Spelunker ports the Tim Martin adventure platformer on Japanese Irem Famicom with its spelunker exploring labyrinthine caves avoiding deadly traps. The representation offers exploration platform with elevators and collectibles in an original precursor Japanese platform formula. Without western release in OV, curiosity for Famicom platform fans in the 8 bit Irem production vein.
Your verdict
Category
Platformer1 player3+
Description
Cave-diving platformer notorious for its hair-trigger difficulty. Published by Irem, released in 1985 in Japan, later re-released on Virtual Console. An extremely fragile hero descends in search of treasure while managing breath and flares. Famicom version.
Spelunker review
3/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Polished"
3/5
Music
★★★★★
"Memorable"
1/5
Story
★★★★★
"Anecdotal"
Gameplay
"Decent"
Fun
"Pleasant"
Addictiveness
"Engaging"
Difficulty
"Punishing"
An explorer of legendary fragility, the hero dies from a trivial fall or the slightest misstep in caves riddled with hazards. Everything rests on extreme jump precision, tight air management and learning every trap through failure. Demanding and mischievous, it built its reputation on that very fragility, now legendary among platforming fans.
