Game #1018: Disney's Treasure Planet(Playstation 1)

 Treasure Planet also got a smaller PS1 release... is this a Treasure Asteroid?

 Now this is something I miss so much, when games used to get widely different releases between platforms, as Disney's Treasure Planet on PS1 is not just a 'downscaled' or 'downgraded' version of the PS2 game, but rather, a completely different take on the same license. And, while not many would agree with me, I'd say a pretty good one too!

 I'll be honest, coming to this game right after finishing the PS2 version was harsh. I boot up the game and everything feels so clunky, the animations are janky, the framerate is pathetic and the graphics are rudimentary to say the least. But I kept on playing, I got used to how it felt and played and I learned to enjoy it. Just like the PS2 release, this is a platformer with a small collectathon element. This time around you are collecting Tokens, the game has 32 in all but you only need 18. That said, the final three Tokens are found on the final stage, so technically, you need 18 out of 29 to get to the final stage. The game has four worlds with 2 to 3 stages each. Worlds 1 and 3 have a platforming and a racing stage each, while worlds 2 and 4 have a platforming stage, a racing stage and a boss. Yeah, it's a bit short, but it doesn't overstay its welcome.

 On platforming stages, Jim gets a clunky sword attack and a short-range blaster. Some enemies are better tackled with the sword, others with the gun. You get a double jump, and the range in which Jim can cling onto an edge seems pretty arbitrary, so just try jumping against everything. You also get a glide by tapping Triangle, and you aren't told about this move until the third world, which, dude, I could've used this move before! Moving around feels a bit clunky, but once you get used to it its perfectly tolerable. Each platforming stage has 5 tokens to find. Some are hidden behind minigames, such as first person shooting galleries, others are obtained by solving simple platforming challenges or combat.

 Racing stages are this game's version of Solar Surfing, and just like on PS2, these are surprisingly fun. In this iteration these are literal 6-lap races against time, and you can get up to three Tokens depending on how fast you clear the stage.

 Just like the PS2 version, this game does a poor job at conveying the story from the game. It actually has a few more clips than the PS2, but once again, John Silver's infiltration and betrayal isn't well conveyed.

 I've seen both critic's reviews and 'unofficial' reviews and neither were very kind to this game. But I disagree. I think that while short, every level has the right amount of variety and obstacles to overcome so the game keeps feeling fresh. While there's no denying that the overall game is kinda janky, I think it's far, far from terrible, and all the jank is something you can get used to and actually enjoy the game hidden beneath. I dunno, I think it's worth a look.

6.5