The Great Giana Sisters

The Great Giana Sisters is a colorful platformer that became famous for wearing its Mario-like influences rather boldly, while still developing its own distinctive personality. The player guides Giana through a series of increasingly dangerous levels filled with enemies, platforms, collectibles, and hazards designed to make careless movement expensive. The controls are straightforward, but the challenge increases steadily, demanding better timing and a little patience. Its bright visuals and energetic presentation give the game an immediately cheerful character, even when a particularly nasty obstacle sends you back to the beginning. The design is classic platforming: learn the pattern, make the jump, collect the item, and try not to fall into something unpleasant. There is a certain rebellious charm to it as well, especially given its history. For fans of European home-computer gaming, it remains one of the more memorable platform adventures of the era.