Tomba! Message Board

MonkeyPaw Games' PSN re-release of Tomba! is coming to Europe on September 5, the publisher told Joystiq today. The PSOne Classics version of Whoopee Camp's caveman platformer, about a pink-haired caveman battling pigs to reclaim an heirloom bracelet, was released in North America in June.

MonkeyPaw has suggested to us in the past that it is interested in releasing Tomba 2 as well, provided sales of the original game are sufficient.

While MonkeyPaw Games continues to deliver import experiences from Japan, we also have plenty of classic PlayStation titles in our library to satisfy nostalgic needs of even the most dedicated PlayStation fan. This coming Tuesday, June 19th, we’ll be releasing the platforming-adventure classic Tomba! on the PSN. It will mark the first time that our pink-haired hero will be available digitally. It will be available for exclusive download in the PSone Classics section.

Created by Tokuro Fujiwara, the same mastermind that brought us the memorable Ghosts & Goblins and Mega Man, the fresh mix of platforming and sub-quest based adventures make Tomba! one of the most ingenious and versatile PlayStation titles in the Store.

The story follows Tomba, a wild jungle boy who needs to get his lucky golden bracelet back from demon pigs that have overrun his land. He’ll be using numerous weapons such as boomerangs and a large mace to overthrow a wide range of foes from evil pigs, spiders and large forest creatures.

The combination of unique 2D sprite and 3D backgrounds for Tomba! are great examples of game art at its finest in the late 90s, and remains visually pleasing even to this day. Also intriguing is that Tomba!’s gameplay is structured around earning Adventure Points by completing certain tasks such as helping trapped villagers or finding a lost item in a cave. Collecting more and more Adventure Points (AP) enables your wild jungle boy to pass through numerous area zones in the game. This is what truly makes Tomba! a unique and classic PlayStation platformer.

One of the most critically acclaimed features about the game is that all the sub-quests are different, eliminating repetition and keeping gameplay fresh from beginning to end. This also allows players to complete areas at their own pace with an option to undertake the hundreds of other hidden sub-quests. Exploration certainly isn’t discouraged here!

If you’re looking for hours and hours of classic PlayStation fun, look no further and download Tomba! later today when it hits PlayStation Store. MonkeyPaw Games hopes you’ll like this edition and continue to give us your game suggestions. Like Tomba!, we’ll continue to listen and go after those otherworld classics! Follow us on Twitter at @MonkeyPawGames and help us relive your favorite PlayStation memories or reignite forgotten ones.

One of Sony's most beloved first-party PlayStation 1 games is coming to the PS3 and PSP via ... a company other than Sony. Tomba!, the platformer starring the pink-haired caveman, will be released on the PlayStation Network soon by MonkeyPaw Games.

In addition to being just incredibly cute, Tomba! has some serious credentials. After an illustrious career at Capcom during which he designed the Ghosts 'n Goblins games and produced the Mega Man series, Tokuro Fujiwara founded his own studio, Whoopee Camp, where he directed Tomba! and its sequel for publisher Sony Computer Entertainment.

"Sony and MonkeyPaw have a good working relationship," MonkeyPaw CEO John Greiner told Joystiq. "I think they appreciate the titles we've brought to the Store. And they value the support we give the games. Having a plethora of Japanese content is a distinct advantage PlayStation has over Xbox. But the games still need to be brought Stateside. So our model helps Sony spread their Japanese edge and we help Japanese developers get their titles to a wider audience. Hence, Sony is willing to work with us on titles that may not have otherwise been licensed out. Support is key."

MonkeyPaw has been working on acquiring the Tomba! rights for a year. "We often have to chase down multiple right holders," Greiner said. "In this case, Sony and Whoopee Camp had rights that needed to be negotiated." The deal didn't necessarily include the sequel, however. "Tomba! 2 is a possibility but we need to really sell Tomba! 1 well before we can extend our relationship," Greiner explained. "It's the first time to work with Fujiwara-san so we're trying to make a good impression. Good sales have a way opening doors a bit wider."

The response was enthusiastic to our announcement of Tomba!'s impending arrival - we're guessing people have been looking at the astronomical eBay prices. Those of you who were thrilled to hear about the pink-haired caveman's digital thaw will likely be equally thrilled to hear that it's happening very soon: June 19, in fact, at a $9.99 price point. That's on the higher end of PSOne Classics prices, but on the far low end of Tomba! prices.

MonkeyPaw also shared the above trailer. End your work week on a 2.5D note and watch!

Help your little pink-haired caveboy overcome his pig-enemies in Tomba!