Casper

Based on the Casper film, the game pits you in the role of the friendly ghost trying to make a friend and a second chance at life instead of scaring everyone away.

Released: 1 December 1996
Platforms: 3DO 3DO Interactive Multiplayer Game Boy Game Boy Advance Game Boy Color PlayStation SNES Sega Saturn Windows macOS
Genres: Action-adventure Adventure Platformer Strategy
Developers: Imagineering
Publishers: Winning Entertainment Group
Series: Casper the Friendly Ghost
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: Side view
Themes: Action Historical Comedy Educational
Country: United States
Age ratings: ESRB E
Languages: English
Composers: Kinuyo Yamashita

About

Casper is a series of action-adventure games based on the 1995 film of the same name. Two different games were released in 1996 and 1997 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, by different publishers, in different regions. A third game was released for the 3DO (the final release for that system), Sega Saturn, PlayStation, and Game Boy Color, published by Interplay Productions. There was also a Game Boy game developed by Bonsai. A PC game, Casper: The Interactive Adventure, and a Game Boy Advance game, simply titled Casper, were released in 1997 and 2002 respectively serving as sequels.

Keywords

ghosts
medieval
based on - tv show
side-scrolling
espionage
based on - movie
edutainment
hiding
dog
maid
licensed game
platform exclusive

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Reception

Reviewing the 3DO version, Electronic Gaming Monthly's team of four reviewers criticized that load times are frequent, it is easy to get lost, and that the puzzles are often obscure or even don't make sense. They nonetheless had a generally positive response to the game, with Sushi-X deeming it a strong last hurrah for the 3DO. They cited the stunning graphics and wide variety of gameplay elements. A critic for Next Generation agreed that the graphics are exceptional, noting in particular the ghosts which have true transparency (an effect generally thought to be impossible for the 3DO).

While also agreeing that some of the puzzles don't make sense, he felt the game was generally easy enough for its young target audience, and concluded it to be a solid though not amazing game. The magazine's brief reviews of the PlayStation and Saturn versions made similar comments.