Nintendo 64

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko

I guess I have to say that I was a little disappointed with the final product. I was very excited about the possibilities that this game had, if they just fixed the nagging problems from the PSX version. Instead of fixing them, they seem to have gotten worse. Throw in the poor control and what you have is a game that is not quite as good as the PSX version. Still, GEX is a great character and there is some fun to be had in this game. The level design was a blast and you will find yourself laughing more than once. If you only own a N64, the game is worth a weekend rental, but if you own both systems I would pick up the PSX version instead.

The Gex franchise has never been a great one. This makes the many sequels it has spawned particularly baffling to me. Even more baffling, though, is the fact that the below average series has actually popped up twice now for Nintendo 64 -- a console that has the best selection of quality platformers available. Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko is marginally better than last year's title. It offers more variety and slightly prettier graphics, but the uninspired gameplay mechanics remain intact. Add in the fact that Dana Gould's one-liners make me want to kill the main character and I can honestly say that I want nothing to do with this game.

Unfortunately, the graphical problems in the N64 version are frustrating enough to make you want to avoid the game, let alone play it all the way through. Because of these problems, the N64-specific worlds and extra options are little comfort. At its heart, it's a better game than the last N64 version, because Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko is superior to Gex: Enter the Gecko, but it's still resides firmly in the shadow of its PlayStation counterpart.