Another one of the 32X's highlights.
Zany visuals, adorable character designs (fuck the US coverart btw), and an oddball OST make it very fun to playthrough!
The gameplay is admittedly very simplistic, and the game is slow-based. But I think that works in its favour quite well, it's an incredibly comfy and laid back-game, almost as much as Tempo himself is funky, heh.
I'll have to dock half a star just for the game's final level though, while it's the most unique and pretty visually... having doors that teleport you to the start of the level is Very dumb.
Zany visuals, adorable character designs (fuck the US coverart btw), and an oddball OST make it very fun to playthrough!
The gameplay is admittedly very simplistic, and the game is slow-based. But I think that works in its favour quite well, it's an incredibly comfy and laid back-game, almost as much as Tempo himself is funky, heh.
I'll have to dock half a star just for the game's final level though, while it's the most unique and pretty visually... having doors that teleport you to the start of the level is Very dumb.
looking at the low reviews (and that hideous box art) i almost dismissed this game as some forgettable mascot of the 90s
but this game has a VIBE, it might not click immediately but if you're the kinda guy to like sega mascot games of the 90s like ristar, or treasure platformers like dynamite headdy and can appreciate the genesis boops (note: i said APPRECIATE not tolerate, if you don't love the genesis soundfont, gtfo)
this is a weird game, i dont always fully understand what the hell is going on, and it'll often kick my ass but godDAMN am i along for this ride! the music, the artwork, the animation, the controls, it all comes together here, especially with the fun af bosses. the level design could use some work but i never found it as bad as others here make it out to be. this is a boopin game, an absolute vibe. jam with it or be filtered.
but this game has a VIBE, it might not click immediately but if you're the kinda guy to like sega mascot games of the 90s like ristar, or treasure platformers like dynamite headdy and can appreciate the genesis boops (note: i said APPRECIATE not tolerate, if you don't love the genesis soundfont, gtfo)
this is a weird game, i dont always fully understand what the hell is going on, and it'll often kick my ass but godDAMN am i along for this ride! the music, the artwork, the animation, the controls, it all comes together here, especially with the fun af bosses. the level design could use some work but i never found it as bad as others here make it out to be. this is a boopin game, an absolute vibe. jam with it or be filtered.
Tempo 🤝 Pulseman
Cute, charismathic and tons of charm
Great animation
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Epileptic Backgrounds
Cute, charismathic and tons of charm
Great animation
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Epileptic Backgrounds
(someone PLEASE get this H I D E O U S boxart off of igdb)
A weird Japanese-produced platformer that takes lots of cues from American animation-driven platformers of the time - stuff like Earthworm Jim, Aladdin, Pitfall The Mayan Adventure, etc. You see it in the odd maze-like structure, generally scrimblo-y visual excess, scattered humor, and often poor player systems communication. I don't think it's a coincidence, either: Lots of Sega of America staff members are credited under production and playtesting.
The amount of animation frames put into everything is staggering, and definitely the visual highlight. There's at least 100-200 frames of Tempo and Katy just dancing. Stage 2 has a section where a huge amount of draw() function patterns play in the background at rapid fire. I'm not keen for everything it aims for aesthetically - tends to be a little tacky and overkill, - but when it's cute, it's cute.
Is this the kind of visual choice that can 'sell' a concept like 32X? Besides memory and RAM limitations, there's little holding Sega back from doing something like this on Genesis - hell, they did it again on Game Gear. Idk, doesn't really show off anything 32X can do unless you're a die-hard Genny nerd and know all of its limitations, processing specs and display quirks. I don't know if the everyday 9-to-5er is gonna chomp at the bit to buy a 32X because a boot-shaped boss rotated a few times.
Main thing holding it back is the control - Tempo feels like shit. Your walk is deathly too slow, but your run is too fast and very difficult to cancel. There's a .3 second pause whenever you turn around while on land, all to justify those turning animation frames they spent so much money on. There's also issues with collision detection, enemy placement, attack range, etc.
Also, for a game so overtly music-themed, damn it has a mid soundtrack. The music in each stage 'evolves' as you progress and find Katy, but it's at the detriment of both song length and memorability. Stage 2 and 4 get extremely repetitive. I think there's some GEMS presets snuck in here, too; more evidence of the US/JP team collaboration.
Idk. Fun idea, lots of ideas and content under one cart, and cool in retrospect. It ain't no Ristar or Dynamite Headdy though: Both games that do the 'concept album platformer' mold with a more cohesive and mechanically-appropriate flow.
A weird Japanese-produced platformer that takes lots of cues from American animation-driven platformers of the time - stuff like Earthworm Jim, Aladdin, Pitfall The Mayan Adventure, etc. You see it in the odd maze-like structure, generally scrimblo-y visual excess, scattered humor, and often poor player systems communication. I don't think it's a coincidence, either: Lots of Sega of America staff members are credited under production and playtesting.
The amount of animation frames put into everything is staggering, and definitely the visual highlight. There's at least 100-200 frames of Tempo and Katy just dancing. Stage 2 has a section where a huge amount of draw() function patterns play in the background at rapid fire. I'm not keen for everything it aims for aesthetically - tends to be a little tacky and overkill, - but when it's cute, it's cute.
Is this the kind of visual choice that can 'sell' a concept like 32X? Besides memory and RAM limitations, there's little holding Sega back from doing something like this on Genesis - hell, they did it again on Game Gear. Idk, doesn't really show off anything 32X can do unless you're a die-hard Genny nerd and know all of its limitations, processing specs and display quirks. I don't know if the everyday 9-to-5er is gonna chomp at the bit to buy a 32X because a boot-shaped boss rotated a few times.
Main thing holding it back is the control - Tempo feels like shit. Your walk is deathly too slow, but your run is too fast and very difficult to cancel. There's a .3 second pause whenever you turn around while on land, all to justify those turning animation frames they spent so much money on. There's also issues with collision detection, enemy placement, attack range, etc.
Also, for a game so overtly music-themed, damn it has a mid soundtrack. The music in each stage 'evolves' as you progress and find Katy, but it's at the detriment of both song length and memorability. Stage 2 and 4 get extremely repetitive. I think there's some GEMS presets snuck in here, too; more evidence of the US/JP team collaboration.
Idk. Fun idea, lots of ideas and content under one cart, and cool in retrospect. It ain't no Ristar or Dynamite Headdy though: Both games that do the 'concept album platformer' mold with a more cohesive and mechanically-appropriate flow.
An acid trip of visuals & music, but level design that is a maze & stiff controls.
While I didn't HATE this game it left a lot to be desired, especially in the control and level design department. The animation and music is admirable though, and I do like the energy and charm of this game. Super Tempo (Saturn) is overall a much better time, though.
Awkward and thematically incomprehensible (a live music TV show? that goes to crazy locations like inside a monster's stomach? where the boss is a big boxing glove?) but with a wide-eyed, toe-tapping energy that keeps the whole thing moving. Great use of music throughout.
you like distracting backgrounds that give you a seizure and badly paced platforming? It plays and animates like bonk except significantly floatier for some reason. The bosses are all impossibly hard due to having hurtboxes that basically take up the whole screen and the OST is extremely forgettable, but at least the level themes are vibrant and colorful, if not to a detriment due to how distracting they are. The character of tempo and his lil intro FMV is very charming, and having a neat unique game like this on the 32X is very cool, but the game itself just aint that great fam. also lol that US box art
If you look at the Reception section for Tempo on Wikipedia you'll see that one 'Captain Squideo' of GamePro thought Tempo's 'extremely low difficulty' made it "a perfect game for novices." He gave it a 3.75/5. Meanwhile I cannot for the life of me complete a single level. I checked the manual, I watched some longplays, I cannot do it. I suppose that makes me a bozo. But Mr. Squideo (which I doubt is even his real name) also gave Penn & Teller's Smoke and Mirrors for Sega CD a 4.125/5, with the controls in particular getting a perfect 5/5. I guess that makes us both bozos. At least this bozo isn't ostentatious enough to call themselves a 'Game Pro'.
As a bozo, all I can say is that Tempo is one of the cutest characters I've ever seen. The way he bops to the beat in each level is so infectiously charming, and his animations are simultaneously snappy and smooth. The Margaret Keane-inspired, Craig McCracken-esque massive eyes make me melt. I'm so sorry that I've failed him. I still have Super Tempo sitting on my Saturn's SD card, but I don't think I've earned the right to let Tempo down again.
Recommended by radicalraisin as part of [this list]
As a bozo, all I can say is that Tempo is one of the cutest characters I've ever seen. The way he bops to the beat in each level is so infectiously charming, and his animations are simultaneously snappy and smooth. The Margaret Keane-inspired, Craig McCracken-esque massive eyes make me melt. I'm so sorry that I've failed him. I still have Super Tempo sitting on my Saturn's SD card, but I don't think I've earned the right to let Tempo down again.
Recommended by radicalraisin as part of [this list]