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Tomba!
Aug 12, 2014 22:29:58 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Aug 12, 2014 22:29:58 GMT -5
www.hardcoregaming101.net/tomba/tomba.htmTwo PS1 platformers by Tokuro Fujiwara, one of the old guards from Capcom and creator of the Ghosts n' Goblins series. They're rather unusual in that they're non-linear, with an event system featuring numerous quests.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 1:19:12 GMT -5
Post by Deleted on Aug 13, 2014 1:19:12 GMT -5
Didn't I read somewhere that Vic Ireland of Working Designs was a ridiculously obsessive fan of Tomba, to the point where it was negatively impacting his work at the company?
Actually, I think he was behind the PSN re-releases of Tomba 1 and 2, since Monkey Paw is associated with his current company GaijinWorks. They were only able to get the rights to the Japanese version of 2 though.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 2:22:58 GMT -5
Post by Ace Whatever on Aug 13, 2014 2:22:58 GMT -5
The article's a bit rough around the edges. English not being the author's first language I can deal with, but the write-up for the first game is a little padded. Too much explaining specific events and using terms that people who didn't play the game wouldn't understand.
This paragraph needs fixing because the first sentence talks about voice acting then the author goes on to complain about the characterization without a proper segue.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 8:53:06 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Aug 13, 2014 8:53:06 GMT -5
Yeah, but the voice acting plays a part in why the character's so annoying.
I left a lot of the specific questing stuff in about the first Tomba because it's a very peculiar game, with very peculiar issues, and I thought it was necessary to understand its criticisms. The quests described don't make much more sense in the game itself, which is a problem.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 9:13:17 GMT -5
Post by Allie on Aug 13, 2014 9:13:17 GMT -5
Didn't I read somewhere that Vic Ireland of Working Designs was a ridiculously obsessive fan of Tomba, to the point where it was negatively impacting his work at the company? Actually, I think he was behind the PSN re-releases of Tomba 1 and 2, since Monkey Paw is associated with his current company GaijinWorks. They were only able to get the rights to the Japanese version of 2 though. It wasn't a rights issue. It's that the emulation that the PS3 uses wasn't working correctly with the NA version of the game. At least, that's what they'd claimed back on the PS Blog. One of these days I should boot up my disc version and see if it had problems (though I'm betting not).
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 9:32:09 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Aug 13, 2014 9:32:09 GMT -5
I have the CD version of Tomba 2 also, I'll give it a shot. I was under the impression it was a rights issue, probably due to the voice acting, since that's what typically holds these things up.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 10:28:24 GMT -5
Post by redd88 on Aug 13, 2014 10:28:24 GMT -5
"Despite its high points, Tomba! sold poorly. However, it did appear on an Official PlayStation Magazine demo disc."
I wanted to add to this, since I feel it's somewhat significant - along with appearing on the OPM demo disc, it was also included on the - I think vol 5 or vol 6 - demo disc that came with the playstation for those late adopters who bought a console during that year.
Tomba was also advertised quite heavily in the States and in Canada - it had a very prominent TV commercial - which unfortunately hasn't been uploaded to youtube - but I remember it being, fairly ambiguous and not being able to understand what type of game Tomba was until I actually played it and realizing it wasn't quite like anything I played at all.
The commercial had gameplay footage of Tomba cackling in "the weird flower area" and another shot that's taken from a fairly early part of the game of him throwing a pig against a tree or something before finally concluding. I think the commercial was interspersed with live-footage of people wearing pink wigs and the slogan was "Tomba loves you, too" - but this part I can't remember quite as clearly.
As for it having sold poorly, even though I played the game all the way through, I remember being ridiculed as a kid for playing Tomba, because bright and colorful platformers just weren't considered "cool" enough to play anymore during the late 90s. The game just couldn't compete with the Resident Evils, Tomb Raiders, Metal Gear Solid, or Final Fantasies that were being released during that time:
It felt incredibly dated, for an unusual 2.5D game like Tomba to be released on the Playstation, when publishers were being pushed to release "full 3D experiences" during that time.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 14:39:05 GMT -5
Post by jjmcjj on Aug 13, 2014 14:39:05 GMT -5
I remember that Tomba commercial too! I think it was narrated like some recruitment ad by the kind of steely-voiced man who you'd hear in some TV promo about how great America is or something.. And just as you said, it was mostly a montage of people engaging in everyday activities but with ridiculous pink wigs on, and a couple of clips of gameplay footage spliced in-between.
I also had the OPM demo disc, the demo for Tomba! was one of those timed demos. I always hated those, how did they work exactly? I would think there'd be a finite amount of the game actually included, and just stops you from playing when the invisible timer is done. It'd be absurd if these had the entirety of the games on them, but if it had only so much you could play why not allow you to play all of it at your own pace? Whatever. Anyway I sadly never got the actual, full game but I played the game's demo quite a number of times. I loved everything I was able to play, and since then my quests for a copy of the game in decent condition for a non-rip-off price was one in vain (back when Gamestop was still selling used PS1 games, I saw the game in the rack. The disc wasn't in there obviously but I wanted to see the inserts first, the back insert and the booklet was there, and all looked well, until I went through the booklet and saw a smashed bug in it, like a tiny mosquito or something - uhhh, no thanks).
I did manage to find an unopened copy of Tomba! 2 long after it was OOP online which I gladly bought. I never got around to finishing that game, I did enjoy what I played but not as much as what I played of the first game. Some of its annoying mini-games didn't help. I think there was one where you were in some interior vertical area where you had to climb to gather a bunch of sheep or sheep-like animals (?) and throw them in a pen, all on a timer. It'd get increasingly harder as it went along and you had to finish all of it to get whatever item it is that you got for finishing it. It got to points of annoyance and frustration, but I got it eventually. I'd probably have finished it if I wasn't the type to arbitrarily stop in the middle of playing certain games. And I definitely never would get to finish it once I sold off all of my PS1 stuff.
I was very happy when I saw the first Tomba, then the second, arrive on the PS Store. When/if I get a Sony gaming device (probably just the Vita) I'd love to play them then. That sucks if it's the Japanese version of Tomba 2 that's available. I know that none of the Japanese games on the PS1 store have any alterations to them so if it's text-reliant then too bad, you'll have to work through the Japanese yourself. I don't remember how text-reliant Tomba! 2 was besides the fact it had text, I hope that doesn't become an impediment.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 14:56:01 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Aug 13, 2014 14:56:01 GMT -5
I've seen a lot of people comment that they played Tomba on a demo disc (OPM or otherwise) but few seem to have bought the game. I was one of those - I bought plenty of these type of games for the PS1, and for some reason I skipped over both of the Tomba games. I don't recall the commercials specifically mentioned but I do remember, either from ads or magazine previews, that they were making a huge deal about how wacky it was that you could jump on pigs.
I guess it might be a good case study that some games are just unmarketable on a broad level.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 15:13:51 GMT -5
Post by Joseph Joestar on Aug 13, 2014 15:13:51 GMT -5
Didn't I read somewhere that Vic Ireland of Working Designs was a ridiculously obsessive fan of Tomba, to the point where it was negatively impacting his work at the company? He was probably busy fantasizing about ways he could have fucked up the game balance of Tomba instead of working on getting Arc the Lad Collection out...
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 15:19:05 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Aug 13, 2014 15:19:05 GMT -5
In an alternate dimension where Working Designs published Tomba, every quest gives half the amount of AP, so you need to complete them all twice, just so you won't return it to Electronics Boutique. To compensate, the packaging is real shiny.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 16:46:53 GMT -5
Post by Joseph Joestar on Aug 13, 2014 16:46:53 GMT -5
In an alternate dimension where Working Designs published Tomba, every quest gives half the amount of AP, so you need to complete them all twice, just so you won't return it to Electronics Boutique. To compensate, the packaging is real shiny. Don't forget the non-functional replica of his Yo-Yo. That took an extra six months to get the package to market. I have such conflicting feelings about Working Designs - is that wrong? Or is that to be expected?
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 17:50:06 GMT -5
Post by drpepperfan on Aug 13, 2014 17:50:06 GMT -5
This game is pretty expensive now right? A real collector's item.
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 18:23:17 GMT -5
Post by Discoalucard on Aug 13, 2014 18:23:17 GMT -5
This game is pretty expensive now right? A real collector's item. They're both pricey, but not exorbitantly so. You can probably get both of them complete for about $50-$60 each.
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mpx
Full Member
Posts: 130
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Tomba!
Aug 13, 2014 19:49:45 GMT -5
Post by mpx on Aug 13, 2014 19:49:45 GMT -5
Here is my observation about game: If you don't grind, and just rush to finish main quest - final boss will be hard. He will attack Tombi with magic powers encountered in previous pig boss battles. If Tombi is strong - final boss will have only one attack; he will freeze time. If Tombi energy is low - just save game and reload! His energy bar will be full. This trick is helpful in dangerous areas. Original JP release has worse graphic in comparison to US and PAL release. Game has short development circle and US/PAL release is more polished. There is hidden video on disc - early version of Iron Castle / Village of Civilization? www.youtube.com/watch?v=hChwi5_YWawTombi can collect Vitality Max + 1. At beginning of game his energy is 4 of 4, and maximum is 16/16. First game has also crazy mini- game. Its a racing time trial mini game. Tombi must get best time to achieve medal (bronze, silver and gold). Here is cover from Demo Disk with Tombi on it. i1108.photobucket.com/albums/h406/falinxx/IMAGE0010.jpgi1108.photobucket.com/albums/h406/falinxx/IMAGE0011.jpgi1108.photobucket.com/albums/h406/falinxx/IMAGE0009.jpgAnd img580.imageshack.us/img580/4565/img0406mr.jpgThese plush dolls were apparently given out as a press release item, and are now considered to be extremely rare.
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