Alright, so, here we are—Gex is back. Yep, that quirky gecko we used to know before the whole GEICO thing. Remember him? I mean, what was the ’90s even about, right? Anyway, Gex has been revived, like some kind of digital Lazarus, in this new trilogy re-release. Are these games improved by modern touches, or should they have stayed buried in the past, like my high school mixtapes? Let’s dive in.
Okay, first off—Gex. The original. This guy started on the 3DO (like, who remembers that console?), before hopping over to Sega Saturn and the PlayStation. It’s his only stint in 2D. The plot? Barely there. Gex is sucked into his TV by a villain named Rez. (Wow. So high-stakes.) You wander through weird channels—Cemetery, New Toonland, Kung Fuville—each world full of levels where you grab a remote to move on. Not like remote controls today, sadly. Gex’s moves? Tail attack, tail bounce, some random circle power-ups. Invincibility, flame shots—you name it. Who came up with this stuff? They also had checkpoints with cameras (fancy!), but the best part might’ve been the ability to save anywhere in this re-release. Ironic, right, considering my phone can’t even save drafts properly.
Playing it? Well, let’s just say it’s complicated. There’s a run button, but it feels like you’re driving a car with square wheels. Enemies have funky hitboxes, I promise you’ll miss a lot at first. Backgrounds are all over the place. Are they solid, are they climbable? Who even knows. And man, Gex talks non-stop. Cool at first, then you’re just praying for a mute button. The creativity is there, but it’s like a fever dream you can’t wake up from.
Now, Enter the Gecko. Welcome to 3D, folks! Rez is back, and this time, Gex is after cash. Quite relatable, actually. He controls better, a little less floaty, but that jump? It’s…awkward? Kind of Mario 64-ish, but, you know, not. Good news—some new jokes are added to the incessant babbling. But seriously, the camera is nuts, swinging around like it’s on a roller coaster, so thank goodness you can toggle it to manual. You wander through a hub world, entering different stages via giant TV screens. Yep, TVs again. Gex wears costumes fit for each level—a carrot here, a disco suit there. And who thought a rabbit suit would help? I mean, maybe it does.
Finally, Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko. Spoiler—it’s got a Baywatch actress vibe? The hub world is confusing, but I guess that’s part of the charm (?). Collectibles lost their magic too, becoming plain old Fly Coins. At least bosses got a bit creative, adding tanks and snowboards for good measure. It’s 3D with just more stuff—an ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ kind of game. Though, personally, I felt the second one hit a sweet spot.
So, the Gex Trilogy—a flashback in a box. Limited Run wrapped these classics in a neat package with cool extras. But are they like catching lightning in a bottle? Maybe not quite, but hey, not everything can be Mario or Banjo-Kazooie, right? The nostalgia trip is real, especially with all those ’90s feels, keeping these games alive on modern consoles. I mean, if nothing else, they’re a time capsule. And that, somehow, feels important.
