Richard Tyler can be guided through a selection of literature genre-themed levels, ranging from horror to adventure and fantasy worlds. Magic can be used, and stomping enemies to death by jumping on their heads is permitted. Enemies include bats, flying books, giant hands, ghosts, pirates, and more.
GamePro gave the SNES version a mixed review. They criticized the poor controls and repetitiveness, but they praised the graphics for their colorful and effective recreations of the settings for famous novels.[11] The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly also considered it a just above average game. They praised the movie-like graphics and audio, but criticized the controls, saying the character tends to slide around, and felt the game to be generally uninteresting.[8] They held the Genesis version in lower regard, commenting that "this game would be enjoyable, but the control just isn't there".[7]GamePro similarly commented that the Genesis version is good in most respects, but the poor controls make it an overall mediocre game.[10]
Reviewing the Game Boy version, GamePro praised the diverse gameplay, detailed graphics, and atmospheric music, but remarked that the poor control ruins the entire experience, noting the game requires excessive precision and slippery control for the jumps.[9]
^In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the Genesis version, three critics scored it 6/10, one 5/10, another 7/10.[7]
^In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review of the SNES version, two critics scored it 6/10, two others 7/10.[8]
^GamePro gave the Gameboy version two 3.5/5 ratings for graphics and sound, and two 2.5/5 scores for control and fun factor.[9]
^GamePro scored the Genesis version 3.5/5 twice for graphics and sound, 2/5 for control, and 3/5 for fun factor.[10]
^GamePro scored the SNES version 3.5/5 twice for sound and fun factor, 4/5 for graphics, and 3/5 for control.[11]
^Nintendo Power, in the early 1990s, scored games based on four factors in reviews: graphics/sound, play control, challenge, and theme/fun. The SNES version was ranked 3/5 in all except graphics, which was rated 3.4/5.[16]