Gex

Amid the brutal 16-bit wars of the 90s, in which many lives were lost to roaming Sega and Nintendo foot soldiers, the mascot was a cherished position. Forces on either side drew larger numbers of devout followers with a mascot in tow. Even the fledgling factions known as NEC and Panasonic attempted to strengthen their ranks with an iconic, whimsical main character. While the dust has settled and nations have been re-built, the names of these fallen mascots are seldom spoken. Gex was one such mascot.

The plot in this game is as forgettable as its hero. Something to do with a channel surfing Gecko and an evil genius plotting to interrupt said channel surfing. It is up to our fearless, witless Gecko with 'tude' to save the day, I'm told. The game is comprised of various worlds joined by a world map for "easy" navigation. The world map navigation employed is a little confusing, as certain markers are doors to other worlds, and others are the actual levels. There is very little to distinguish the difference, and doing something as simple as finding a damn level can be un-necessarily difficult

Gex, to me, possessed a funny bone which vibrated to the frequency of people like Dave Coulier and other "not funny" comedians. Put simply Gex spouts ridiculous "Jim Carey" sounding quips throughout the level. We're talking Ace Ventura Jim Carey, not Eternal Sunshine Jim Carey. That may have actually been a funnier game; if Gex was severely depressed and trying to forget a bad breakup.

Gex does have a fairly well adjusted control scheme. The Gecko has at his disposal a plethora of moves, such as the standard jump, a tail whip, a tongue lash, and he can easily stick to walls. The wall stick is a vital part of the game, but the novelty tends to wear off rather quickly. In many instances, his sudden attachment to a wall looks very odd; one minute he's walking, after a quick jump he's stuck to a wall. There's never really time to take that in, though, as the very next minute Gex spouts another lame quip (voiced by funny man Dana Gould).

Gone now are many a fallen former front man, stretching back into the dim mists of antiquity. In the mascot cemetery, amid the Bubsy's and the Aero's and the Jersey Devil's you'll find a modest marker bearing the name "Gex". Shed a tear, say a prayer, and keep moving.