The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Hmm... As I write this review, I think of what my literature teacher would say about this game. Blasphemy, maybe, desecration of a classic?

It's not that this is a bad game. Tom Sawyer has that certain, unique SMB cartoony charm to it. The game packs a nice challenge, and it's fun. "So," you ask, "what is wrong with this game?" Answer: Plenty.

First of all, the game's play control can be frustrating. Tom throws an unlimited supply of rocks. However, when Tom is walking/running/jumping he throws the rocks farther than when he is standing. While this can be useful to kill some enemies, he often misses the enemies, who then promptly kill him. Also the rocks are thrown in arcs, which add to the bad hit ratio. Tom's jumps are short and seem inappropriate, considering his running speed. Also, if Tom is too close to the trees in level 3, he can't jump through them like he's supposed to, and the enemies quickly polish him off. The last jumping annoyance is that pressing the backward in mid-air stop Tom, and he falls straight down. Finally, in level 2 where Tom is rafting down the river, it's all too easy to get the raft caught on land and get killed.

However, these aren't my biggest complaints with the game. The main problem is that this game has no bearing or relevance to the book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, nor does it have any relevance to the characters. The plot of the game is that Tom is dreaming, and when you win or lose, Tom wakes up. (BFD!!!) In Tom's dreamworld he must progress through six stages, and rescue Becky from Injun Joe. The enemies and the stages (pirate ship, river, forest, haunted house, sky world, and cave) have nothing to do with the novel, nor is there a logical order behind them. *The cave, which was in the novel, is discredited because Injun Joe fights on top a brontosaurus, which wasn't discovered until the 20th century* It's fairly obvious that the programmers at SETA never read the book, or even the Cliffs Notes.

The Verdict: Adventures, yes; of Tom Sawyer, no. This game could have named Little Nemo the hero.

I recommend: It's a semi-rare game. Loose cart $5 max, though a complete mint-condition copy might be worth over $20 to a collector.

Graphics B-

Sound/Music C+

Challenge B

Play Control B

Fun Factor B+

Replay Value B+

Overall B- 3 links