Overview and Gameplay
Tom Sawyer falls asleep in class and dreams of rescuing Becky Thatcher from Injun Joe. This NES action platformer sends him through six stages, including a pirate ship, the Mississippi River, a haunted castle, cloud-filled skies, and a final cave.
Tom runs, jumps, climbs, throws rocks, avoids one-hit hazards, and battles large bosses with specific weak points. The river stage changes to four-direction rafting, while other areas feature ladders, moving platforms, branching paths, and rideable helpers.
Controls And Mechanics
- Directions: Move, crouch, climb ladders, or steer the raft.
- A: Jump.
- B: Throw rocks or fire the slingshot.
- Start: Begin, pause, or resume play.
- Select: Choose the player mode or menu option.
Collecting 20 T signs grants an extra life, while skulls remove ten. Hearts provide temporary invincibility, and the slingshot improves projectile speed and range. Two-player mode is alternating rather than simultaneous, with Tom and Huck competing for the faster completion time.
Version Notes
The USA release opens with the pirate ship stage. The Japanese version, titled Tom Sawyer no Bōken, begins on the Mississippi River and places the pirate ship fifth.
Release And Credits
- Released: August 1989
- Developer: Winky Soft Co., Ltd.
- Publisher: SETA U.S.A., Inc.
