By How magical
- by PJ O’Reilly
Simon the Sorcerer Origins, ININ and Smallthing Studios’ prequel to the classic 1993 point and click adventure, is finally and thankfully up and available for pre-order on Nintendo Switch.
Priced at £22.49 / $24.99 for the standard edition or £31.99 / $34.99 for a digital deluxe version (which nets you a digital art book and soundtrack alongside the game), this surprise prequel was announced all the way back in 2023, and had a 2024 window of release initially. But it’s finally on the way on 28th October 2025. Oh, and if you pre-order, you get a free DLC Pony. Contain yourselves.
We’re trying our best to ignore the elephant in the room here, but yes, you you read the headline right. Rick Astley. The icon. The phenomenon. The legend. The guy who sang that song about not giving up that one time in the 1980s. We know it’s slightly old news, but let us have this.
Alongside Astley’s music, who has become an internet sensation over the years thanks to the whole Rick-rolling thing, Simon’s original voice actor, the fantabulous Mr. Chris Barrie (everyone’s favourite annoying hologram b*****d), is returning.
Now, here are some further deets from the official press release for your delectation!
“Over three decades have passed since Simon the Sorcerer first cast his spell on adventure game fans. Simon the Sorcerer Origins invites players to step back into his world, this time to discover how it all began. Longtime fans will be thrilled to know that the original voice actors return in both English (Chris Barrie) and German (Erik Borner), adding an extra layer of authenticity and nostalgia to this lovingly crafted hand-drawn origin story.
The magic doesn’t stop at the visuals, as Simon the Sorcerer Origins comes alive with a brand-new original soundtrack by acclaimed composer Mason Fischer, perfectly capturing the whimsy, wonder, and emotional depth of Simon’s enchanting world. And as a very special surprise, Simon the Sorcerer Origins includes music icon Rick Astley in a special role – bringing a touch of 80s soul to the fantasy adventure.”
As much as the screens we’ve seen of this one thus far do look a little tiny bit like a mobile game in nature, it has got the rest of the general vibe pretty much spot-on for Simon’s point and click adventures.
Plus, having the original cast and pop royalty along for the ride is giving us hope for something that delivers in its script and soundtrack!
Looking forward to some Simon the Sorcerer point and click action later this year? Let us know.
PJ is a staff writer across Hookshot Media. He’s been playing video games pretty much nonstop since the early 1980s, which is ages ago. Favourite genres include RPGs, puzzle games and lovely big single player adventures of all kinds. The weirder the better.