Tomba! Special Edition Review

I recently got a review code of Tomba! Special Edition for Steam, and it was a mix of old and new. This updated version of the PlayStation classic takes a nostalgic trip and adds a few modern tweaks. Here’s how it stacks up. Note: I played it mostly on Steam Deck OLED.

Playing Tomba! Special Edition on the Steam Deck was mostly smooth. The game’s cutscenes and videos played well, which is important for keeping the game’s unique vibe. However, I did notice some minor slowdowns, especially when opening the map or other menus. The game defaulted to a 1280×720 resolution, which worked fine in full screen but didn’t look as sharp as it could. On a regular PC, the game can go up to 1440p, so this might just be a Steam Deck issue.

The game’s visuals are still colorful and cartoonish, just like the original. They haven’t changed much, which might be a letdown if you were hoping for a major visual upgrade. The soundtrack has been remastered, but it feels a bit odd since the visuals haven’t been updated. Still, the music is catchy and fits the game’s quirky style.

In Tomba!, you’ll do a lot of jumping and platforming, and it feels a bit floaty. This can be a bit frustrating, especially when you’re trying to land precise jumps or fight enemies. Combat involves jumping on enemies, biting them, and then throwing them around. It’s a unique mechanic but can get repetitive. You do get some weapons that help you deal with tougher enemies and reach items from a distance. Holding the attack button powers up these weapons, making it easier to take down tricky foes.

The game is packed with 130 quests. Some are required, like catching the Seven Evil Pigs who’ve cursed the world. Each pig has its own set of challenges, including finding hidden doors and solving simple puzzles to trap them. These puzzles can be easy or hard, but finding the hidden doors is often the toughest part. There are also many side quests that involve fetching items or solving small puzzles, which adds to the exploration fun.

Exploring the game is enjoyable. You’ll often need to revisit areas to find hidden items and complete quests. There are chests you can open only after helping old men in the game, which encourages you to come back to earlier locations. There’s also a go-kart mini-game for a bit of extra fun.

The Special Edition brings a few helpful changes. You can now save anywhere, which is a big improvement over the old system that relied on signposts. There’s also a rewind feature, but it didn’t seem very useful and sometimes got in the way. The game includes a gallery with promotional art and design documents from different versions of the game, which is a nice touch for fans.