8 Video Games In Desperate Need Of A Remaster

A rather obscure title, Resident Evil creator Tokuro Fujiwara's PS1 platformer might be the greatest game starring a pink-haired feral boy and featuring bum-shaped plants that fart on evil pigs to turn them into babies that you'll ever play. Its mischievous atmosphere, colourful setting and open-ended quest-based gameplay make it an uplifting experience which rewards exploration and gives the world a sense of connectivity.

Upon setting out on the innocuous task of tracking down his grandfather's missing bracelet, aforementioned cannibal and fashion disaster Tomba is drawn into an epic quest to track down seven evil pigs and imprison them in imaginatively-named pig bags.

The gameplay alternates between Tomba's primary mission and various tasks acquired from characters you meet along the way. Many areas will be inaccessible until certain tasks have been completed, as these can reward Tomba with extra abilities or keys which allow him to backtrack and explore previously unavailable parts of the world. It ends up feeling a little like a Metroidvania game, but with fewer vampires or aliens and more children biting and suplexing wild animals. Defeating the evil pigs also makes permanent positive changes to various areas of the game world, giving the player the feeling that they're truly making headway.

Tomba's mix of 2D sprites and 3D environments lent an incredible charm to the game back in 1997 and its appeal is enduring. It feels like the distant ancestor of many critically-acclaimed indie titles prevalent today, and a nice bit of current-gen polish could help the game gain the recognition it deserves.