Indy and the Infernal Machine for Gameboy

Posted by Jerry King from 217.99.1.35 on March 27, 2001 at 14:45:24:

I've just played the Gameboy version of Indy & the Infernal Machine. I'd definitely recommend it. It's a GBC, so don't expect wonders, but for this tiny console, the game is very good. The graphics are better than in a number of other Lucasarts titles for the GBC, and the music is instantly recognizable (there is no in-game music, but it plays on some occasions - e.g. death :) Some screens are scrollable, others side-joined. Sounds are very good - they seem to be samples rather than the usual "bleep ping" that the GBC offers. The game takes up 1M card. The version I've played is in three languages (looks like the German version retains the title "IJ & the Tower of Babel" instead of the original one). It doesn't offer save memory, unfortunately, but it uses passwords for quicker level access (well, I should think so! :).

The title screen has the original art and the menu looks very nice. The game itself begins in the Canyonlands, with Indy saying "Time to go to work". Interestingly, the opening music is the same (well, as much as the GBC can manage :) as in the original! Already at the beginning, a scorpion moves near. You're equipped with your whip and a gun - the items can be selected quickly and easily in two ways. Indy is animated very well, although - especially when running - he looks more like Young Indy than his usual self, and the fedora looks some two-three pixels too small :). (His climbing animation is so-so
as well - Indy looks a bit like a mutated monkey or a squashed spider...)
Curiously, you can't use the machete - it's only available underwater, and
equipped automatically. This probably means that the puzzles that involve
cutting things are gone from the later levels (I'd expected they had to remove
some puzzles due to GBC's obvious limitations). There's also good news here -
it seems that at least some levels offer layouts, puzzles, etc., different
than in the original. I haven't explored it yet, so I'm not sure of that, but
it seems so. It appears that there are 16 levels in total, including Peru (yes,
they kept it :) - all with intro scenes, and some with cutscenes.

Canyonlands is a pretty easy level, just like the original was. I haven't
finished Babylon yet (15 minutes playing :), so I can't say much. There is
a jeep in the beginning, but the Jeep Trek level is not included, so it's
probably only for decoration. The GBC Babylon plays faster than the original.
And the Russian guards shoot their handguns faster, too - they would take
out both John Wayne and John Rambo with their eyes closed. In fact, the
shooting rate of one of them was so fast that it may even have been a bug...?

You can still swing on the whip, and the short theme plays then - yippee!
The old block pushing/pulling is here, too - and it's as slow as in the
original. :) Oh, and Indy's wisecrack comments have been kept (though not
all of them). For some reason, it seems that you can't collect herbs - only
use them if you need them. Ouch! There is less action than in the PC version,
which is rather obvious :). You have to get used to the strange perspective
the 2D/pseudo 3D offers, but overall, the game is definitely worth getting. And
not only for an Indyite - it actually seems to be one of the best games
released for the GBC this year. (On the other hand, if you started out
in the Pentium & 3D era, you probably won't be able to appreciate this
game - but being an "oldsk00l PC-er", that's about all I can guess here. But even in that case, you might give it a try, anyway :)

Follow Ups:

Where to buy? Micah 16:46:09 3/27/2001 (3)
- Re: Where to buy? Jerry King 18:09:14 3/27/2001 (2)
  - Re: Where to buy? Jerry King 18:32:21 3/27/2001 (1)
    - Re: Where to buy? Scott Hajek 13:45:23 3/30/2001 (0)

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: I've just played the Gameboy version of Indy & the Infernal Machine. I'd definitely recommend it. It's a GBC, so don't expect wonders, but for this tiny console, the game is very good. The graphics are better than in a number of other Lucasarts titles for the GBC, and the music is instantly recognizable (there is no in-game music, but it plays on some occasions - e.g. death :) Some screens are scrollable, others side-joined. Sounds are very good - they seem to be samples rather than the usual "bleep ping" that the GBC offers. The game takes up 1M card. The version I've played is in three languages (looks like the German version retains the title "IJ & the Tower of Babel" instead of the original one). It doesn't offer save memory, unfortunately, but it uses passwords for quicker level access (well, I should think so! :).

: The title screen has the original art and the menu looks very nice. The game itself begins in the Canyonlands, with Indy saying "Time to go to work". Interestingly, the opening music is the same (well, as much as the GBC can manage :) as in the original! Already at the beginning, a scorpion moves near. You're equipped with your whip and a gun - the items can be selected quickly and easily in two ways. Indy is animated very well, although - especially when running - he looks more like Young Indy than his usual self, and the fedora looks some two-three pixels too small :). (His climbing animation is so-so
: as well - Indy looks a bit like a mutated monkey or a squashed spider...)
: Curiously, you can't use the machete - it's only available underwater, and
: equipped automatically. This probably means that the puzzles that involve
: cutting things are gone from the later levels (I'd expected they had to remove
: some puzzles due to GBC's obvious limitations). There's also good news here -
: it seems that at least some levels offer layouts, puzzles, etc., different
: than in the original. I haven't explored it yet, so I'm not sure of that, but
: it seems so. It appears that there are 16 levels in total, including Peru (yes,
: they kept it :) - all with intro scenes, and some with cutscenes.

: Canyonlands is a pretty easy level, just like the original was. I haven't
: finished Babylon yet (15 minutes playing :), so I can't say much. There is
: a jeep in the beginning, but the Jeep Trek level is not included, so it's
: probably only for decoration. The GBC Babylon plays faster than the original.
: And the Russian guards shoot their handguns faster, too - they would take
: out both John Wayne and John Rambo with their eyes closed. In fact, the
: shooting rate of one of them was so fast that it may even have been a bug...?

: You can still swing on the whip, and the short theme plays then - yippee!
: The old block pushing/pulling is here, too - and it's as slow as in the
: original. :) Oh, and Indy's wisecrack comments have been kept (though not
: all of them). For some reason, it seems that you can't collect herbs - only
: use them if you need them. Ouch! There is less action than in the PC version,
: which is rather obvious :). You have to get used to the strange perspective
: the 2D/pseudo 3D offers, but overall, the game is definitely worth getting. And
: not only for an Indyite - it actually seems to be one of the best games
: released for the GBC this year. (On the other hand, if you started out
: in the Pentium & 3D era, you probably won't be able to appreciate this
: game - but being an "oldsk00l PC-er", that's about all I can guess here. But even in that case, you might give it a try, anyway :)

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