"A memorable game indeed."

If someone asked me how much time and money I spent on arcades in my teens ... well, it'd account for a lot. A serious lot. My personal opinion states -- quite frankly -- that the sheer variety of games those 10 - 15 years ago makes today's selection quite drab in comparison. Lot of opportunities for a budding adventuring gamers to cut his gaming teeth if he so desired. And I made sure to take full opportunity of that.

Then Rygar came along.

It struck me as quite an odd game at first. You controlled a barbarian-like character with perhaps the oddest weapon-of-choice I'd ever seen a character use in a game before. Well, curiosity had its demands, so I plunked my coins into the slot and actually jumped back when the game roared back at me. (The arcade operators had put the volume somewhat high.)

''Holy crap!'' I thought as I stepped back, pressing the start button to experience the game that still to this day ranks high on my list of favorites on just about any system.

The graphics.... Well, they were relatively simple, but they did their job admirably, adding atmosphere and style to the game, its lovely backgrounds really adding to the fantasy theme of the game. Its strongest point, however, lies in.....

The music. Well, what can I say? So simple, and yet, so darn effective. The main in-game theme with its excellent bass line, and the way it shifts, apparently seamlessly from one to the other. And when your time runs out...

Now, for the gameplay. Rygar is a side scrolling platformer, simply but brilliantly executed with all the trimmings I like in a game. Power-up's that adds a broad range of abilities to Rygars attacks, bonuses, secret stuff, a wide variety of enemies. The works.

So in conclusion -- how can I say this? Have you ever played a game that, with its graphics, music and gameplay, makes the whole gaming experience blend into a totally, totally sweet experience. That was what I felt with Rygar. The game never lets you go, not even when Rygar goes into the room in between the levels. I would sit restlessly, waiting for the bonus tally to do its rounds and send him out on the other side, towards new stages and new challenges.

On a last note, I have to tell you that I'm positively giddy about the PS2 remake of one of my favorite games of old. Please, oh please let it be a good game. Maximo has already proven that a 3D remake of an old classic can still be great, so there is no reason Rygar shouldn't be, right? Right!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 09/24/02, Updated 09/24/02