The Great Giana Sisters (1987)

by Nish
written by Nish 6 minutes read

Summary

The Great Giana Sisters: A Nostalgic Trip Back to the Golden Age of Platformers

Released in 1987, The Great Giana Sisters is a classic platformer that still holds up today. With its challenging levels, catchy music, and charming graphics, it’s a game that will appeal to fans of all ages.

The game follows the story of Giana, a young girl who falls asleep and finds herself in a strange and wonderful dreamworld. In order to return home, she must collect magical diamonds scattered throughout the world.

Along the way, Giana will encounter a variety of enemies, including ghosts, spiders, and bats. She must use her wits and agility to avoid these enemies and reach the end of each level.

The Great Giana Sisters is known for its challenging difficulty. The levels are full of traps and hazards, and the enemies are relentless. However, the game is also fair, and with a little patience and skill, players can overcome any obstacle.

One of the things that makes The Great Giana Sisters so special is its music. The game’s five-voiced soundtrack is catchy and memorable, and it helps to create a sense of atmosphere and excitement.

The graphics in The Great Giana Sisters are also top-notch for the time. The game’s world is colorful and detailed, and the characters are expressive and well-animated.

Overall, The Great Giana Sisters is a classic platformer that deserves to be remembered. It’s a challenging, fun, and beautiful game that will appeal to fans of all ages.

Gameplay

The Great Giana Sisters is a side-scrolling platformer. The player controls Giana as she runs, jumps, and shoots her way through a variety of levels.

The game’s levels are full of traps and hazards, including spikes, pits, and enemies. Giana must use her wits and agility to avoid these obstacles and reach the end of each level.

Giana can also collect power-ups that give her special abilities, such as the ability to shoot fireballs or fly. These power-ups can help Giana to overcome the game’s many challenges.

Development

The Great Giana Sisters was developed by Rainbow Arts, a German video game company. The game was originally intended to be a clone of the popular Nintendo game Super Mario Bros. However, due to copyright concerns, Rainbow Arts was forced to make some changes to the game.

The most notable change was the replacement of Mario and Luigi with Giana and Maria, two original characters created by Rainbow Arts. The game’s levels were also redesigned to be more unique and challenging.

Release and Reception

The Great Giana Sisters was released in 1987 for the Commodore 64, Amiga, and ZX Spectrum home computers. The game was a critical and commercial success, selling over 2 million copies worldwide.

The game was praised for its challenging gameplay, catchy music, and beautiful graphics. It was also one of the first games to feature a female protagonist.

Legacy

The Great Giana Sisters has had a lasting impact on the video game industry. The game is still considered to be one of the best platformers ever made, and it has inspired numerous other games.

In 2012, a remake of The Great Giana Sisters was released for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Wii U. The remake featured updated graphics and sound, as well as new levels and gameplay modes.

Tips for Playing The Great Giana Sisters

  • Be patient. The Great Giana Sisters is a challenging game, but it’s also fair. With a little patience and skill, you can overcome any obstacle.
  • Use the power-ups. The power-ups in The Great Giana Sisters can be very helpful. Use them wisely to overcome the game’s many challenges.
  • Don’t be afraid to die. Dying is a part of the game. Don’t get discouraged if you die a few times. Just keep trying and you’ll eventually reach the end of the level.

Conclusion

The Great Giana Sisters is a classic platformer that still holds up today. It’s a challenging, fun, and beautiful game that will appeal to fans of all ages. If you’re looking for a great platformer to play, I highly recommend checking out The Great Giana Sisters.

Review Score

8/10

Art

Cover Art

Screenshots

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Nish is a software engineer by day and avid gamer who loves to play video games after he puts his two boys to bed. His insights delve into the mechanics, and storytelling of the games he plays with the aim to share his passion with the audience. He loves to travel back to his native India and travel the country on his restored Royal Enfield Bullet 350, a relic from a simpler time, like some of the games he plays.

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