There have been several video games based on the 1991 film Hook. A side-scrolling platform game for the Nintendo Entertainment System and Game Boy was released in the United States in April 1992.

The Story Behind Hook

In the United States, the Sega CD version was released in March or April 1993, while the Genesis and Game Gear versions were released in late 1993. The Sega CD version includes voice acting, but not from the film's actors, as licensing their voices was deemed too costly. For the graphic adventure game, the creative team read the film's script and were required to have the gameplay closely follow the film's story.

The NES and Game Boy versions, developed by Painting by Numbers, were the first versions to be released; they were published by Sony Imagesoft, and were released in April 1992. The Sega CD and Genesis versions were developed by Core Design, while the Game Gear version was developed by Spidersoft; each version was published by Sony Imagesoft. By December 1993, the Amiga version had been re-released in Europe by publisher Hit Squad.

How Hook Plays

The player's health meter is measured as leaves. Subsequent side-scrolling platform games were released for the Commodore 64 and Super NES and an arcade beat ‘em up by Irem later in 1992, followed by versions for the Sega CD, Genesis, and handheld Game Gear console in 1993. The Game Gear version has eight levels, while the Genesis, Sega CD, and Super NES versions all have 11 levels.

Each version features various locations that include caves, forests, lagoons, and snowy mountains. After completing the first level, the player receives the golden sword as a weapon, capable of shooting balls of energy. This version is a side-scrolling platform action game, in which Peter Pan can fly and swim.

Why Players Still Load It Up

Basically, if you hate multiloads, avoid Hook like the plague." Electronic Games nominated the Super NES version for its 1993 Electronic Gaming Awards, in the category of Best Electronic Game Graphics. You occasionally get one that does the platform adventure game extremely well–but Hook just isn't one of them." Steve Jarratt of Total! praised the graphics of the NES version but wrote that the in-game music "is a bit annoying after a while". Andy Dyer of Total! praised the Game Boy version for its music and graphics, and wrote that it was "much faster to play" than the NES version and "therefore more fun", while noting that it was also harder than the NES version.

Nintendo Power praised the Super NES version for its graphics and considered it better than the NES and Game Boy versions, but noted the occasionally slow response times for the controls. GamePro praised the music of the NES version, but wrote that Peter Pan's "limited range of sword swinging motion and lethargic forward movement make gameplay a bit of a drag." GamePro reviewed the Game Boy version and wrote that it had an "enticing musical repertoire and superbly detailed graphics, although they are tiny and a bit eye straining. Jason Brookes of Super Play praised the colorful graphics of the Super NES version, but criticized its short length and slow-moving gameplay.

Hook — Frequently Asked Questions