GEX 3DO
GEX 3DO review
The 90s. A decade defined by console mascots, each vying for a slice of the platforming pie. Panasonic, not to be outdone, threw their hat into the ring with Gex, a wise-cracking gecko courtesy of Crystal Dynamics. Released late in ’94, Gex slithered onto the 3DO, a console carving its own niche alongside cult classics like Flashback and Another World. Bundled with the system and shifting over a million units, Gex became a bona fide 3DO success story – a testament to its sticky-fingered charm. And even after the 3DO’s untimely demise, Gex refused to fade, leaping onto other platforms to continue his television-fuelled escapades.
Cable TV cartoon storyline
Gex’s narrative is delightfully bonkers: a TV-addicted gecko sucked into the digital wasteland of Media Dimension by the nefarious Rez. His mission? To navigate a series of themed channels – from horror to kung-fu – and find a way back to reality. While Gex’s prominent on-screen presence occasionally clashes with the gameplay, the controls are slick, offering a diverse range of lizard abilities and a novel stacking power-up system.
Multi direction level design
Level design is where Gex truly shines. Verticality is key, thanks to Gex’s climbing prowess, and the hunt for hidden Planet X remotes – essential for progression – adds a layer of exploration to the 24 themed levels. Visually, Gex is a vibrant affair. Each world, inspired by different TV genres, is a riot of colour and cartoonish enemies, all brought to life with fluid animation. Dana Gould’s voice acting as Gex, though potentially grating with its constant stream of one-liners, injects a unique personality into the game.
Gex, despite a few niggling design issues, is a genuinely entertaining platformer – a quirky, colourful, and often hilarious experience. Grab a Goldstar controller to make easier and prepare for some channel-hopping chaos.
GEX intro and levels
GEX screenshots
GEX game box
GEX 3DO - Key points
- 90s Mascot Trend: Every console needed a mascot in the 90s… and Gex became the mascot for the Panasonic 3DO.
- Game Overview: Gex is a side-scrolling platformer developed by Crystal Dynamics, featuring an wise cracking gecko named Gex who must defeat evil Rez in the “media dimension.”
- Gameplay Mechanics: Gex traverses 24 levels across different TV-themed worlds, finding hidden remotes to unlock more levels. The game includes platforming stages ending with boss fights.
- Abilities and Power-ups: Gex can walk, run, jump, attach to walls/ceilings, and use his tail and tongue for attacks and collecting items. Power-ups grant abilities like shooting fire, freezing enemies, and temporary invincibility.
- Health System: Gex has three hit points, extendable to six, and gains extra lives by collecting golden bugs.
- Graphics and Animation: Uses pre-rendered graphics similar to Donkey Kong Country. While visually adequate, some animations cause game slowdown.
- Sound and Voice Work: Features extensive voice work by comedian Dana Gould, though the frequent one-liners can become annoying.
- Level Design: The level design includes varied and interesting obstacles, but some sections have unbalanced difficulty. Water stages are particularly awkward.
- Reception and Legacy: Gex received decent attention and is better than many contemporary platformers, and is considered a must-have title on 3DO. It has aged better than most 3DO games and was released on many other platforms.
- Long lasting Impact: Despite its shortcomings, Gex is showcases Crystal Dynamics creative approach at the time for the 3DO and stands as an interesting piece of gaming history from the 90s mascot era.
