TGS 08 hands-on: Spelunker (PSN)
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Spelunker is a remake of the NES classic from Irem. Does it look familiar to you? Do you remember the game from way back in the day, 20 years ago? If you do, it's probably because the aesthetics haven't changed much. Though boasting updated, modern graphics, the game's visuals retain a retro-stylized feel. The 2D characters are still there. The lifts and ladders are still in the places they would've been. Overall, it looks like an interesting title for those old-school gamers looking for a blast from the past.
Of course, the question is: How does it play? First off, the controls are simple enough. It's a 2D game with a focus on platform jumping, with other actions including: riding down elevators; leaping over pits; climbing ladders; and dodging fire, steam, and toxic liquids. You can collect items such as bombs to demolish obstacles in your way, or keys in order to progress through locked sections of a stage. It all sounds very simple, familiar and arcadey -- in other words, a perfect fit for a PSN game. Right?
Despite sounding like something we might want to play, our time with the title didn't earn it any new friends. The game can be unforgiving at times; perhaps because the design incorporates not only a retro look and structure, but many archaic and rigid design mechanics of days gone by. Think of this title as presenting another old-school mechanics revival a la Mega Man 9. The controls seem rather broken, unfortunately, as it's easy to overshoot jumps towards ladders simply by accidentally tapping a directional button after latching on. Death occurs frequently if you forget that you can't drop down the seemingly shallow pits – remember, we're back to instant-death traps with this one.
In that respect, gamers who played this game back in the day will probably end up loving this update. To them, things like the classic boulder chase scenes should easily tap into those feelings of nostalgia. It's not all old stuff, though, as Spelunker seems to feature all-new, four-player split-screen gameplay.
Despite such a boon, Spelunker still feels too much like a niche title that perhaps only a few could truly enjoy. So far Irem hasn't made any announcements about taking it out of Japan, though it would make a great deal of sense if it did -- in fact, the HUD is already in English.
Reader Comments (14)
Posted: Oct 12th 2008 3:37PM Jacksons said
I wonder if the bats still make that horrible noise...
Posted: Oct 12th 2008 4:26PM c0bra95 said
This is not a NES classic. It's an 8-bit micro classic, with the best version probably belonging to the Atari 800. The game is closer to 30 years old than to 20.
Posted: Oct 12th 2008 5:11PM GenGrievous said
Ugh personally I'd rather see original titles and not all those rehashes.
Posted: Oct 12th 2008 5:15PM Levi said
Actually, I DON'T remember this game... I mean, I can't claim to have played ALL NES games, but I played a ton of them...
...regardless, I will personally never get tired of these remakes, especially if there is a lot of additional content, and the possibility of expansions.
*Hopes for a new BC:R single player campaign & internet multiplayer*
...regardless, I will personally never get tired of these remakes, especially if there is a lot of additional content, and the possibility of expansions.
*Hopes for a new BC:R single player campaign & internet multiplayer*
Posted: Oct 12th 2008 7:25PM RobAccomando said
Do you still die from a 2 inch fall?
Posted: Oct 12th 2008 9:31PM (Unverified) said
Like Cobra 951 said, this was ported to many platforms but it originated from Synapse software on the Atari 400/800 computers way way back when and appeared on the NES much later.
Posted: Oct 13th 2008 3:29AM (Unverified) said
Why Spelunker? I hate that frustratingly stupid pile of crap. Oh look, I jumped half of my body size off of a ladder and died a horrible, violent death.
Posted: Oct 13th 2008 12:37AM (Unverified) said
Wow, now this is going WAYYY back. So where's my Zork remake?
Posted: Oct 13th 2008 4:06AM (Unverified) said
Personally I would rather have Montezuma's Revenge but this will do.
Posted: Oct 13th 2008 5:07AM dargis49 said
First thing I thought when I saw the pic was Braid.
Posted: Oct 13th 2008 10:26AM Dkshadow said
I want Lost Vikings remake please!
Posted: Oct 13th 2008 1:01PM Courtney said
Gawd, I remember being so frustrated by this game, over and over again.
Time to break out the emulator.
Time to break out the emulator.
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