Millennials and everyone born in the early or mid-1990s enjoyed the first successful Sony console – PlayStation 1. From "fighter" games like Tekken and Mortal Kombat, to unforgettable racing hits Gran Turismo and Driver, PlayStation offered incredible titles during those years that are still mentioned as some of the best games of all time. However, there were also those that quietly emerged and over time became cult classics. For every Resident Evil or Tomb Raider, we had at least one action-adventure game that marked our childhood – among them was the game from Whoopee Camp, which released its hit Tomba! in 1997.
This success continued with the sequel Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return, released just two years later, in 1999. The game was improved and more exciting than its predecessor, both graphically and in gameplay, and is remembered worldwide as a fun title that marked a generation.
In a sea of "remastered" games, Limited Run Games announced in 2024 that it would re-release Tomba! 2 in 2025, adapted for all relevant platforms (Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows). The portal Virus.hr had the opportunity to try out the new version of the game. After hundreds of hours spent with the original on PlayStation over twenty years ago and playing the "modern" version on Windows at the end of 2025, I can say that I am qualified to briefly reflect on this true blast from the past. And indeed – this re-release is just that. But let's start from the beginning.
First, we should recall the premise of Tomba! 2, which is very simple. Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return follows the adventures of Tomba, a wild boy with pink hair, who embarks on a new adventure to save his friend Tabby. She has been kidnapped by the evil race of anthropomorphic pigs known as the Evil Swine, who disrupt the peace of the world with their dark magic and curses. Throughout the game, Tomba explores diverse areas, helps the inhabitants, solves tasks, and removes the curses that the pigs have cast upon the land. Each defeated pig restores balance to the world and allows for further progress.
The story is satirical and interesting in its simplicity, with an emphasis on exploration and freedom of movement within a rich and colorful world.
Tomba! 2 on Windows can be played using a keyboard, but a controller is highly recommended – both for easier management and for the immersion that tries to take us back to 1999. And it succeeds in that.
As for the gameplay, the principle is identical to the original: one button is for jumping, another for attacking, while movement is done using the arrow keys. The player can jump on the evil pig and catapult it into structures or abysses, while numerous small puzzles urge us to "exercise" our brain cells a bit. Let's be realistic – the puzzles are not overly challenging, but after more than 20 years of absence, I had to remind myself of some mechanics.
Since this is a re-release, the game is identical to the original in almost every aspect. The graphics are practically a "copy-paste" of the original version, but adapted for modern devices to be accessible to a wider audience. The same goes for performance – the game feels slower than I remember, but that is expected and in line with the original design. The additional save and restore options are commendable, which is a huge improvement over the original – the frustration of losing progress after falling into an abyss is well known to anyone who played PS1 titles. There is also a so-called museum, where players can browse drawings and illustrations from the game, which further enhances the dose of nostalgia.
On Windows, the game functions almost identically to the original PlayStation, which some reviewers criticized for its slower pace. However, that makes sense to me – that is precisely the point of this release. Tomba! 2 is a game from 1999 and it was never perfect, nor is it today. Occasionally clumsy and unfinished movements of Tomba can complicate the situation in an instant. Like the original, the game is filled with side missions and secrets that can be unlocked for a better outcome in later parts of the game, which gives it additional depth and encourages exploration.
In the end, the re-release of the second installment of Tomba is pure nostalgia. The wild pink-haired character trying to save the world from evil pigs is a perfect "throwback" to the imaginative and somewhat crazy stories from PlayStation 1. And that's not a bad thing. Some have criticized this version for being a product of its time – slow and graphically outdated. But this is not a remaster, but a re-release of the original game that rightfully became a cult classic in the shadow of Metal Gear and Final Fantasy – and that is perfectly fine.
Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return gives younger players a chance to experience the beginnings of Sony's console that gifted us some of the best games of all time, as well as hidden gems like this one. It may not be the best game ever, many have forgotten it over time, but one thing is for sure – it marked a generation. At least it did for me. If you like the concept of this now "retro" (yes, we really have aged) action-adventure that doesn't burden you with a story, but rather pure fun, Tomba! 2: The Evil Swine Return is available on Steam for the price of 19.99 euros. Sit down, grab a controller, and enjoy.
Game copy provided for review purposes by the development studio Limited Run Games!
