Developer: Core Design Publisher: Sony Imagesoft Release: 08/93 Genre: Action
Hook was one of the cinematic events of 1991. The marketing blitz was huge; I remember comic book advertisements months before the film was released and it only ramped up from there. While the reviews were mixed it was still a huge hit and the video games would follow the next year. On the SNES Hook was fantastic, a graphical tour de force and an example of a licensed video game done right. Unfortunately the Sega versions that would release a year later would lose something in translation. Still the same great gameplay but boy it got hit with the ugly stick.
The game follows the story of the movie loosely. Years have passed and Peter has grown up and left Neverland and started a family. But Captain Hook still lives and kidnaps his children in an act of revenge. Now Peter must journey to Neverland and remember who he really is to save his family.
Hook is an action adventure along the lines of Castlevania. Peter moves slowly and deliberately like the Belmonts but is more athletic overall. You can run but there are so few lengthy surfaces to make it worth using. You have a dagger initially but can find a golden sword that fires waves of energy with every attack. Unfortunately one hit and you lose it and you probably will not find it again until the next level. In the air he is very maneuverable; this is important as flight plays a big role in the game. Once you find Tinkerbell in each level she will fill your flight meter and you can spend it freely. The game is full of secrets but usually flight comes up in lengthy segments where managing the meter is necessary.
This is a lengthy adventure and its biggest strength is its variety. Although platforming is the focus the game mixes it up. Some levels are auto scrolling and challenge you to keep up. Neverland Waterfall and Lagoon is one of the most open and ripe for exploration using your flight powers. Skeleton Rock takes place in a dark cave with your only source of light being a small fireball that follows you. But it can damage you and sometimes you must extinguish the flame briefly to progress. Hook’s pirate ship offers multiple routes to find its Captain and is where the difficulty ramps up slightly. I have few gripes with Hook overall. The list of enemies is small and repetitive and try as they might the bosses are easy. All of these elements form the building blocks of the later Sky Blazer, a true hidden gem from the same team.
I found Hook to be very easy overall despite the similarities to Castlevania. Enemy placement is deliberate and you might suffer a few cheap hits but nothing egregious. The game does not require the rote memorization of Konami’s title to progress. Life restoring fruit is common and it is very easy to rack up extra lives. The bosses are simple and I honestly rarely died. The lack of passwords would normally be a detriment in such a long game. However you can breeze through it due to the laid back difficulty and unlimited continues. Usually licensed games are back breaking in their difficulty due to significant flaws. I am glad that is not the case here.
SNES on top, Genesis on the bottom
The gameplay is intact. However visually the Sega editions of Hook are shockingly bad next to the SNES original. These were ported by Core Design who knew their way around the Sega Genesis. Yet across the board it is lackluster job. The color palette is ugly; even Peter’s outfit is not green! Special effects and background detail are missing left and right and it is immediately obvious on the first level. On the SNES the initial stage cycled through the four seasons and it was beautiful. Here you have the same ugly brown palette throughout. Translucent water is now a solid dithered block of blue that looks like jello and lacks animation. Pirate town in particular is egregiously bad; it looks unfinished. Whether the game had enough time is irrelevant as the results are flat out bad. The system is capable of better.
In Closing
Visuals aside Hook is still a good game. The game expands on the film to create a varied and fun platformer unlike most out there. If you have a choice however go for the SNES version; it is the original and one of the most beautiful games on the system.
