Developer: New Corporation Publisher: New Corporation Released: June 3, 1999 Genre: Platformer
We were all so naïve. As the 16-bit generation declined some of the best 2d platformers of all time were released. While I was sad to say good bye to my SNES and Genesis games like Ristar, Donkey Kong Country 2 and Yoshi’s Island softened the blow. With that caliber of title being released I am sure I was not alone in expecting 2d games on the new consoles to be insane. And they were the few of them we did get. For every 2d platformer that still released there were twenty or thirty 3d games that weren’t good then and are even worse now. The fact that we missed out on games like Panzer Bandit and the Adventures of Little Ralph sucks. The latter is an all-around great game is an easy recommendation if you find it at a decent price.
The story is simple if a little weird. A demon named Valgo attacks a town with his hordes of demons. A hero named Ralph tries to stop him but is defeated and transformed into a child. Ralph’s girlfriend tries to intervene but to no avail and is kidnapped, leaving the now young Ralph to set out to rescue her and hopefully restore himself to his rightful age.
The Adventures of Little Ralph is a simple game at heart. It uses two buttons, one to attack with his sword and another to jump. But it does a lot with its few mechanics. Ralph can perform a downward stab and charge his sword for a more powerful swing. This attack can also reflect projectiles, even from bosses. It can also send smaller enemies rolling and bowl over everything in its path. At the end of the first level you gain BaroBaro, a little demon who supplements your attacks. The few power-ups that exist are extremely useful. There are two sword power-ups that let you shoot a fireball with each swing. The shield allows you to take an extra hit before death and fruit grants points toward an extra life.
Although its mechanics are simple Little Ralph succeeds thanks to great level design. Every level is massive and features multiple paths to the end. Some are harder than others thanks to smart enemy placement and obvious yet still deadly traps. One of my favorites is the arrangement of fruit. Early on fruit appears in neatly arranged arcs that also serve as guides for platforming. Soon though they become temptations that lure you into danger. The level variety is incredible for an early 32-bit platformer as you visit Egyptian tombs, ice capped mountains, castles, and even a fortress in the sky. Occasionally you’ll ride a vehicle such as a mine cart in a high speed chase that is thrilling. Little Ralph feels like it takes bits and pieces from some of the best in the genre and while it does not reach those heights comes awfully close.
It is not all 2d platforming either. The boss battles early on are simple with easy patterns and little sense of danger if you have a modicum of skill in the genre. Midway through Ralph temporarily changes back to his old self for Street Fighter style boss battles. These could easily have been a novelty but there is plenty of depth in these encounters. Ralph has a wide range of special moves like his opponents executed with Capcom style inputs. The combo engine is nonexistent but it is fun to tool around with for a change of pace. In fact you can unlock a versus mode that lets you play as Ralph and the bosses. You will have to unlock them first however which is a tall order.
Little Ralph is a challenging game for a number of reasons. You do not have a life bar and the single hit deaths seem egregious even if the game is designed around it. I liken it to the US version of Contra: Hard Corps. It is manageable but would be better with a life bar. The platforming is extremely precise from the onset and becomes more meticulous as you progress. It isn’t out of the ordinary to see multiple platforms lined up with the game expecting you to get the timing right from your initial jump. Shields do not appear until close the game’s midpoint, making the early stages brutal. Infinite continues and generous checkpoints lessen the frustration at least.
That only lasts until the final level. Stage 8-3 is one of the most brutal platforming stages I have played in a game. The first third is rough with sudden enemy spawns and tightly packed traps. The last leg is a gauntlet of twelve themed rooms that require a level of pinpoint timing and precision that is absolutely bonkers. If you somehow pass the gauntlet you need to beat the final boss twice with one life bar. It reaches SNK boss levels of frustration and I will warn you the ending does not soften the blow.
In Closing
A game is about more than its conclusion however. The Adventures of Little Ralph is a great platformer and an absolute hidden gem in the PS One library. We could have used more of these in the West. More Little Ralph and less tripe like Punky Skunk would have made me a happy old school gamer.
