GameSpot editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Mediocre
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 06/13/2000
- Updated on: 05/17/2006
- Released on: 11/14/1999
- Originally published on GameSpot: 40 Winks (PlayStation) Review
The number of platformers released that have come and gone on the various consoles is nearly countless. If any one genre is synonymous with video games, it'd probably be the platformer. As is the case with a large sampling of games from any genre, platformers have ranged from extremely poor to masterful. Despite being sound in many respects, 40 Winks ends up falling squarely in the former category. It fails to rise above mediocrity due to its utter lack of challenge, its ultracute tone (which severely limits its appeal), and its oversimplified gameplay.
It's bedtime one evening for Ruff and Tumble, and they aren't pleased. They think bedtime is boring. Their mother tells them about the little creatures called Winks that sleep during the day and come out at night when everyone is asleep and dreaming. There's a problem though. A grumpy old man named NiteKap - who's so tired that he can't sleep - has decided to kidnap the Winks and turn them into Hood-Winks. These Hood-Winks are responsible for the nightmares of people everywhere. Only 40 Winks remain in the land of dreams, and it's up to Ruff and Tumble to make sure NiteKap doesn't get his hands on them.
That premise alone is enough to keep a large segment of the video-game-playing populace away from this title. The game begins in Ruff and Tumble's room, where you can access every stage in the game. Different doors in their home lead to the different stages. If you elect at any time to exit a game without having reached a save point, the house is where you'll be taken to, so in that sense it serves as a sort of hub throughout the game.
The game's graphics are definitely one of its high points. It's obvious that Eurocom spent a significant amount of time making sure the visuals were top-notch. The various characters animate quite nicely, and all the environments - which range from a forest on a stormy night to a pirate's cove to the moon - are all vibrant, lush, and full of detail. However, the stages just aren't big and lengthy enough, so unless you intentionally slow yourself down, you won't really have much time to enjoy what is nice about each area. Ruff and Tumble - as well as the multitude of enemy creatures - animate quite nicely, and there are really no clipping, draw-in, or texture problems to speak of.
Continue reading
40 Winks (PlayStation):
%20Legacy%20game%20platform%20reviews%20-%20CNET%20Reviews&srcUrl=http://reviews.cnet.com/legacy-game-platforms/40-winks-playstation/4505-9882_7-30966429.html){kind=small}