Solid remake of a classic
The original Rick Dangerous is a classic slice of old-school platforming adventure that mixed a healthy dose of humour with some superbly inventive level design, tight controls and cunning puzzles to create a true legend. The game was an instant hit and spawned a sequel in the form of Rick Dangerous 2, which updated the visual style from 1930s comic book to science fiction, and with both games now highly regarded by lovers of old-school thrills. The fanbase for both games is sufficiently large for there to have been several remakes over the years, some of which are of questionable purpose, given that they do little to update the genius of the original and merely serve to remind just how good it is. This version largely falls into this category, being pretty much a straight re-hash and while the gameplay still stands up well today, it has to be questioned what the point of it all is. For those unaware of the original, it's a multi-directional scrolling platformer where you guide a little Indiana Jones-style character through tombs and castles, avoiding bad guys and solving immensely clever puzzles. It's a challenging game, famously tough and occasionally unfair but never less than pure entertainment, with graphics that are charming and sound effects that really bring the adventure to life. The remake keeps everything that made the original great so it's worth looking at, but as with any straight remake, it's always difficult to recommend this over its inspiration so if you are curious (and you should be), head back to the game which started it all.
