Gex: Enter the Gecko

Gex: Enter the Gecko is a 3D platformer starring a talking gecko named Gex, who travels through a television portal gate into a series of parody worlds referencing movies, TV shows, and pop culture of the nineties. The player moves through levels inspired by action films, sci-fi, horror, or westerns, collects special items, and battles bosses, while Gex continuously comments on the action with one-liners and puns that give the game a distinct personality. The character's voice was provided by actor and comedian Dana Gould, giving the game an unmistakable character compared to the silent or only sound-effect-commented mascots of the competition.

The gameplay rests on typical platformer basics — jumping, collecting, dispatching enemies with a tail attack — supplemented by the ability to climb walls and swim, giving the level design a bit more variety compared to more straightforward competitors. The graphics on PlayStation were solid for their time, with colorful, thematically distinct worlds and smooth animation of the main character, each world having its own visual identity and different types of enemies and traps. Humor and voice acting were among the things that most set the game apart from other mascot platformers, though some jokes feel strongly dated today and require familiarity with the pop culture of the time.

In reviews, the game was received mostly positively as entertaining, if not revolutionary, entry in the crowded genre of late-nineties 3D platformers. Thanks to its distinctive humor and recognizable character, Gex built its own fan base and became one of the recognizable mascots of the era, which earned it further sequels. Today the game mainly functions as a nostalgic reminder of a time when nearly every publisher on PlayStation was trying out its own platforming star with a strong personality.

Why play it: Thanks to its distinctive humor and recognizable character, it's a nostalgic reminder of an era when every publisher was trying out its own platforming star.