The Collection Chamber: TINTIN IN PRISONERS OF THE SUN

On their return from Peru, some explorers have been stricken down by a bizarre illness. When Professor Calculus disappears in strange circumstances, Tintin decides to investigate. From the port of Westermouth to high up in the Andes, he will need to solve riddle upon riddle. You adventures will be full of tough challenges. On your way to the Temple of the Sun you find yourself behind the wheel of a car in a perilous race against time, chased by a devastating avalanche and even set adrift on a crocodile-infested river!

~ from the back of the European SNES box

Tintin is back, but this time he's moved from the mountains of Tibet to the lush jungles of Peru. Based on the classic graphic novel, The Seven Crystal Balls, this game also covers its direct follow up which it takes its name from; Tintin in Prisoners of the Sun.

Originally taking a bow on the Super Nintendo in late 1996, this faithful DOS port hit shelves a year later, though SEGA fans were sadly left out this time round. If you've given Tintin in Tibet a try, you'll know that it's a very handsome-looking platformer with some great cinematic elements, but it's tough as all hell. Prisoners of the Sun is more of the same, but I found it to be far more accessible and - dare I say it - a little easier.

The gameplay changes to more arcade fare in several stages. Dodge cars as you race to the city docks (left),
or hold on to a giant condor to reach the top of a mountain (right).

Granted, the word "easy" must be taken in relative terms here, but I did manage to scrape my way to the end. We begin in fictional Belgium Darwin Museum, where one of the resident professors has been attacked. For some reason, Tintin has to sneak past security, educators and little kids with deadly yoyos to reach Doctor Midge, the museum's director. Utilising the same multi-plane design of the first game, you have to step forward or back to navigate past these obstacles. For an location clearly open to the public, the place holds a lot of dangers, not least the wandering personnel that will eek out one of your four health chunks if touched. And who knew yoyos were so dangerous?

Playing on the easiest of three difficulties, this opening level is very much doable for patient players - even on your first try. A far cry from the last game, but the perils will definitely ramp up the further we get. The second stage sees us at Tarragon's Mansion as we navigate the many halls that have been possessed by one of the magical crystal balls. There'll be falling chandeliers and diving books hurtling towards you at a moments notice, and you'll be lucky to have any lives left when we reach the stately home's gardens where a sniper takes aim at you.

Platforming sections now include minor adventure and puzzle elements (left).
The number of levels now reach 17, but only four of them have a password (right).

Stick with it and you'll be treated with one of the many changes in gameplay. Taking control of an old-school automobile, you have to race towards the city docks in the hopes of stowing away on a boat headed to Peru. These asides, which include running from an avalanche and a ride on a condor, are entertaining diversions from the core platforming, but they do overstay their welcome just a smidge, amplified by the difficulty of course.

Thankfully, the game as a whole has more structure to it than what came before. Levels have clear objectives that aren't just 'move to the left', amplifying the adventure and puzzle elements over skill-based jumps and dodges. Even the tweaked difficulty reduces the unfair nature of the level design while retaining a high challenge. And that challenge doesn't diminish it from being a satisfying platformer. If you're going to play one game in the series, Tintin in Prisoners of the Sun is the one to go for.

To download the game, follow the link below. This custom installer exclusive to The Collection Chamber uses the DOSBox-X build of DOSBox to bring the game to modern systems. Foreign-language Manual and Comic Book included. Read the ChamberNotes.txt for more detailed information. Tested on Windows 10.

File Size: 72.7 Mb. Install Size: 112 Mb. Need help? Consult the Collection Chamber FAQ

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