Toki

Here's another example of a full-sized coin-op game that has made the translation from the arcades to the Lynx without sacrificing too many of the qualities that made the original so much fun.

Toki is interesting for two important reasons: First, it's licensed from Fabtek (most of the Lynx coin-op licenses are related to Atari Games titles), and, secondly, it's a game that never really took off in the U.S. the way it did in Japan. A scrolling Mario-style epic, Toki spins the tale of a blue-eyed ape who bounces and spitballs his way through a surrealistic tropical wonderland, battling wild creatures and "boss" characters in a valiant search for the kidnapped Princess Miho.

The title screen displays a hilariously abrupt plot summary: The wicked coodoo chieftain Voodoo chieftain Vookimedlo appears, lightning strikes, a huge, disembodied hand grabs the blonde and a tall, handsome Toki is zapped by a magic spell that changes him into a simian Sad Sack. Hey, what more could you possibly need to know?

Though there isn't much about the game that's truly original, there are plenty of neat surprises. Certain power-up articles can be found and worn by the chimp - a football helmet for protection from injury, sneakers for high jumping, even a pair of swimming goggles for when he dives into water. Game play is a bit on the slow side, but with so many things happening on the screen, the leisurely pace is more of a blessing than a curse. The graphics are pretty decent, and there are some great sound effects - the "boing!" of the bouncing boulders sound like it was lifted straight out of a Warner Brothers cartoon.

Toki's strongest suit lies in its faithfulness to the arcade version. Atari programmers have gleefully cloned nearly every detail of the coin-op with a level of fanaticism that's ordinarily reserved for such subjects as politics or religion. It's fun for everyone, but it's a special treat for those who were lucky enough to have played the little-seen original.