40 times.
Eventually, when I was a little older, I had the chance to experience the full game; a side-scrolling RPG that combines 2D and 3D elements. The world is colorful and interactive, and there is rarely any hand-holding when it comes to the gameplay.
Recently, Tomba received the “special edition” treatment and was re-released on various modern consoles, including the Nintendo Switch. Its release was a complete surprise, as a date was never announced in the trailer. It literally made my day when I was scrolling through the eShop and noticed it was available.
I will say I was just a little disappointed when I realized it was just a “special edition” and not a complete remaster. I’ll take it, but I would have loved to see the game with updated graphics and smoother gameplay. I do love all of the extra content that Limited Run Games included, like short videos showing how Tomba was made and concept art I have never seen before.
The craziest thing for me is that you can now save anywhere and rewind if you mess up. Let me tell you, I have played this game on every system it was released on, and some ROMs when I was desperate. It is hard! Whippersnappers these days will never know the challenge of the true version of Tomba.
The game begins with Tomba minding his own business when he is ambushed by a gang of evil pigs. They steal his most prized possession, his grandpa’s gold bracelet, then run off to wreak havoc across the land. Tomba rushes after them, and thus begins his adventure. His story and the way he looks and acts really remind me of Goku from the original Dragon Ball, which is probably another reason I like him.
There are seven evil pigs, each of whom has taken over a different area and cursed the land in some way. For example, there is a town full of people who have been turned into mice. Once you capture and contain the evil pig who is responsible, the spell is broken, and the area is cleared. After you clear all of the areas, you can fight the last evil pig and get your bracelet back.
But there is so much more to Tomba than the main storyline. There are 130 “events” that you will encounter during your playthrough that will trigger a side quest. Some of these are required to progress, but most are optional. Half the fun of playing Tomba is the rewarding feeling you get when you complete an event. Sometimes you get a unique item or unlock a new path. Sometimes you just get experience points. Experience points are needed to level up and gain new powers. Some events even require you to have a certain amount of experience points to complete them.
While you can progress through the main story fairly quickly (especially now that you can save anytime and rewind), the events will add some longevity to your playthrough, and you never know where you’ll find one. Talking to NPCs will trigger most of them, but some you will get just by entering a new area or jumping on something.
Speaking of jumping, Tomba is really good at it. He grew up alone in the wild, so he runs like a dog and jumps like a pro NBA player. Like Koopa Troopas in Super Mario games, pigs are running amok in Tomba. You can jump on them, grab them, and throw them at other enemies or just launch them into the abyss. However you do it, it’s fun. As Tomba levels up, your health will expand, making the game much more tolerable. You’ll also encounter various chests throughout each area, containing things like extra lives, weapons, quest items, and more. You can use weapons to stun or knock out enemies, and you also acquire a grappling hook later on that will really help with some of the more difficult areas of the game.
Some of the gameplay mechanics are a little outdated. You might get frustrated with the camera angles, as Tomba can enter the foreground, background, and sides of each area. Sometimes you’ll discover a path that you never even knew was there just by accidentally pressing the wrong direction. And swimming in this game is just…well, as bad as swimming was in every retro game. Luckily, you don’t have to do much of it. But the game runs great on the Switch, and I didn’t run into any frame rate issues or freezing. Also, the load times are a lot faster than they were on the PS1.
Overall, Tomba is a fun, weird, challenging game. It would have been really awesome to see it with modern graphics and controls, but this is a great version for new players who never had the chance to play or might have found the original game to be a little too difficult. Limited Run also released a physical copy of the game (now sold out) that includes all kinds of cool merch. The original version of Tomba is a pretty rare game, so the price tag on this version is definitely reasonable when it comes to content and replayability, even if it’s pretty much the same game.
If you enjoy retro RPGs, tons of side quests, and a little weird humor, Tomba! Special Edition is definitely a game you will want to try. And that is my honest, unbiased opinion. I really hope that Tomba 2 gets the same treatment because it’s an awesome hidden gem, as well (hint hint, Limited Run Games).
