Gex: Enter the Gecko |ROM-DOWNLOAD

Gex: Enter the Gecko for the Game Boy Color takes the well-known wisecracking gecko on yet another adventure through the strange and unpredictable Media Dimension. David A. Palmer Productions also developed a separate 2D handheld adaptation for the GBC, published by Crave Entertainment. It takes the themes and characters of the larger 3D Enter the Gecko adventure, but the gameplay and level design have been reworked to fit in with the Game Boy Color’s limitations and strengths. Once more, Gex is drawn into a conflict involving the mysterious Media Dimension and the villainous Rez. The world of television is in danger and Gex must travel through a variety of weird places based on television shows, movies and popular entertainment. It’s not about a realistic world. It's about exaggerated themes and funny situations. It makes it a playful adventure. The Media Dimension is full of strange dangers and enemies. Gex must work his way through various locations while defending himself from monsters appropriate to the game’s parody of television and movies. The portable version features enemies like walking eggs and rotting zombies to give the levels a variety of threats to overcome. Gex’s personality is part of the experience. His sarcastic attitude and television obsession carry over into the handheld adventure, which leans more heavily on straightforward platforming than the larger console versions. The main objective is to progress through the Media Dimension, beat up enemies, jump over platforming hazards and finally face the forces working for Rez. This game has over 26 levels so it’s a pretty meaty adventure for a Game Boy Color platformer. This version combines elements from the original 2D Gex and the 3D console Enter the Gecko. Gex has his familiar moves like his tail attack and tongue lash, but adds in platforming moves that take advantage of the handheld format. His suction-cup paws are also important in that they enable him to grab surfaces and move through areas of the environment. The result is a tight but familiar Gex adventure focused on exploration, platforming, enemy encounters, and the tongue-in-cheek, TV-inspired world that makes the series what it is.

The Game Boy Color version is a side-scrolling 2D action platformer. Players control Gex as he jumps between platforms, attacks enemies and overcomes environmental obstacles as he traverses various stages in the Media Dimension. On GameFAQs this game is listed as a single-player Action > Platformer > 2D game. Gex has many abilities to help him survive through the levels. His tail is a primary attack against enemies, and his tongue provides another way to interact with enemies and objects. These abilities add some variety to the game play other than just jumping over everything. One of the game’s defining mechanics is Gex’s suction-cup paws. These allow him to climb over and grab onto some surfaces, giving him more options for platforming. This ability is particularly useful when traveling through areas where normal movement is not enough. Themes of television and movie parody form the basis of the stages. This gives the game a colorful and unusual feel though the Game Boy Color hardware is far less capable graphically than the PlayStation or Nintendo 64. There are enemy encounters scattered through the levels. Players have to learn the movement patterns of enemies and choose to attack, jump over or avoid certain threats. According to its contemporary game description, the game features up to about 20 different enemies, including some unusual ones such as walking eggs and zombies. The game is primarily designed for single-player play. Getting through the platforming sections and dealing with the enemies and hazards scattered throughout each zone are key to success. The GBC version doesn't try to recreate the full 3D gameplay of the PlayStation or Nintendo 64 editions. Instead, it's a translation of the same basic Gex idea into a more traditional, handheld platformer. This makes it structurally more like classic Game Boy platform games, while still using the Media Dimension themes introduced in Enter the Gecko.

Start the game and take control as Gex enters the Media Dimension. Your main task is to go through all the stages, avoiding hazards, beating enemies and reaching the end of the level. Use the directional controls to move Gex around the environment. Watch out for platforms and obstacles, some sections require exact jumping and movement. Timing is crucial, especially when enemies are near platforms or tight passages. Use the tail attack on enemies in your direct path. Some enemies can be killed by attacking them, and in other cases it is simply easier to jump over the enemy and keep going. Gex's tongue attack may also be useful in gameplay. Don’t use the same attack the whole stage, play to his strengths based on the circumstances. Another important part of the adventure is the ability to stick to suction cups. Some surfaces can be climbed and moved along, enabling Gex to reach areas that cannot be reached by normal jumping. Explore each level carefully and watch out for platforms, enemies and environmental dangers. There are more than 26 levels in the game so the level design and difficulty can change as the adventure progresses. Keep going until you reach the end of the stage. As you advance throughout the Media Dimension, you will be presented with a diversity of television and movie inspired locations, with increasingly challenging scenarios.

D-Pad: Move Gex A: Jump / Action B: Attack / Tongue Action Start: Pause Game Select: Menu / Secondary Action