Universal Tour is one of the most charming, rewarding, and complete tributes to the 1986 arcade classic.
While the 1997 game Rampage World Tour (the first sequel to the original Rampage) was barely passable due to its overly generic gameplay, its direct sequel, Rampage 2: Universal Tour, did more than enough to justify its existence on home consoles, rather than just trying to pay homage to an obscure arcade hit. The linear but enjoyable gameplay leave the arcade feel untouched, while the bigger variation in monsters, environments and music warrant an extended lifespan.
The idea for Rampage 2, which is essentially the third Rampage game, is left largely unchanged. Its visual presentation is very comparable to that of Rampage World Tour, albeit a bit more detailed and varied. The 2D graphics make for a retro feeling and are quite well done to the point where they still look acceptable today. Like in World Tour, you travel around the world (and, eventually, around the universe, as the title implies), but unlike in World Tour, the cities actually have a relatively characteristic and distinct look to them. Even though there's not much difference between, say, Bangkok and Beijing, you'll at least notice which continent you're on, with subtle differences distinguishing most of the cities. To add to the more varied approach, a minigame can be played after each 5 levels. These minigames are simple challenges, such as eating as many people as possible or destroying a building within the time limit, and even though there are only a handful of them, they will prove a welcome distraction from the main game, and a useful means of earning some extra lives. There are a couple of new monsters as well, some of which have to be unlocked, making it rewarding and worthwhile to go through the entire game. Each of the monsters can build up their stamina meter and unleash a characteristic special move when it's full. The actual gameplay doesn't differ per monster, apart from them having varying walking, climbing and punching abilities, but it's still nice to be able to choose between such oversized goofballs as Ruby the Lobster, Curtis the Rat, George the Gorilla, and others.
The music and sound, too, are slightly more varied, but that still doesn't mean it's what you'd expect from a 1999 Nintendo 64 game. There are a handful of songs that are composed rather nicely and blend in well with the rest of the game, but you'll be hearing them over and over seeing as there are well over a hundred levels. Rampage: World Tour still had the excuse of it being an arcade game, but seeing as Universal Tour appeared exclusively on consoles, the composer simply should have taken the time to crank out, say, 15 more tunes to be able to satisfy gamers during longer sessions.
Despite of the repetitiveness still being a problem, its also a hidden strength. Rampage fans will know what to expect, and with Rampage 2: Universal Tour they've been given one of the most charming, rewarding, and complete tributes to the 1986 arcade classic. Universal Tour was a budget title, and you can still find it on the internet for very acceptable prices. If you're a retro freak, you'll get your money's worth in no time, especially if you have one or two friends joining you in your universal demolition spree.