Croc: Legend of the Gobbos

Croc: Legend of the Gobbos is a fully 3-D platformer with stunning graphics that are very close to those of Mario 64. The game levels are large, but are broken up using doors and tunnels into many smaller rooms to allow the Playstation to handle the complex graphics. The doors slow down gameplay, as every time you go through one, you've got to wait for the next room to load. The story is that Croc, who was raised by the Gobbos, is the only one who can rescue his friends from the Dantinis under King Dante.

The levels are typical platform style, but surprisingly, the game seems to borrow more from Sonic than Mario 64. There are four main islands, each with a different theme, which make up the game. Each has six levels and two Guardians apiece (after 3 levels, you face a Guardian), with the non-boss levels containing six Gobbos, all of which you need to find. Most of the Dantinis are simple little critters which bear a striking resemblance to Elmo from Sesame Street. They're really cute and disappear with a poof of sparkles when you hit them with your tail attack or butt-stomp, Croc's two ways of attacking. You'll also find little details in each island, like falling snow-flakes, foot-prints in the snow and sand which are relatively minor, but help to set the scene. Additional spice is added with the occasional fun puzzle, like finding the key to unlock a cage containing a Gobbo, or guessing which of three boxes the Gobbo is in after they get shuffled around.

The camera is one of the biggest problems in this game, it just doesn't seem to quite work right. Too often you'll find yourself running along a cliff wall, only to have the camera go flying up to get the perspective from a distant overhead, or even get stuck behind a pillar leaving you of no idea where Croc went to and no way to get the camera back to him without retracing your steps by memory to get back to an open area. Despite this minor flaw, Croc is a very well done game. It seems to be orientated toward younger gamers, but I think that many older gamers will find the cuteness enchanting.