Mysterious Cities Of Gold Analysis

The original Mysterious Cities of Gold animated series ran in the early 1980s and followed the adventures of a young boy named Estaban and his two friends. The series mixed history with science fiction and built up quite a following amongst younger viewers. Now more than 30 years later the show has a second season and with it an official game.

The good news is that the developers are actually fans of the animated series so this isn't just another half-baked cash in. Like many other fans, the show was an integral part of my childhood although I only had a chance to view it in the early nineties. I wasn't even aware that the show had been renewed for a new season until this game popped up on my radar but the second I heard that iconic theme song I was drowning in nostalgia. Judging by the success of the kickstarter project to bring this game to PC with full English localization I would say that I'm not the only one eager to relive those childhood memories.

The game gives you direct control over Estaban, Zia and Tao as they explore levels and solve puzzles from a top down perspective. Each child has their own unique ability which means you have to constantly switch between characters to overcome the various obstacles. Esteban has the ability to bring out the sun which is useful for activating special pillars while Tao can translate the ancient language
The large, colorful levels are fun to explore and the animations of all the characters are excellent. At the end of each level you are rewarded with a cut-scene that is taken straight from the animated show but you don't really need to know the show or characters to enjoy the game. The audio is good and features the familiar theme song that will stick in your head for days. The voice acting is also done by the same folks who lend their vocals to season two of the animated