There are two main versions of Gex: Enter the Gecko: PS1 and N64. The PC version's content is identical to the PS1 version. The GBC version is considered to be a different game.
PS1 vs. N64[]
General
- N64 has major framerate issues throughout the entire game, even compared to PS1 and fat PS2 consoles.
- Visuals are significantly downgraded on N64 (e.g. blurry/missing textures and skyboxes, no lighting, very poor draw distance).
- Sound quality is worse on N64 and several tracks are missing (e.g. most dynamic music changes, Mooshoo Pork's theme, 6/7 charge themes).
- Hundreds of voice lines have been removed on N64. Many sound effects were also altered or removed.
- FMV cutscenes have been removed on N64, without any effort to replace them like in the N64 port of Gex 3.
- The main menu is completely gone on N64. You basically start the game in the hub world at the pause screen.
- PS1-exclusive levels: Poltergex, Lava Dabba Doo, Texas Chainsaw Manicure, Mazed and Confused, I Got the Reruns, Trouble in Uranus.
- N64-exclusive level: Gecques Costeau.
Specific
- In-game cheats (level timer, debug menu, etc.) are only available on PS1, making practice more efficient.
- Loading screens are way shorter on N64, but you have to wait for the spawn animation to finish upon entering a level or dying, while PS1 can skip it immediately.
- Voices can be disabled entirely on N64, causing Gex to enter a TV without saying anything.
- Turning off the music seems to slightly reduce lag on N64.
- Getting a game over on N64 forces you to start a new game from scratch or load a previously saved file. PS1 gives you the option to continue without resetting your progress.
- On N64, tail bounces can sometimes fail due to lag, making them less reliable.
- On N64, spacing karate kicks (and jumps in general) is complicated by the fact that their distance is affected by lag.
- Pickups spawning from destroyed enemies/objects can be collected as soon as they appear on PS1, while N64 has to wait a little bit.
- On N64, upon spawning in a level or getting ejected from a TV into the Media Dimension, Gex can briefly be in a glitchy state where he's able to move around while appearing stationary, but not jump or tail whip.
- Some camera-based cycles trigger differently, e.g. the swing at the start of Samurai Night Fever.
- Some scripted camera movement/positioning is different, e.g. after entering the portal in Pain in the Asteroids.
- On N64, TV cancelling completely disables pausing until you exit the level. Therefore, quick exits ("Pause TV Cancels") don't work on N64, as you can't pause after activating a TV button.
- You can pause and exit during the celebration after beating a boss or bonus level on N64. It's also possible to pause and exit while you're moving (with some exceptions, e.g. while getting burned). However, only PS1 can do so during a cutscene that shows a red remote appearing.
- Miscellaneous changes, e.g. the cages in Samurai Night Fever being changed to regular platforms on N64 and the bookcase in Smellraiser resetting its position after the elevator cutscene.
- N64 doesn't have a consistent strat ensuring that none of the Tiki Bros. in Gilligex Isle will randomly jump over the fireballs.
- Rez's second phase can be much more frustrating on N64 due to the camera being zoomed in closer, causing buttons to often spawn in locations you can't see right away. This is especially problematic when going for the damage abuse on the final hit, which in itself seems much less consistent, making the fight heavily dependent on RNG. Additionally, the possible locations for the buttons don't have a texture, his ground slam hitboxes barely match the animation and his laser attack is shorter, giving you less time to reach the button.
Routing
- The level order in Any% is different due to the Titanic level being accessible from the very beginning on N64.
- Skipping Gilligex Isle on N64 forces you to do white gate skip a second time before Channel Z, assuming you follow the optimal route.
- Due to all secret levels and 2 bonus levels being removed, N64 100% has to do less levels overall, again causing a different level order.
- While the massive amount of lag on N64 generally loses time, it can be used to your advantage in some situations, as it allows you to jump slightly further. For example, This Old Cave can be done without the ice fly, allowing you to checkpoint abuse.
- Many TV cancels that save time on PS1 become useless in N64 Any% due to the short loads and the option to disable voices. Because of this, collecting extra lives throughout the run isn't as important.
- On N64, you can clip through the big rock platform in Out of Toon's desert area from below, causing that remote not to be cycle-based anymore (PS1 has to rely on the rock wall in the same area, which is on a global timer).
- N64 has an exclusive super tail bounce in Honey I Shrunk the Gecko, which saves over 20 seconds in the I/0 tower remote.
- The fish sign skip in Mao Tse Tongue is only possible on PS1. N64 has to use window skip instead, but there's an exclusive skip involving the bank sign that allows you to reach the dragon room faster than on PS1. However, this means you don't get the chance of attempting the Out of Bounds kick during that remote. Additionally, the zipline room is faster on PS1, as you can tail bounce straight to the final zipline, meaning that the Out of Bounds kick will save more time.
- In Drag Net's pickup locations are completely different, while other levels have occasional slight changes to their locations.