Tomba! – The Odd ’90s Platformer
Remember Tomba!? You might not, but it was a profoundly odd platformer from the ’90s, created by Tokuro Fujiwara. In this game, you played as a small, feral cave-boy with pink hair, on a quest to rescue his granddad’s bracelet from a cabal of evil pigs. Pigs that he defeats by excited leaping. Perhaps the demo of this peculiar game might ring a bell? Tomba! became lodged in the minds of an entire generation of PlayStation owners, thanks in part to its inclusion on a demo disc from PlayStation Magazine back in 1998.
Resonance of Tomba! Demo Disc
Many, including myself, poured countless hours into that demo, relentlessly hunting for some secret way to trick it into becoming the full game. On my UK version, it was called Tombi, which amusingly sounds like a modern grave-sharing app. The memories of tirelessly searching for secrets in Tombi were unforgettable. Recently, a dedicated YouTuber played the very demo in question, offering a jog down memory lane for those who might have forgotten this classic.
Tomba! Special Edition on Steam
Today, a fresh wave of nostalgia hits as Tomba! Special Edition is live on Steam, following an announcement last year. This edition is a collaboration between Limited Run Games and Tokuro Fujiwara, running on LRG’s Carbon Engine. The initial reviews have generally been favorable, with many even calling out to aged millennials who remember the PS1 demo-disc days. However, some superfans express disappointment over the absence of certain settings from the original PS1 game, and the modernized load times that lacked the era-appropriate charm.
Revisiting Childhood Magic
Despite some critiques, I’m tempted to grab this Special Edition. There’s something about Tomba! that’s stayed in my memory since the day I first inserted that black-backed demo disc into my console, a year after Tony Blair became Prime Minister. The unique and special experience of Tomba! stands alongside other memorable demos of my childhood. For fellow aging millennials with a potent sense of nostalgia, the magic of your youth is within reach. Although it comes at a price of $20 (£16.75), I believe that the experience will go on sale at some point. Until then, enjoy the return of a classic!
