Maker - Crystal Dynamics / Bandai   Catalogue No. - T-13316G

Type - 3D Platform Action

In the west we got Pandemonium which while technically impressive lacked any charm what so ever thanks to the shitty characters being as dull as most US based platform games.  However, Bandai bought the license from Crystal Dynamics to bring the game to Japan.  Thankfully Bandai saw fit to completely redo the characters plus give the game a whole new story and anime intro and ending.  The end result is what you see here, Magical Hoppers.

Magical Hoppers is a visual treat for Saturn owners.  Not only does it have solid 3D playing areas but also some very nice special effects such as transparencies, light sourcing and shading.  These aren't just used lightly though, they are used throughout the game in great amounts.  This is easily one of the most impressive games visually on the Sega Saturn.  Unfortunately that's where it all ends.  The game at first is quite fun but it drags on and on and on.  The levels don't really offer that much variance between them which is the main problem.  Yes, they look different but the main goal is still the same.  The music doesn't help either with it's dull and repetitive tunes.  Magical Hoppers also has a very serious audio bug which can completely distort the audio in parts of the games making it sound like your speakers are about to burst.  This is a real shame because with a little more thought this could have been one hell of a great game.  Still, it's better than Crystal Dynamics other platformer, GEX which truly is shit in every respect.