Developer: System Supply N-Tech Publisher: Nihon Create Release: 11/22/96 Genre: Platformer
The Saturn was built to be a 2d powerhouse. But sadly it released at a time when the industry was moving to 3d. That meant we did not get to see the system strut its stuff as we hoped, especially in the US. Japan however was graced with some cool platforming gems and Tryrush Deppy is one of them. Tryrush Deppy does not break the mold but is an enjoyable 2d platformer at a time when the genre was on life support.
Tryrush Deppy is Disney’s Cars decades before Pixar would create that multimedia empire. The backstory for the game is that the titular character is in a race across the United States, from New York to Las Vegas. Along the way he has to contend with his fellow racers to make it to his destination intact. Although it is presented as a race the game is not. This is a standard 2d platformer but that is not such a bad thing. While it is far from the heights of the 16-bit era Tryrush Deppy is still good enough to satisfy that platforming itch.
Tryrush Deppy has a lot in common with Sonic the Hedgehog. Each leg of the journey comprises two acts before final boss level. You can do a quick dash like Sonic’s….spin dash. But the similarities end there. For one gas is everything. Your gas meter is both your life bar and your timer. Like Gauntlet the gas meter is always ticking down. Getting hit or dashing in to a wall will daze you and costs precious gas. Speaking of dashing, you can charge your dash for a bigger burst of speed to inflict more damage to bosses. But you guessed it, it costs more as. Despite this the game is very generous with gas until its final levels and it is not much of a concern, even during boss fights.
Despite the urgency the gas meter provides as well as the ability to dash the level design is not set up for you to play the game like Sega’s character, at least at first. This is a more methodical game that wants you to explore to find extra lives, gas, and to earn drama items. On certain levels one of your fellow competitors will need. If you lend them your assistance you will earn a drama item. What they do is a mystery; I have never found all of them and there is so little information on this game online I wonder if it is simply for completionists. The game does not make it easy to find extra lives as they are rare. But the difficulty is so low you more than likely will not need them until the end.
Each level is about medium in length. They are large enough to house multiple secrets but small enough that with skill you can blow through them in a minute or two. There are at least two or three possible routes to the goal and as I mentioned before the optimal path makes each brief. That is part of what keeps Tryrush Deppy from reaching the platforming greats; the simplicity of its level design and its stiff controls. The levels are simple in their construction and lack the thoughtful design that makes platformers interesting. When it does pick up a little bit toward the end the slow movement will grate on your nerves. It is not bad but not where they should be. By 1996 2d platforming was near its peak so it is a little disappointing to see a 32-bit title that feels like a step back from that greatness.
Considering my comparison to Sonic earlier it should come as no surprise Tryrush Deppy is an easy game. The gas meter is more of an annoyance than a legit hindrance until closer to the end of the game. You can make many blind mistakes and be none the worse for wear as you speed your way to the goal. The boss battles provide plenty of opportunities to fill up otherwise they would be impossible. But that also robs these fights of any tension. The last level and final boss are the two areas where the game spikes significantly. The last boss in particular is a boss rush. But unlike most instances of such it drags on with no reprieve between forms. Rather than being a test of skill it becomes a test of patience. It is a sour note to end on.
In Closing
Tryrush Deppy is a good game. It stumbles here and there but has its heart in the right place. Had the Saturn been more successful outside of Japan I have no doubt someone would have localized it. In fact there is so little text I could have done it. Unfortunately this is an expensive one to track down and while I like it there are better alternatives.
