LYNX: Toki










From: Robert Jung (ap803@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)

Date: 03/29/92-11:09:31 PM Z









From: ap803@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Robert Jung)
Subject: LYNX: Toki
Date: Sun Mar 29 23:09:31 1992


  I think I can live with one new Lynx game a week. Just gotta kill a few
people first, but I wouldn't mind that at all...

===========================================================================
TOKI
1 player, horizontal game
Atari Corp., for the Atari Lynx
$34.95
Stereo? No


OVERVIEW:
    So there's Toki the caveman, out spending time with his girlfriend,
talking about whatever it is cavepeople chat about. Who comes to spoil the
party but the local Evil High Priest Vookimedlo, who kidnaps his gal and uses
magic to devolve Toki into a chimp. Strangely enough, Toki the chimpanzee can
shoot fireballs from his mouth, and decides to use his primitive machismo to
rescue his date. Hey, if an Italian plumber can rescue damsels in distress,
why can't an ape give it a try?

    That's TOKI for the Atari Lynx, an adaptation of the little-seen arcade
video game from Fabtek. You must guide Toki through eight multidirectional
scrolling stages of caverns, moats, and whatnot, battling Vookimedlo's traps
and flunkies. Toki can defeat enemies by hitting them with his fireballs, or
by repeatedly jumping on them.  Along the way, you will find items that
temporarily enhance Toki's abilities, like higher jumping or more powerful
fireballs. A life is lost if Toki is hit by an enemy, caught by a trap, or
runs out of time; an extra life is awarded if enough coins are collected.


GAMEPLAY:
    The most supportive statement that can be made for TOKI on the Lynx is
that it's a very faithful adaptation. Almost none of the gameplay has been
abridged or altered; people who have played this in the arcade will be in
familliar territory. The problem is that the original was not that spectacular
to begin with. Aside from the slightly novel plot, there is very little here
that hasn't been done before.

    This is not to say that TOKI is a bad game; as yet-another-run-and-jump,
its redeeming points elevate it a bit above its competition. There is a good
amount of variety; the enemies you have to face are very diverse, and the
different stages are much more than a change in window dressing. Also, the
game sets a very irreverant tone; for instance, two of the tools helping
Toki's quest are football helmets and teeter-totters loaded with weights. 
Finally, the game itself is of fair difficulty; you start with four lives,
and can continue up to two times, but the typical player will need all the
help he can find. 


GRAPHICS/SOUND:
    The graphics and sound of TOKI capture the game's lighthearted attitude
very well. There is good use of color and a lot of detail and animation in the
graphics. However, some of the game elements are fairly small, requiring a bit
of effort to spot them. This can be fatal with some of the more detailed
backgrounds, as a small incoming projectile could slip past your sight.

    Sounds are better, making good use of music, computer-generated effects,
and digitized clips. Each level is accompanied by an unobtrusive background
soundtrack, and the individual sound effects are distinctive. The digitized
bits are often the most enjoyable, such as Toki's death yelp and the
cartoon-inspired "boing!" noises.


SUMMARY:
    TOKI is, in the final analysis, a great adaptation of an average game,
duplicating the original's sights, sounds, and action faithfully. If you
aren't interested in run-and-jump contests, there is little here to change
your opinion. However, if you're in the market for a new arcade-action game,
TOKI is a worthy candidate.


                GAMEPLAY:        6.5
                GRAPHICS:        7.5
                SOUND:           9
                OVERALL:         7

  Rating values  10 - 8   Great! This game can't get much better.
                  7 - 5   Good. Average game, could be improved.
                  4 - 2   Poor. For devotees only.
                      1   Ick. Shoot it.

===========================================================================

  So much text to write, so little time.

                                                --R.J.
                                                B-)

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   Send whatevers to rjung@usc.edu    |      If it has pixels, I'm for it.
--------------------------------------+------------------------------Lynx up!
"You weren't chosen because you are the best pilot in the Air Force. You were
    chosen because you are the class clown and frankly, you're expendable."









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