The Lord of the Rings is a franchise that sits highly in the modern hypothetical sci-fi and fantasy pantheon. Along with Star Wars it encapsulates hope, freedom, and friendship through strife. The Peter Jackson movies, which are now almost 26 years old, reinvigorated the series and led to an avalanche of Lord of the Rings-related media released from around 2001. Before this, there was an SNES game based on Lord of the Rings, but from what I hear it was a ‘where the hell do I go’ kind of RPG, wasn’t critically well received, and didn’t sell very well. After, Jackson’s films, many LOTR games were released on virtually every active platform. The early 2000s were a different time to the modern day, where every big movie or TV show would get at least one videogame adaptation. I guess you could argue that the same is true today, with mobile games, but as there is no quality control in that market, and it’s full of shovelware, I’m dubious in counting that market.
Games were easier to make back in the 2000s as you had less graphical power to work with. Limitations can give you boundaries that artists use in order to express their works. Sometimes something seminal is produced because of those boundaries. I’m not claiming that Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is a seminal game, although what I do think, is that it is a game that is a product of its limitations. The 32-bit power of the GBA meant a realistic 3D style action hack ‘n’ slash’ like the PS2 received was never going to be possible. A Diable clone on the other hand made much more sense, and it was that route that the developers went down. Read on for a short retro review of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for GBA.
Bad reviews
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on Gamecube, PS2, and Xbox looked graphically stunning, and even arguably impresses to this day. The lighting, models, and animation were all top quality and they really got the look right in line with the movies. This resulted in quite good reviews for the home console version upon release (although its looked back on, in even greater esteem). The GBA version on the other hand, while good in motion, really wasn’t graphically impressive, even for a GBA title. If you are asked, which GBA game is the most graphically impressive what would the answer be? Zelda: Minish Cap, Metroid: Zero Mission, or maybe the Doom ports. The system never really had any stand-out games in terms of graphics. LOTR: TTT for GBA did have good animations that seem to be ripped or at least inspired by the movements of the respective characters in the movies.
However, the environments were quite drab and samey, and the colors didn’t inspire. I think the visuals were the reason the game got bad reviews in the magazines of the time. I remember GamesMaster gave the title an OK review. Maybe around 60%. The multiplatform reviews of LOTR: TTT were less harsh than the Nintendo-specific magazines. As a kid, I remember the Official Nintendo Magazine giving the title around 50%, which was a really bad score for the time. I was honestly upset because the LOTR franchise had got me, and I knew I would be picking up the game no matter what score they gave it.
an addictive Diablo clone
The game itself is a top-down (slightly isometric) hack-and-slash action RPG. There are RPG elements in that you gain skill points, and special move points (both active and passive) each time you level up that can be assigned to the trait or move you wish to improve or unlock. There is also loot. The sheer diversity of available weapons and clothing make it always a buzz when you find something you know will be good for your character. There are special weapons and clothing that seem to be based on items you’d come across in the lore, so the developers must have been quite knowledgeable about LOTR. The RPG elements are what help to make the game so addictive. The actual gameplay is pure mindless hacking, slashing, and firing arrows. Incidentally, there are also a variety of characters available each with semi-unique campaigns.
One does not simply, make a good lord of the Rings game
Licensed games have a reputation for not being very good. From ET on Atari to Superman on N64, there are countless examples of licensed games being some of the worst-reviewed titles on their respective systems. Recently, the major platforms have received a licensed game that was so bad, that the Switch port of it was canceled with no official statement, video, or press release from its developer. That title belongs to the Lord of the Rings franchise. The game I’m talking about is the Gollum game, which I personally had high hopes for, despite the graphics looking like the game was a mid-generation Gamecube title. The Lord of the Rings games have been hit-and-miss. Shadow of Mordor and The Return of the King are two of the series highlights. Recently, Nintendolife even placed LOTR: TTT (GBA) at number 5 on their all-time best Lord of the Rings games. Considering that list included 15 titles that isn’t too bad of a ranking. TTT on GBA seems like it continues to win people over.
Easy to Emulate
As well as being a well-researched, addictive, action RPG that has repetitive yet satisfying combat, LOTR: TTT for GBA is also playable on most smartphones and laptops thanks to the miracle of legal emulation. As a GBA game, the title will run on any device that plays GBA games. So that includes Flash carts for DS, as well as any hacked system such as the Wii. A large user base is important for a title to be successful, and even back in the day, TTT had this thanks to the popularity of the GBA. Now with modern technologies, millions more people can play this GBA classic. However, I haven’t come across any ROM hacks of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for GBA. There could be one or two out there but I haven’t been made aware of any.
Conclusion
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers for GBA was an underrated gem in its day, but over the years its critical reputation has risen. Whether nostalgia has a small or a big part to play in that redemption is up for debate. There are many Lord of the Rings games, for many platforms, but LOTR: TTT for GBA deserves to at least be in the top half of all those releases. The game has a fun and addictive leveling-up system, with authentic loot, and the package is all held together with great satisfying hack-and-slash gameplay. While the graphics can’t compete with its home console cousins, they have a unique charm and animate well. Overall, if you have a GBA (or any system that can emulate GBA) this title is worth picking up.
8/10
BongoBongo123 is an avid Zelda fan who also likes the odd game of Smash. His interests in gaming are broad but he loves a good Metroidvania or action RPGs.