Get ready to hop, skip, and quip
By Paul Hunter
You can't talk about platformers from the ‘90s without bringing up the iconic mascot wearing sunglasses, spouting pop culture references, and jumping his way through TV-themed worlds. Gex, the wisecracking gecko managed to be both a product of his time and something a bit cooler. Developed by Crystal Dynamics and now revived by Limited Run Games, Gex Trilogy bundles the character’s original adventures into one collection, brought to modern consoles with some thoughtful updates.
Limited Run Games has used its Carbon Engine to faithfully port all three titles: Gex, Enter the Gecko, and Deep Cover Gecko. They’re presented with higher resolution, widescreen support, and a few modern features like save states and rewinds, but the core experience remains intact. You’re getting the games as they were—warts, one-liners, and all.
Each entry reflects a different stage in Gex’s evolution. The first game sticks to 2D platforming, while the second and third leap into 3D, aiming to capture the shift that defined that era. Whether you played these games years ago or never touched them at all, this collection gives you a preserved look at a time when mascot platformers were everywhere—and Gex was talking louder than most of them.
So, is this trip through the media dimension worth tuning in for once again—or maybe for the first time? Let’s find out!
Gex's adventures leans heavily into television parodies, movie riffs, and a constant stream of one-liners. The gecko himself isn’t your quiet, mysterious hero—he talks. A lot. His wisecracks, packed with cultural references from the ‘90s, are front and centre across all three games. That’s the tone you’re signing up for: loud, self-aware, and unapologetically dated.
In the original Gex, the story sets a basic stage. Gex is pulled into a media dimension controlled by a villain named Rez. The setup is mostly an excuse to bounce through channels filled with monster movies, cartoons, and other familiar genres. You won’t find much character growth or plot twists here. It’s all about Gex jumping from one reference-filled level to the next, cracking jokes as he goes.
Gex: Enter the Gecko shifts into 3D and brings back Rez as the main antagonist. This time, the media dimension is even more exaggerated, with levels built around horror films, spy thrillers, and sci-fi shows. The structure relies on collecting remote controls to unlock new areas, but the framing still revolves around Gex being called back into action to deal with chaos inside his favourite escape—television. The tone stays tongue-in-cheek, with each new environment built around a familiar genre parody.
The third game, Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, continues the format without changing much of the core setup. Gex is once again dealing with trouble in the media dimension. While it doesn’t offer the same kind of leap in creativity as its predecessor, it builds on the same formula: more TV parodies, more absurd situations, and the same sarcastic attitude. The humour is dialled up with added mini-games and even more nods to pop culture.
There’s a consistent theme running through all three games: television as a playground. Gex isn’t out to save the world or uncover deep secrets—he’s jumping into TV tropes, poking fun at them, and throwing out quips every step of the way. The tone never changes, even when the gameplay does. Whether or not the jokes still land depends a lot on how much you remember—or enjoy—the cultural clutter of the late ‘90s.
The Gex Trilogy is built around classic platforming mechanics. The first Gex is a side-scroller that has a few tricks up its sleeves. Gex can climb walls and ceilings, which adds plenty of verticality to levels. Being that it's a game from the 90s, the controls can feel a bit stiff, especially when lining up jumps or wall-clings. A few auto-scrolling stages and mild difficulty spikes add variety, but a cheap death can be quickly undone using the new rewind feature. The updated save system is also a welcome touch and cuts down on trial-and-error.
Things start to click in Enter the Gecko. This is where the series makes its shift to 3D, and the difference is immediate. Levels are larger, objectives are clearer, and Gex’s move set is better suited to the environments. Before entering a stage, you choose an objective tied to a red remote—each with its own goal like defeating enemies or finding a hidden item. After completing it, you're kicked back to the hub world. While that might sound limiting, it’s actually helpful for learning the layout. Levels include collectibles, hidden paths, and small challenges like shifting gravity or firing cannons. Some tasks feel clunky by today’s standards, but the creativity behind them still shows.
Deep Cover Gecko doesn’t shake things up too much. Instead, it adds to the systems introduced in the second game. There are more mini-games, some collectible changes, and small features like a short preview clip that hints at where to find your selected objective. One gameplay addition I found unexpectedly helpful was collecting Paw Coins—grabbing 25 of them adds an extra hit point. It gave me a reason to explore every corner, even in areas that didn’t seem important at first glance. Bonus levels return too, offering valuable rewards for completion.
What’s consistent across the trilogy is the loop: choose a level, complete an objective, collect a remote, and unlock more zones. Enter the Gecko is where that system is at its best. I spent nearly half an hour in one of the sci-fi stages just figuring out how to reach a hidden silver remote, and despite the camera occasionally getting in the way, it was satisfying to pull off. The improved resolution and support for analogue controls smooth over some rough edges, but these are still faithful ports. The fun isn’t always in the polish, but in the nostalgia and absurdity baked into every level.
Each game in the Gex Trilogy carries a strong visual identity tied closely to its era. The first game leans heavily into 2D sprites and backgrounds, with levels that reflect themes from mid-90s side-scrollers. There’s charm in its simplicity, and with resolution scaling and widescreen support now included, the visuals hold up quite nicely.
Enter the Gecko shifts everything into 3D and it’s also where things start to pop. Levels are themed around pop culture pastiches, and the designs range from haunted houses to sci-fi stations. Visual variety is a clear step up from the first game. That said, textures remain basic by modern standards, and the camera can get caught in tight corners. The added support for analogue control does help with movement, but it doesn’t fully smooth over the occasional awkward viewpoint.
Deep Cover Gecko sticks with the 3D approach, but it refines rather than reinvents. The graphical upgrades are subtle compared to the previous jump, though some levels clearly look more detailed. The collection also includes a few extras like prototype footage, a soundtrack player, and concept art, which serve as a nice nod for those interested in the game’s development.
Sound design across all three games revolves around Gex’s non-stop stream of jokes and one-liners. His quips are based on pop culture references, all voiced by American stand-up comedian Dana Gould. Dialogue aside, each level is backed by fitting background music and effects that complement the setting without overpowering the experience.
The presentation isn’t flawless, but it sticks to the tone and character of the original games. Limited Run Games has preserved the source material with care, using its Carbon Engine to deliver a package that looks and sounds like it did decades ago—just with enough polish to run cleanly on today’s consoles.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Limited Run Games, Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Limited Run Games
Genre: Platformer
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
You can't talk about platformers from the ‘90s without bringing up the iconic mascot wearing sunglasses, spouting pop culture references, and jumping his way through TV-themed worlds. Gex, the wisecracking gecko managed to be both a product of his time and something a bit cooler. Developed by Crystal Dynamics and now revived by Limited Run Games, Gex Trilogy bundles the character’s original adventures into one collection, brought to modern consoles with some thoughtful updates.
Limited Run Games has used its Carbon Engine to faithfully port all three titles: Gex, Enter the Gecko, and Deep Cover Gecko. They’re presented with higher resolution, widescreen support, and a few modern features like save states and rewinds, but the core experience remains intact. You’re getting the games as they were—warts, one-liners, and all.
Each entry reflects a different stage in Gex’s evolution. The first game sticks to 2D platforming, while the second and third leap into 3D, aiming to capture the shift that defined that era. Whether you played these games years ago or never touched them at all, this collection gives you a preserved look at a time when mascot platformers were everywhere—and Gex was talking louder than most of them.
So, is this trip through the media dimension worth tuning in for once again—or maybe for the first time? Let’s find out!
Gex's adventures leans heavily into television parodies, movie riffs, and a constant stream of one-liners. The gecko himself isn’t your quiet, mysterious hero—he talks. A lot. His wisecracks, packed with cultural references from the ‘90s, are front and centre across all three games. That’s the tone you’re signing up for: loud, self-aware, and unapologetically dated.
In the original Gex, the story sets a basic stage. Gex is pulled into a media dimension controlled by a villain named Rez. The setup is mostly an excuse to bounce through channels filled with monster movies, cartoons, and other familiar genres. You won’t find much character growth or plot twists here. It’s all about Gex jumping from one reference-filled level to the next, cracking jokes as he goes.
Gex: Enter the Gecko shifts into 3D and brings back Rez as the main antagonist. This time, the media dimension is even more exaggerated, with levels built around horror films, spy thrillers, and sci-fi shows. The structure relies on collecting remote controls to unlock new areas, but the framing still revolves around Gex being called back into action to deal with chaos inside his favourite escape—television. The tone stays tongue-in-cheek, with each new environment built around a familiar genre parody.
The third game, Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko, continues the format without changing much of the core setup. Gex is once again dealing with trouble in the media dimension. While it doesn’t offer the same kind of leap in creativity as its predecessor, it builds on the same formula: more TV parodies, more absurd situations, and the same sarcastic attitude. The humour is dialled up with added mini-games and even more nods to pop culture.
There’s a consistent theme running through all three games: television as a playground. Gex isn’t out to save the world or uncover deep secrets—he’s jumping into TV tropes, poking fun at them, and throwing out quips every step of the way. The tone never changes, even when the gameplay does. Whether or not the jokes still land depends a lot on how much you remember—or enjoy—the cultural clutter of the late ‘90s.
The Gex Trilogy is built around classic platforming mechanics. The first Gex is a side-scroller that has a few tricks up its sleeves. Gex can climb walls and ceilings, which adds plenty of verticality to levels. Being that it's a game from the 90s, the controls can feel a bit stiff, especially when lining up jumps or wall-clings. A few auto-scrolling stages and mild difficulty spikes add variety, but a cheap death can be quickly undone using the new rewind feature. The updated save system is also a welcome touch and cuts down on trial-and-error.
Things start to click in Enter the Gecko. This is where the series makes its shift to 3D, and the difference is immediate. Levels are larger, objectives are clearer, and Gex’s move set is better suited to the environments. Before entering a stage, you choose an objective tied to a red remote—each with its own goal like defeating enemies or finding a hidden item. After completing it, you're kicked back to the hub world. While that might sound limiting, it’s actually helpful for learning the layout. Levels include collectibles, hidden paths, and small challenges like shifting gravity or firing cannons. Some tasks feel clunky by today’s standards, but the creativity behind them still shows.
Deep Cover Gecko doesn’t shake things up too much. Instead, it adds to the systems introduced in the second game. There are more mini-games, some collectible changes, and small features like a short preview clip that hints at where to find your selected objective. One gameplay addition I found unexpectedly helpful was collecting Paw Coins—grabbing 25 of them adds an extra hit point. It gave me a reason to explore every corner, even in areas that didn’t seem important at first glance. Bonus levels return too, offering valuable rewards for completion.
What’s consistent across the trilogy is the loop: choose a level, complete an objective, collect a remote, and unlock more zones. Enter the Gecko is where that system is at its best. I spent nearly half an hour in one of the sci-fi stages just figuring out how to reach a hidden silver remote, and despite the camera occasionally getting in the way, it was satisfying to pull off. The improved resolution and support for analogue controls smooth over some rough edges, but these are still faithful ports. The fun isn’t always in the polish, but in the nostalgia and absurdity baked into every level.
Each game in the Gex Trilogy carries a strong visual identity tied closely to its era. The first game leans heavily into 2D sprites and backgrounds, with levels that reflect themes from mid-90s side-scrollers. There’s charm in its simplicity, and with resolution scaling and widescreen support now included, the visuals hold up quite nicely.
Enter the Gecko shifts everything into 3D and it’s also where things start to pop. Levels are themed around pop culture pastiches, and the designs range from haunted houses to sci-fi stations. Visual variety is a clear step up from the first game. That said, textures remain basic by modern standards, and the camera can get caught in tight corners. The added support for analogue control does help with movement, but it doesn’t fully smooth over the occasional awkward viewpoint.
Deep Cover Gecko sticks with the 3D approach, but it refines rather than reinvents. The graphical upgrades are subtle compared to the previous jump, though some levels clearly look more detailed. The collection also includes a few extras like prototype footage, a soundtrack player, and concept art, which serve as a nice nod for those interested in the game’s development.
Sound design across all three games revolves around Gex’s non-stop stream of jokes and one-liners. His quips are based on pop culture references, all voiced by American stand-up comedian Dana Gould. Dialogue aside, each level is backed by fitting background music and effects that complement the setting without overpowering the experience.
The presentation isn’t flawless, but it sticks to the tone and character of the original games. Limited Run Games has preserved the source material with care, using its Carbon Engine to deliver a package that looks and sounds like it did decades ago—just with enough polish to run cleanly on today’s consoles.
The Verdict
The Gex Trilogy is a faithful return to a distinct era of platforming, preserving the original charm and quirks of all three games. Each entry brings something different: the original offers straightforward 2D action, Enter the Gecko delivers a notable leap in 3D design and humour, and Deep Cover Gecko refines that formula with small but welcome additions. Modern features like save states, rewind, and resolution upgrades make revisiting these titles far more enjoyable, even if some dated mechanics remain. The trilogy succeeds in delivering a preserved slice of mascot gaming history for those who can appreciate the gecko’s relentless wisecracks and TV-inspired antics.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Gex Trilogy details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PCDeveloper: Limited Run Games, Crystal Dynamics
Publisher: Limited Run Games
Genre: Platformer
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.