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Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures is a platform game that came out in 1994 for the Super Nintendo/Super Famicom. It is based on the popular first three Indiana Jones movies: Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Temple of Doom, and The Last Crusade. The game was made by Factor 5 and released by JVC Musical Industries.

If LucasArts could make great Star Wars movie-based games on the Super Nintendo, then why not give one of its license property, Indiana Jones, the same treatment? One of the best parts about this Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures is that it brings all of the three original hit movies together into one single game.

Japan only box cover art (Image source)

The Story

Grab your whip and lucky hat to get ready to battle through all three classic Indiana Jones movies in this action-packed video game! If it happened in the films, it happens here. From the giant boulder chase in Raiders of the Lost Ark, to the mine cart escape in Temple of Doom, to the Three Trials in The Last Crusade. It is 3X the Indy adventure, all in one great game cartridge.

Box, manual and cartridge of the game. (Image source)

The Graphics and Sound

The graphics here are average good. Indy and the enemies move smoothly, and there are some nice little details; like leaves rustling when you walk over them or splashes when you touch water while swinging on your whip. The game uses the SNES colors well to match the tone of the movies, with some levels looking dark and gloomy and others bright and colorful depending on the scene. The backgrounds are also nicely done, especially in the Nazi castle level where lightning flashes through the windows and adds atmosphere. While the graphics are not the best on the SNES, they all come together to make the game look and feel great overall.

The music is excellent, featuring a pretty god version of John Williams’ famous Indiana Jones soundtrack in MIDI format. The game does not overuse the music either—some levels only have wind and other ambient sounds, which really helps set the mood. The sound effects are a bit of a mixed bag, though. It is cool to hear some character voices, like Sean Connery’s “I’ve lost him!” when you lose all your lives, and the whip sounds nice and sharp. But other sounds, like gunshots or enemy grunts, are pretty basic. In some cases, enemies don’t make any noise at all when they fire or get hit, which feels like a bug. Still, despite a few weak spots, the game sounds good overall.

https://youtu.be/o3q8ljAU_lY?si=mWa20bpczQ3Lp6rB Gameplay video sample of Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures on the SNES. Watch in 360p for near TV resolution of that time.

The Gameplay

This game isn’t perfect—some levels feel weak or frustrating. For example, the Cairo levels go on for too long and feel repetitive, though the scene where Indy shoots the sword-wielding guy (just like in the movie) helps make up for it. Another annoying level is in Pankot Palace, where you have to push statues around randomly to find a hidden entrance. It is confusing and annoying. Also, the game sometimes causes cheap deaths like getting hit can knock Indy backward, which can make you fall into a pit if you’re standing nearby.

To deal with enemies, Indy can use his fists, gun, whip, or grenades. Punching is mostly a last resort, but it’s useful for things like moving boxes and in certain boss fights that are surprisingly fun. The gun is weaker than the whip but has its advantages: it fires faster, lets you shoot while moving, and has longer range. The whip is stronger and more versatile since it can also be used to swing across gaps, and just fun to use. Grenades are the most powerful weapon, clearing the screen of enemies, and using them at the right time adds strategy to the game.

The controls are generally solid. Y uses your weapon, B jumps, A rolls (while ducking), X throws a grenade, L/R punches, Select switches between the gun and whip, and the D-pad moves Indy. You can also change the button layout in the options. However, rolling feels a bit clunky to use, and there's a small issue with the gun where you can only move while shooting if you start running first. If you are standing still and shoot, you’re stuck in place until you stop firing.

As for replay value is average, it really depends on how much you enjoy the game the first time. There are no hidden extras, but there are different difficulty levels.

My Verdict

Indiana Jones’ Greatest Adventures might not be one of the very best SNES games, but it is still a fun and well-made action platformer game. It looks good, plays well, and follows the movies nicely. If you're a fan of Indiana Jones or enjoy action platformers, this is a good game to have in your SNES collection.

Play it on the nostalgic Super Nintendo/Super Famicom or play it on a dependable emulator.

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