When I reviewed Tinhead and First Samurai a couple weeks ago, I thought I was fully caught up on QuByte Classics. As it turns out, I was wrong. Back in June, QuByte and Piko released a port of Jim Power: The Lost Dimension, a 16-bit oddity that used 3D as a way to stand out from the rest of the platformers on the market. That's cool and all, but is this game actually worth playing? To answer that question, I decided to flip through the pages of Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro and Super Play and more classic magazines to see what the critics said back when Jim Power first came out. Grab your trusty jetpack, because this is long overdue episode of QuByte Classics Review Crew.


Released all the way back in 1993, Jim Power: The Lost Dimension is a mish-mash of a lot of ideas and gimmicks. Back on the Super NES, this game came with a pair of 3D glasses that let you experience the side-scrolling action and shoot ‘em up thrills in full 3D. Or, at least, 1993's version of 3D. Unfortunately, that aspect of the game has been ditched in this new re-release from QuByte. They even scrubbed the “in 3D” part of the title from the official name. The good news is that there's still a lot of science fiction excitement to be had in this brand-new port.

Now, when it came to what the critics said, Electronic Gaming Monthly was split. While Steve and Ed gave the game sevens, Martin and Sushi-X tanked the average by both giving it fives. Ed asked an important question in his review: “Who needs drugs? Just play Jim Power. If the mind-boggling 3D effects don't get you, the difficulty surely will. There's a lot of variety with shooter, overhead and side-scrolling sequences. This one is a toughie.” Martin, on the other hand, complained that the 3D gave him a headache after a while: “The character moves fairly well, but frustration kicks in when enemies come out of nowhere so fast that there's nothing you can do but take a mandatory hit. It's already a tough game, why make it close to impossible?”

These thoughts were echoed in Nintendo Power, who gave the game a 3.1 out of 5. Game Players went a bit higher, giving it a 76%. That turns out to also be the score Super Play gave the game in their 23rd issue. They called it a “slightly above average” platformer that is “helped by the lovely graphics.” “But once you've oohed and aaahed over it, the game underneath is another platformer.” This was basically in line with GamePro, who gave the game a 4 out of 5. They said that “Jim Power: The Lost Dimension is a good game that tosses the classics at you: Classic storyline, classic overhead-view gaming, classic shoot ‘em up and classic 3D glasses. There ought to be something here for anyone who likes shoot ‘n scoot action.”

Now, in case you're wondering, Sega Visions was magazine that gave Jim Power the lowest score. Giving it a pathetic 2 out of 5, Visions warned: “Don't let the hype fool you. Jim Power is a solid side-scroller. The hero's changing persona keeps you on your toes -- you play in human form one level, as a rocket in another, and so on.” On the flip side, Video Games: The Ultimate Gaming Magazine gave it the highest score, with a 9 out of 10. “Who's Jim Power? No, he's not the former baseball player who advertises underwear. This extremely well-done multiformat action game sets new standards for graphics and color intensity – and it's in 3D. All we need now is a sequel.” Unfortunately, Jim Power's 3D adventures ended in 1993. That said, you can relive a 2D version of the game right now on modern consoles, so give it a look. If you're up for the challenge.