Jim Power: The Lost Dimension in 3-D
A platformer with 3D glasses and multiple gameplay modes.
Jim Power: The Lost Dimension in 3-D is a platformer created by French studio Loriciel and brought to market by Electro Brain. It launched in 1993 for the Super Nintendo and MS-DOS. A finished Sega Genesis version was shelved, but Piko Interactive later retrieved it and funded its release through a crowdfunding campaign in 2021, also producing a new NES port. The game arrived on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 on June 2, 2022.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Loriciel; Piko Interactive (NES)
- Publisher
- Loriciel (EU)
- Electro Brain (NA)
- Piko Interactive (WW)
- Genre
- Platform
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Super NES
- MS-DOS
- Windows
- Mega Drive/Genesis
- NES
- Switch
- PlayStation 4
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Jim Power: The Lost Dimension in 3-D blends side-scrolling platforming, top-down views, and horizontal shooter segments. Its depth illusion comes from layered parallax scrolling, while the promised 3D effect relied on bundled glasses using the Pulfrich trick, a cost-effective alternative to early polygon graphics. Overhead stages include rotating visuals reminiscent of Contra III. Chris Hülsbeck, known for Turrican, composed the soundtrack.
Different Versions
A Mega Drive/Genesis version was developed under the name Jim Power: The Arcade Game. Although nearly complete, it was never published and remained unreleased until a ROM image leaked. This prototype contains all levels but cannot be finished, has only one music track arranged by Chris Hülsbeck, and uses placeholder sound effects from Mega Turrican. The top-view stages were replaced by additional shoot-'em-up levels. In 2021, Piko Interactive released a fully finished version under the title Jim Power: The Lost Dimension in 3-D, restoring the ending, music tracks, and sound effects. A new NES version was also developed from scratch by Piko Interactive.
Music
Chris Hülsbeck composed the music, which was directly influenced by the Ys series. He noted that Jim Power's "Forgotten Path" and Ys III's "A Searing Struggle" sound similar, but stated this was not intentional, suggesting a melody from Ys inadvertently entered his subconscious.
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