Rapture - Captain Planet and the Planeteers - Linka

Given the somewhat awkward circumstances surrounding its production, it’s remarkable that the Amiga version of Captain Planet turned out as well as it did. (In a nutshell: Commodore, aptly displaying the forethought and diligence that would serve them so well throughout the rest of the ‘90s, struck a deal to include the game in their Cartoon Classics A500+ pack but neglected to allow sufficient time for its development. Programmer Tony Crowther ended up having to design and code the entire thing from scratch in just one month, assisted by a lone graphic artist and Ben Daglish on drums.) It’s vastly flawed, of course, but there’s an admirable amount of creativity on display in the design of the levels and the puzzlier aspects of the gameplay, and the music is terrific throughout, with an array of energetic and catchy tunes doing much to enliven the decidedly wonky platforming.

The theme that accompanies the Linka level (in which you control a girl with the power of wind (erk) as she hovers around what’s alleged to be an Egyptian pyramid but in fact looks rather more like a needlessly elaborate and unusually colourful chemical waste treatment plant) is extra-specially excellent, taking the form of a thrillingly zappy and pleasingly inventive electro-pop number. This remix elevates the tune to fantastic new heights, perfectly capturing the moodily mysterious yet sparklingly quirky atmosphere of the original while introducing a multitude of delightful flourishes that make the whole thing bigger, brighter and gloriously groovier than ever. Particular highlights include the numerous new countermelodies that add greatly to the class and variety of the piece; the flawless choice of sounds, all of which accentuate the futuristic vibe of the arrangement to scintillating effect; the entirely new section towards the end which replaces the drum solo, and which feels like a far more natural progression of the track than the original composition did; and the sheer quality of the mix, which is terrifically well-balanced throughout. The inclusion of the wind effect at the beginning and end is a neatly characterful touch, too.

In summary, this is a vastly enjoyable re-imagining of a corking tune that zings with exuberant fun and funkiness and, for me, is cheeringly nostalgic. As the happy recipient of a Cartoon Classics pack during the Christmas of 1991, Captain Planet was one of the first Amiga games I ever encountered – and while it may not have been the most fun to play, it sure did have memorably marvellous music. Hurrah!