Jurassic Park: The Lost World

"Something has survived, and it ain't Mode 7."

The light gun genre has been dying recently, don't you think? After it became a very popular arcade concept for a while (I would occasionally drop by my arcade to check out the latest Time Crisis or House of the Dead game), it's slowly dying, which was partly the cause for this review: I'm now pondering over that beloved, dying genre. And I would have to say with some satisfaction that The Lost World is my favorite light gun game of all time – for many reasons, all of which are to be explained in this review.

The Lost World is based loosely on the 1997 Steven Spielberg film of the same name, the sequel to Jurassic Park, one of the greatest sci-fi/horror movies of all time. The movie The Lost World wasn't one of Spielberg's best, but at least the arcade game modeled after it was good. The little-known light gun game has the player traveling across the dinosaur-infested island of Isla Sorna, apparently to rescue Ian Malcolm and his girlfriend, Sarah – two main characters from the movie. After playing game after game I still can't come up with a decent plot description. Is it because the plot isn't very good? Yeah, but also because I was way too tensed up in preparing for the next face-to-face battle.

There are three basic enemy types you'll run into here: Raptor, dilophosaurus, and compy. The raptors are the most common enemies in the game. They'll run around the screen in small groups, coming at you from multiple angles, and if they reach you… You can probably figures out what happens next. Dilophosaurs are most well-known for their famous scene in the first movie in which Wayne Knight's character gets killed by one. They're small, but they can shoot acid. Since there's no way to avoid the acid, you'll simply have to shoot them before you get the chance. Compys aren't too harmful – they're tiny creatures that travel in large groups and can easily be killed.

Now, the level design is like that of any light gun game – it's constructed on a pre-determined path, in which you must simply shoot the living daylights out of every enemy you see. However, unlike games such as Time Crisis, you can't duck or defend yourself in The Lost World, which means that you're always open to attack, and with only three hit points. That's right, The Lost World is a hard game, and will test all of your light gun skills to their fullest. Playing the game frequently, I only ever completed the game in five months, just to give you an idea of how hard this game is.

Few other light gun arcade games get you so involved. In many scenarios, you'll be asked to rescue a fellow crewmember from a raptor or such – doing so rewards you with a bonus, such as a health pack or a power-up. Environments are at times destructive. As a pack of raptors races by, you can take care of all of them in one swift shot by nailing an explosive barrel nearby. Control with the light gun is a little weird since you simply have to point your gun away from the screen to reload. Takes a little getting used to but it makes life so much easier. Also, there are two guns per machine, so you can play a co-op game with a buddy if you want. You'll probably need the power of two to win this game.

Pros

+ A mediocre movie turned fantastic arcade game.
+ Incredibly challenging – tests your light gun skills to the max.
+ Brilliant level design with variety.
+ Sometimes destructive environments.
+ “Jeep” machine helps to immerse the player.
+ Intense boss battles.
+ Cool power-ups.
+ Co-op.

Cons

- All the quarters you'll go through.
- Dated graphics.
- Reloading feels a little weird.
- Machines are now becoming rare.

Overall: 9/10

The Lost World is my favorite light gun game of all time, even above the mighty Time Crisis II and Crisis Zone. It's an old game and is becoming exceedingly rare these days, but if you're ever lucky enough to stumble across one, do not make the mistake of passing it by, excusing it for some movie cash-in. It's a fantastic and challenging game that will test your gaming skills, and is even more fun playing alongside with a friend. Have a ball.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/08/03, Updated 08/11/05