Little Pig Planet
The prehistoric PlayStation pig pugilist is back! Following the excellent remaster of the first game, Tombi 2: The Evil Swine Return Special Edition gives the sequel the same treatment. While the game may have been the swansong for developer Whoopee Camp, both Tomba titles are beloved by their dedicated fanbase, so it’s wonderful that both titles have been preserved and made accessible for a whole new audience.
The premise is a classic one: evil pigs have stolen Tombi’s girlfriend! This instigates a new adventure on a new island. The quasi-3D effect of the first game has really been amped up here with more complex layouts with multiple routes to explore. While not quite a 3D platformer, the effect is beautifully realised, an ingenious use of the PS1 hardware. This adds to puzzle complexity, too. The first stage, where you have to manipulate massive water pumps to save a crab from a burning building, does a great job in showcasing the increased depth. There’s a Metroidvania touch in how you acquire abilities and return to areas to open new routes.
Swapping between paths is an aspect that hasn’t dated well, a great idea that’s clunky and unresponsive to execute. Controls for speaking to NPCs and reading are similarly wonky, but luckily, the main platforming and combat inputs still hold up. You can save anywhere now, as well as having a rewind feature to smooth out some of the jankier platforming sections.
Swine and Dine
New power-ups are thoughtfully added in this sequel, adding great depth to the combat and traversal. The pig disguise, which allows conversation with friendly porkers, is just delightful. Gliding like a squirrel probably tops that, though! These are added at a steady pace, allowing for near constant discovery and delight. Like the previous remaster, this one also includes a selection of great extras. A gallery of rare marketing materials, manuals and design documents is a goldmine for Tombi fanatics. As well as being able to select regional soundtracks, there’s a lot of love put into these Tombi rereleases. In a sea of remakes and remasters, it’s a remarkable achievement to present such obscure titles with such respect.
Tombi may have been frozen in time since the turn of the century, but he’s aged remarkably well. Truly the Paul Rudd of mostly forgotten 3D adventure games! Now more easily accessible than ever, the time has never been better to explore Tombi’s demented and colourful world.
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