Clockwork Aquario

Nintendo LifeKerry Brunskill

9/10

Clockwork Aquario has been a long time coming, but it was definitely worth the wait. An obvious labour of love, this ill-fated arcade gem has been improbably recovered, restored, and reassembled, and it never feels like anything less than a carefully unearthed treasure that’s been polished until it shines. It won’t take long to beat — and it shouldn’t, because a good 30-year-old arcade platformer is supposed to be short and sweet — but what the game lacks in length it more than makes up for in entertainment and raw creativity, with stages pitting you against everything from mechanical flying f...

Video ChumsA.J. Maciejewski

7.5/10

Scheduled for release back in the early '90s, the cancelled Clockwork Aquario is now back and ready for some fun-filled 2D arcade action.

PSExtremeB McCarthy

7.2/10

Clockwork Aquario holds the record for the game that took the longest to release. Was it worth the 28-year wait?

Metro GameCentralGameCentral

7/10

An obvious labour of love that finally provides a full release for one of the best looking 2D arcade games ever made, although it’d be wrong to paint it as a lost classic in terms of gameplay.

Gaming NexusElliot Hilderbrand

7/10

There isn't much to say about Clockwork Aquario. It's a side scrolling game. It doesn't stand out, looking good and having solid controls doesn't make it a must play. While Clockwork Aquario is a fun game, it's price of admission doesn't make it a must play for anyone other than a diehard 90s arcade fanboy.

Nintendo World ReportNeal Ronaghan

7/10

The best thing about Clockwork Aquario is that it exists today. The story of how the source code was found and pieced together and filled in with help from the original team is incredible. As it stands, the game is just very short. The five stages have a high score element, but if you’re in it to explore the levels, beat the difficulty modes, and romp around it all with a friend, there’s still not a lot to do here. I’m happy I can say I played Clockwork Aquario, but outside of supporting game preservation, I can’t say it’s something you need to drop everything and play. It’s cute…

VGChartzEvan Norris

7/10

Turning back the clock.It's difficult to comprehend that Clockwork Aquario is now available to the general public. In the words of [...]

Gamers HeroesCasey Scheld

65/100

The arcade roots of Clockwork Aquario are proudly on display - for better or worse. While it proves to be a fun side-scrolling romp, it is also far too cheap and short for its own good. This time capsule is still worth a go, but even the staunchest side-scrolling fan should be aware of what they’re getting into.

Pure NintendoTrevor Gould

5/10

Created in 1992 and given the ax in 1994, Clockwork Aquario is finally seeing the light some 25-plus years later. I've enjoyed a few other Westone games from th