Generally, when I hear the word “Spelunker” I give an immature giggle. In fact, as I wrote “Spelunker” in the previous sentence (and in this sentence again), I giggled. Childishness aside, there is a reason I’m focusing on the word “Spelunker”, and that is the arrival of Spelunker HD on the PlayStation Network from Tozai Games. I remember discovering the original Spelunker on NES a couple of years after it was originally released, when I was but a wee lad. My most vivid recollection of the game was frustration mixed with intrigue. To put it more simply, the game was fun, but difficult. It was, dare I say, Nintendo Hard.
It seems that not much has changed. According to Sheila Boughten, president of Tozai Games:
People use words like ‘fiendish’ and ‘brutal’ when they talk about Spelunker, but they’re always smiling when they say it. The character is ridiculously weak and there are a thousand ways to die, but that’s what makes it so fun and so rewarding when you complete a level.
Spelunker HD has, obviously, updated to 3D graphics. Additionally, it comes with 100 newly designed levels and both co-op and competitive multiplayer game modes for up to six players. Spelunker HD is available today on the PlayStation Network for $9.99 and comes packaged with the option to play in the classic 2D graphic style, if you are so inclined.
For more information, you can visit the Spelunker HD website or the Spelunker HD Facebook.
