Hook was a major event in cinema in 1991, with a huge marketing campaign that included comic book advertisements months before the film’s release. Despite mixed reviews, it was a huge hit and the video games based on the film were released the following year.
The SNES version of Hook was fantastic, featuring impressive graphics and excellent gameplay that was a perfect example of a licensed video game done right. However, the Sega versions released a year later lost some of the game’s appeal in translation, with lower-quality graphics.
The game loosely follows the storyline of the movie, with Peter grown up and having left Neverland to start a family. When Captain Hook kidnaps his children, Peter must journey back to Neverland to save his family.
The gameplay is similar to Castlevania, with Peter moving slowly and deliberately. He can run and has a dagger initially, but can find a golden sword that fires waves of energy with every attack. Flight plays a big role in the game, with Tinkerbell filling the flight meter in each level, allowing for free usage of flight. The game is full of secrets and offers a varied experience, including platforming, auto-scrolling levels, and open exploration.
Despite some repetitive enemies and easy bosses, the game is overall easy to play and does not require rote memorization to progress. The lack of passwords is not a problem due to the laid-back difficulty and unlimited continues.
Visually, the Sega versions of Hook are not as impressive as the SNES version, with lackluster color palettes and missing special effects and background details. The game is still good, but the SNES version is the way to go for the best experience.
In conclusion, Hook expands on the film to create a varied and fun platformer, and the SNES version is the original and most beautiful version of the game.
