Gex

Gex is a 2D side-scrolling platformer featuring a wise-cracking gecko protagonist who battles through a bizarre TV-inspired dimension. Players navigate themed worlds like horror, martial arts, and futuristic Rezopolis, using wall-climbing abilities, tail attacks, and a grappling tongue to defeat enemies and collect remotes. The game combines classic platforming mechanics with humor, pop culture references, and varied environments as Gex confronts the cyber-villain Rez to reclaim the Media Dimension.

Gex: Review

Introduction

In the pantheon of ’90s mascot platformers, Crystal Dynamics’ Gex occupies a paradoxical space: a critically acclaimed zeitgeist-capturing experiment hamstrung by the technological growing pains of its era. Originally conceived as a flagship title for the ill-fated 3DO Interactive Multiplayer, Gex (1995) introduced players to a sunglasses-wearing, TV-obsessed gecko whose sardonic quips and wall-crawling acrobatics briefly positioned him as a contender to Mario and Sonic. This review excavates Gex’s legacy, exploring how its blend of irreverent humor, inventive mechanics, and CD-era ambition crystallized the triumphs and limitations of mid-’90s game design—while laying groundwork for a franchise that briefly thrived before fading into cult obscurity.

Development History & Context

Studio & Vision

Crystal Dynamics, founded in 1992 by veterans of Sega and Atari, aimed to leverage the 3DO’s CD-ROM capabilities to create a mascot that could compete with Nintendo and Sega’s icons. Producer Lyle Hall’s initial concept—a stuntman named “Gecko X” navigating movie sets—was scrapped when lead programmer Gregg Tavares argued realistic settings would hinder creative level design. The team pivoted to a TV-themed dimension, envisioning Gex as a meta-commentary on media saturation, voiced by stand-up comedian Dana Gould for maximal ‘90s “attitude.”

Technological Constraints

Developed over 21 tumultuous months (1993–1995), Gex strained the 3DO’s hardware. The console’s 32-bit architecture allowed for lush pre-rendered sprites (Gex boasted 450+ animation frames) but struggled with parallax scrolling and sprite scaling—issues later mitigated in PlayStation/Saturn ports. A skeleton crew of four core developers faced “scope creep”: planned sci-fi worlds were cut, save files were restricted to passwords (except on 3DO), and a secret team illegally added bonus content, including an 18-minute credits sequence with staff photos.

Gaming Landscape

Launched amid the mascot platformer gold rush (Crash Bandicoot, Bubsy), Gex targeted an audience weaned on SNES-era polish but hungry for CD-driven audiovisual spectacle. Its 1995 release coincided with the 3DO’s commercial collapse, forcing ports to PlayStation, Saturn, and PC—where it became one of Microsoft’s early Windows 95 titles, despite infamous keyboard control issues.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

Plot & Characters

Gex’s premise is pure ‘90s absurdity: after inheriting a fortune, the gecko protagonist seals himself in a Maui mansion to binge TV, only to be sucked into the “Media Dimension” by Rez, a cybernetic overlord who resembles a liquid-metal Skeletor. The plot—rescuing remotes to dismantle Rez’s broadcast empire—serves as scaffolding for Gould’s 200+ pop-culture quips, referencing Kung Fu, Scooby-Doo, and Baywatch with lightning-fast irreverence. Rez’s snarling theatrics (“Lock and load, little lizard!”) channel Saturday-morning villainy, while Gex’s aloof snark (“I’m here to chew bubblegum and kick tail—and I’m all outta bubblegum”) masks a surprisingly tragic backstory (his NASA-engineer father died in an explosion).

Themes

Gex’s genius lies in its media-literate satire. Levels parody horror (“Grave Danger”), cartoons (“New Toonland”), and martial-arts films (“Kung Fuville”), framing TV as both prison and playground. The game’s conclusion—Gex escaping Rez only to immediately resume channel-surfing—doubles as a critique of passive consumption, albeit one undercut by the era’s relentless quippiness.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Loop & Movement

Gex hybridizes 2D platforming with gecko-specific abilities:
– Wall/Ceiling Crawling: Enabled by suction-cup feet, enabling vertical exploration.
– Tail Whip: A 360-degree spin attack to defeat enemies or deflect projectiles.
– Tongue Lash: Grabs power-ups (flies granting fire, ice, or electricity) or triggers switches.

The goal is linear but deceiving: collect “remotes” to unlock themed worlds (e.g., “Cemetery,” “Rezopolis”), though progression is gated linearly despite hub-world presentation.

Innovations & Flaws

• Pros: The wall-crawling mechanic inspired later titles like Catherine’s puzzle design. Secret “Planet X” levels, unlocked via perfect bonus-stage clears, reward exploration.
• Cons: Punishing difficulty spikes (e.g., insta-death pits in “Toxic Turtle”), input lag (notably in Saturn/PC ports), and a flawed save system (VHS tapes on 3DO; passwords elsewhere). The PC version’s keyboard controls were lambasted for rejecting modifier keys, making jump-run combos needlessly cumbersome.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Visual Design

Gex’s aesthetic is a Frankenstein’s monster of ‘90s tech: pre-rendered 3D sprites for Gex/Rez clash with hand-drawn backgrounds, creating a disjointed but charmingly anarchic style. The horror world’s graveyards drip with Tim Burton-esque shadows, while “New Toonland” embraces rubber-hose animation—a testament to artist Mira Ross’ versatility.

Audio Landscape

Webtone Productions’ soundtrack blends sitcom-adjacent synth with grunge-lite guitar riffs. Gould’s voice clips, though iconic, suffer from bit-crushed repetition (e.g., “WELMAAAA!”). Sound effects—like the visceral thwack of Gex’s tail—remain punchy, but critics noted musical forgettability next to peers like Donkey Kong Country.

Reception & Legacy

Launch Reception

Critics praised Gex as a 3DO salvation ark:
– GamePro (100%): “Destined to become the 3DO’s Sonic or Mario.”
– Electronic Gaming Monthly (86%): “Superb graphics, remarkable sound, and just the right mix of challenge.”
Commercial performance was strong (1M+ 3DO units sold), though ports underperformed amid console wars.

Long-Term Influence

While sequels (Enter the Gecko, Deep Cover Gecko) transitioned to 3D with diminishing returns, Gex’s DNA surfaces in media-savvy platformers like Astro Bot (2024) and Hi-Fi Rush. The 2025 Gex Trilogy remaster—featuring widescreen support and rewind mechanics—speaks to enduring nostalgia, amplified by meme culture (YouTubers like ScottTheWoz revived its ironic appeal).

Conclusion

Gex is a time capsule of ‘90s ambition: a mechanically inventive platformer marred by hardware limitations and tonal excess. Its wall-crawling ingenuity and Gould’s riotous performance outshine frustrations like inconsistent difficulty and dated controls. For historians, it epitomizes an era when developers chased CD-ROM’s potential without fully mastering its pitfalls; for players, it remains a flawed but fascinating artifact—one where a gecko’s battle against TV static captured gaming’s awkward, exuberant adolescence. In video game history, Gex is neither king nor footnote, but a prism refracting the industry’s growing pains in vivid, cacophonous color. Final Verdict: A cult classic worth revisiting, if only to appreciate how far—and how little—we’ve come.