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Gex (series)

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Gex
Logotype from the first game
Genre(s)Platform
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)
First releaseGex
April 1995
Latest releaseGex 3: Deep Cover Gecko
March 23, 1999

Gex is a platformer video game series, developed by Crystal Dynamics, that details the adventures of an anthropomorphic gecko named Gex. He has served as the mascot of Crystal Dynamics, appearing on their company logo for several years up until the year 2000. In the North American version, Gex is voiced by the comedian Dana Gould; the United Kingdom version features Gould as well as Leslie Phillips and Danny John-Jules as the voice of Gex. Gex was voiced by Mitsuo Senda in the Japanese release of the second game.[1]

The Gex games are largely inspired by American TV culture, Gex contributing to the games with wise-cracking remarks laced with media and references to popular culture.

Sony Interactive Entertainment published Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko on October 1, 2009,[2] Gex on November 5, 2009,[3] and Gex: Enter the Gecko on February 4, 2014[4] under the PS one Classics banner in the PlayStation Network. The ports are compatible with the PlayStation 3, Portable and Vita. Additionally, Square Enix published Gex at GOG.com, a distribution platform for legacy games, on October 16, 2014.[5]

Plot

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Gex is a gecko who has a passion for television which makes him a target for the cybernetic being Emperor Rez. Emperor Rez is determined to overthrow The Media Dimension, the "world" of television.

Games

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Aggregate review scores
As of November 23, 2015.
Game GameRankings
Gex (3DO) 79.58%[6]
(PC) 71.00%[7]
(SS) 69.35%[8]
(PS1) 63.33%[9]
Gex: Enter the Gecko (PS1) 81.70%[10]
(N64) 60.50%[11]
(GBC) 57.00%[12]
Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko (PS1) 77.20%[13]
(GBC) 70.60%[14]
(N64) 65.13%[15]

Gex (1995)

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Main article: Gex (video game)

Gex: Enter the Gecko (1998)

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Main article: Gex: Enter the Gecko

Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko (1999)

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Main article: Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko

Cancelled projects

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A fourth Gex entry was in development for the PlayStation 2 and GameCube, but was canceled due to lack of interest from Eidos Interactive. Many of the ideas and aspects were later used for Whiplash for the PS2 with only concept art existing of the Gex 4 idea.[16]

An unreleased PS1 prototype demo for a cancelled 2001 game referred to as Gex Jr. was leaked online in April 2022.[17][18]

Characters

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  • Gex - Gex is a smart aleck, wise-cracking gecko who lives with his family in Maui, Hawaii. He spends his days with his friends, surfing, playing the ukulele, and throwing poi parties down on the beach with the local lady lizards. After his father's death, he begins watching mass amounts of TV to get over the tragedy.[19] He eventually inherits over twenty billion dollars from his deceased great uncle and buys the world's largest television. He has his own island hideaway called the GEXCave located in the South Pacific.[20] His catchphrase is "It's tail time!", due to his primary attack being tail whips. Gex is voiced by Dana Gould in all three installments in North America. The PAL (European and Australian game formats) versions feature three separate voice actors; Dana Gould in the original game, Leslie Phillips in the second game, and Danny John-Jules in the third game.
  • Rez - Rez is a megalomaniac, cybernetic entity, and the main antagonist of the series. His one true ambition is to control the entire Media Dimension and ensure the longevity of bad TV shows and Z-Grade movies. His entire essence is made up of Liquid Rez, liquid noise spread throughout the series. He also claims to be Gex's father. Rez is voiced by Bruce Robertson.
  • Agent Xtra - Agent Xtra is Gex's crime-fighting partner, who also loves TV as well. She is kidnapped by Rez and communicates to Gex through video signals in mission control. She is portrayed in live-action sequences by Marliece Andrada.
  • Alfred The Tortoise - Alfred is Gex's butler. He is a turtle who wears a bow tie and glasses. He provides Gex with constant help to defeat Rez. He is voiced by Marc Silk.
  • Rex - Rex is a small, red Tyrannosaurus rex and Gex's prehistoric ancestor.[21] He was seen frozen in a block of ice at the "Holiday Broadcasting" channel that Gex can melt to set him free.
  • Cuz - Cuz is Gex's overweight cousin[21] and seems to be a leopard gecko. He is saved by Gex after being locked in a cage by the gangsters on the "Gangsters TV" channel.
  • Gex's Father - Gex's Dad works for NASA by doing various research projects. He and ten other volunteers are chosen to eat tapioca pudding in zero gravity, though their rocket explodes due to a Band-Aid floating into one of the fuel tanks, killing them. His mother later moves to California, and after gaining money inherited from Gex's great-uncle, Charlie, she purchases 51 percent ownership in NASA, fires everyone, sells the rockets to some third world countries, and converts Mission Control into "Space Monkeys", a theme restaurant featuring robotic dancing chimps wearing spacesuits.[19] In the novel, Rez claims that he is Gex's real father and became the way he was after the explosion, whether this is true or not is unclear, although Rez makes the same claim in Gex 2 but with a different story (saying he fell into a scrapheap while trying to get free cable).

Future

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In February 2016, Square Enix announced to allow developers to create games based on some of their old Eidos intellectual properties via the Square Enix Collective project, including the Gex intellectual property.[22] In December 2021, Square Enix filed a new Gex trademark in the European Union,[23][24] and subsequently in February a new trademark for Gex in Japan.[25] Three months later, Embracer Group made an agreement to purchase Crystal Dynamics and Eidos IPs from Square Enix, which didn't include Gex.[26][27] In July 2023, Limited Run Games announced Gex Trilogy, a compilation release of all three games emulated through Limited Run's Carbon Engine.[28] The compilation will be released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S.[28]

Legacy

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Gex appears as an unlockable character in the North American and European versions of Hot Shots Golf 2 and Mad Dash Racing, with the latter featuring Billy West as the voice of Gex.[29]

Starting in the mid-2010s Gex gained a cult following as an internet meme due to the game’s fourth wall breaking humor and its status as a dormant 1990s mascot platform franchise. Additionally, popular YouTube gaming personalities, including videogamedunkey and Scott the Woz, have referenced the franchise in running gags.

The titular character has been associated with the hyperpop duo 100 gecs, where he was featured on the cover their self-titled debut EP.[30]

In June 2022, a fan animation of the game was uploaded to YouTube by FlippinDingDong. It was presented as a tape recording of a 1990s animated series that aired on Toon Disney. The clip features Gex's characteristic one-liners. The animation would later become viral on YouTube.[31] FlippinDingDong would later provide animation for both the reveal trailer and the LRG 2024 trailer for Gex Trilogy.[32]

References

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  1. ^ "Gex: Enter the Gecko (1998) Trivia". MobyGames. Archived from the original on 2021-01-27. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  2. ^ "Archived copy". Store.PlayStation.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. ^ "Archived copy". Store.PlayStation.com. Archived from the original on 20 March 2018. Retrieved 2022-01-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Store.PlayStation.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ Devore, Jordan (2014). "Hah, Remember Gex? It's Back on GOG.com". Destructoid. Archived from the original on 2022-04-19. Retrieved 2022-04-19.
  6. ^ "Gex Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  7. ^ "Gex Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  8. ^ "Gex Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  9. ^ "Gex Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on September 9, 2011. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  10. ^ "Gex: Enter the Gecko Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on September 10, 2011. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  11. ^ "Gex 64: Enter the Gecko Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  12. ^ "Gex: Enter the Gecko Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 16, 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  13. ^ "Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  14. ^ "Gex 3: Deep Pocket Gecko Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  15. ^ "Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko Reviews". GameRankings. Archived from the original on November 23, 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-23.
  16. ^ Monokoma (13 July 2009). "Gex 4 [PS2 – Cancelled]". Unseen64.net. Archived from the original on July 16, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
  17. ^ Kennedy, Victoria (4 April 2022). "Over 20 Years Later, Footage from an Unreleased Gex Demo Has Shown Up Online". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  18. ^ Hood, Vic (April 2022). "Gex Jr. Is the Unreleased Gex Spinoff We Never Knew We Needed". Tech Radar. Archived from the original on 2022-04-18. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  19. ^ a b PlayStation Gex instruction booklet, p. 6-10
  20. ^ Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko instruction booklet Archived 2020-07-20 at the Wayback Machine, p. 2 (PDF)
  21. ^ a b Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko instruction booklet, p. 9
  22. ^ SlyRebirth (17 February 2015). "First Eidos IPs made available via Square Enix Collective". Square Enix Collective. Archived from the original on 2017-09-26.
  23. ^ Deschamps, Marc (20 December 2021). "Fan Favorite Square Enix Franchise Might Be Making a Return". Comicbook.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  24. ^ Colantonio, Giovanni (31 December 2021). "6 Video Game Revivals We Might Actually See in 2022". Digital Trends. Archived from the original on 2 January 2022. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  25. ^ Levin, Alex (25 February 2022). "Square Enix has Filed a New Trademark for Gex". mxdwn.com. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
  26. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (2 May 2022). "Embracer Group Enters Agreement to Acquire Eidos, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix Montreal for $300 Million". IGN. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  27. ^ "Embracer Group Enters into an Agreement to Acquire Eidos, Crystal Dynamics, and Square Enix Montréal Amongst Other Assets". Embracer. 2022-05-02. Archived from the original on 2022-05-02. Retrieved 2022-05-02.
  28. ^ a b Romano, Sal (July 12, 2023). "Gex Trilogy announced for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  29. ^ "Mad Dash Racing (2001)". Behind The Voice Actors.
  30. ^ Garro, Adrian (May 23, 2023). "I Caught a 100 Gecs Live Concert Experience and All the Madcap Insanity That Came with It". Rock Cellar Magazine. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  31. ^ McMullen, Chris (June 15, 2022). "Gex Is the 90s Saturday Morning Cartoon We Never Got". GameSpew. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  32. ^ @FlippinDingDong (July 12, 2023). "I could solve world hunger tomorrow and I'd still start every conversation with "I got to animate Gex for an official project"" (Tweet). Retrieved July 14, 2023 – via Twitter.
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