Cliffhanger
Cliffhanger is a Game Boy action game released in 1993 developed by Spidersoft Limited. It centers on combat encounters, area and route exploration, and movement and immediate actions, with controls, information, and pacing arranged around a monochrome small screen, a directional pad, and two main action buttons.
- AI score · out of 10
- 5.9 / 10
About this game
Cliffhanger is a Game Boy action release centered on combat encounters, area and route exploration, and movement and immediate actions. Stages build pressure through routes, enemy patterns, and changing objectives, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make its immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on campaign length or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Readable animation, hits, and hazards determine whether feedback remains dependable, while silhouettes, contrast, and audio cues need to remain clear on the monochrome display. The main genre-specific friction is that period-specific collision rules, limited guidance, and repeated ground after failure can raise the entry barrier. In addition, password or battery saves, link-cable requirements, display blur, manual dependence, and regional language can affect use of the original cartridge today. This description covers only this release and excludes emulator features, modern-port conveniences, and content from other platforms.
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AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
A film-inspired mountain adventure with a frustratingly hidden control vocabulary.
The Game Boy Cliffhanger is a side-scrolling platform game, not the 16-bit beat-'em-up made for other consoles. Gabe crosses cliffs, avoids wildlife and hazards, and recovers bags of cash through scenes evoking the film. Avalanche, cabin and ice-cave locations and a small idle warming animation give the sparse handheld adaptation a distinct mountain setting. Two Game Boy-specific critics disagree sharply on whether the danger is satisfying. One enjoys measuring jumps and choosing routes after learning the rules; the other finds movement stiff and enemy interruptions exhausting. Their disagreement makes a cautious middle judgment appropriate. The more concrete barrier is usability: an essential running jump needs a non-obvious diagonal input and boots, ropes are visually unclear, and the opening stage is particularly harsh. A player also reports no save system, raising the cost of failure. Music receives some praise, but this is best approached with instructions nearby and tolerance for an old-fashioned learning curve.
Strengths
- Film scenes and small cold-weather details support the setting.
- Different routes and locations vary a compact adventure.
- The Game Boy music has its admirers.
Weaknesses
- Critical movement and rope mechanics are poorly signposted.
- Stiff jumps and a harsh opening can discourage learning.
- The reported lack of saves raises retry costs.
Who it is for: Retro platformer enthusiasts willing to read the controls and tolerate difficult early stages.
Play notes: Game Boy only; firsthand reviewers disagree markedly about its appeal.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension Avalanche, cabin and ice-cave scenes and occasional upper and lower paths give the short campaign variety. The difficult opening can stop players before the later stages become more manageable, and replay appeal rests mostly on mastery. | Reviewed | 6.1 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Climbing, chasm jumps, wildlife and money bags translate the film into a tense side-scroller. One Game Boy critic enjoys the challenge once the rules are known; another finds stiff jumps and disruptive enemies persistently frustrating. | Reviewed | 5.9 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Cash pickups, an idle warming animation and familiar mountain hazards connect the handheld game to its film. Another Game Boy player questions sprite proportions while praising the music, leaving a mixed but recognizable atmosphere. | Reviewed | 6.3 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension A vital running jump requires an unintuitive diagonal input and boots, while ropes are hard to recognize. Game Boy players independently advise consulting instructions; one also reports stiff jumps and no save system. These are more consequential than the handheld's visual limits. | Reviewed | 5.2 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Spidersoft
- Publisher
- Sony Interactive
- Release date
- 1993
- Platforms
- Game Boy (GB)
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Categories
- Action · Primary genre
- Tags
- DodgeReplayableLinear LevelsFast-pacedSide-scrollingSolo-friendlyMain Story Under 10 HoursReal-time CombatExploration2D GraphicsPlatforming
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- Single player
- Perspectives
- Side view
Release editions
- Game Boy (GB)Worldwide1993
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided