Back
in 2014, I reviewed CollectorVision’s Sydney Hunter and the Shrines of Peril, a
Smurf Rescue in Gargamel’s Castle pastiche for the Intellivision. Now it’s time
for Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death, an action/adventure title for the
Super Nintendo. CollectorVision is an independent company producing games for
modern and vintage consoles, and Sydney Hunter, an amiable Indiana Jones-type adventurer
and geologist, is basically their mascot.
In
this 16-bit expedition, Sydney heads to the South Pacific and explores the
mysterious Sundial Island, home of Mount Doom. Deep within Mount Doom are
treasures untold and a volcano god who demands human sacrifice. Tempted by a colorful
jewel on a pedestal in a cavern within the mountain, Sydney ventures boldly
inside, only to get trapped. You must help him gather treasure, battle enemies,
and find his way out.
Armed
only with a boomerang and a torch (for lighting the way), Sydney must run, jump, and climb through the various
caverns, hurling his weapon at bats, frogs, ghosts, firebirds, snails, and
spiders. There are also obstacles to avoid, including green slime, dropping water,
and ghost flames (which can’t be killed). Tricky jumps will test your dexterity,
and you must tread carefully throughout the game because one-hit deaths are the
rule of the day—unless you are playing easy mode, where Sydney can find hats
along the way. While wearing a hat, Sydney can take an extra hit.
There
are no inventory systems to manage, magic potions to mix, weapons to upgrade, or
other such complications, meaning some will find the goings a little light for
their tastes. However, others will enjoy the simple, pick-up-and-play nature of
the game. I find myself in the latter camp, especially since the game is deeper
than it appears on the surface. As you make your way through the caverns, you
must pick up crystal skulls, diamonds, and golden idols and carry them to
specific places to make your way out.
Graphically,
the game isn’t oozing with detail, but it does have a pleasant appearance, with
a cute protagonist, nice lighting effects, glowing walls, and rising lava
(when it’s time to quickly exit the cavern). From an aural standpoint, the
music fits the mood nicely. More importantly, the game is fun, it has solid
controls, and it presents a fair challenge.
As icing
on the cake, the packaging is top-notch, old-school SNES, with box art by Joe
Simko of Garbage Pail Kids trading card fame. If nothing else, the game is a nice
stop-gap while we all wait for the highly anticipated Sydney Hunter & TheCurse Of The Mayan for the Nintendo Switch, Steam, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.
You can purchase your
copy of Sydney Hunter and the Caverns of Death HERE.
There
are no inventory systems to manage, magic potions to mix, weapons to upgrade, or
other such complications, meaning some will find the goings a little light for
their tastes. However, others will enjoy the simple, pick-up-and-play nature of
the game. I find myself in the latter camp, especially since the game is deeper
than it appears on the surface. As you make your way through the caverns, you
must pick up crystal skulls, diamonds, and golden idols and carry them to
specific places to make your way out.
This year I had the distinct honor of writing the forewords to two very cool video game-related projects: The Bits of Yesterday, a documentary on collecting vintage video games featuring such celebs as Pat Contri and James Rolfe, and The Minds Behind the Games, a book featuring interviews with developers of such classics as Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, and Yars' Revenge.
