History VideoGame / SimonTheSorcerer

** Rather than just having its own self-contained story, Simon the Sorcerer ends very unsatisfyingly with a games show presenter hijacking the plot to make a shameless plug over next year's sequel. Even Simon is baffled and asks what is going on. Because it's so abrupt and forced in nature, the player experiences no sense of award for completing the game.

* PixelHunt: Averted in the second game. Hit F10 and all on-screen objects are highlighted. ScummVM backports this feature to the first game as well, where this is originally played straight.

* PixelHunt: Averted. Hit F10 and all on-screen objects are highlighted.

* SceneryPorn: The first game in the series had many, many locations that were completely empty and whose only purpose was to look gorgeous. Interestingly, at least in the first game, in the wilderness faces are everywhere. If there are cliffs, rock formations, or really anything made of stone, expect to find at least one. This becomes more obvious as you enter the mountains, as the formations become more EldritchAbomination like in appearance. While beautiful, making you feel like you've stepped straight into a parody of Middle Earth, the level of detail can work against the player. Some key items are obscured, like the fossil, [[GuideDangIt making them very easy to overlook and miss]].

* SceneryPorn:
** The first game in the series had many, many locations that were completely empty and whose only purpose was to look gorgeous. Interestingly, at least in the first game, in the wilderness faces are everywhere. If there are cliffs, rock formations, or really anything made of stone, expect to find at least one. This becomes more obvious as you enter the mountains, as the formations become more EldritchAbomination like in appearance. While beautiful, making you feel like you've stepped straight into a parody of Middle Earth, the level of detail can work against the player. Some key items are obscured, like the fossil, [[GuideDangIt making them very easy to overlook and miss]].

** The first game in the series had many, many locations that were completely empty and whose only purpose was to look gorgeous. Interestingly, at least in the first game, in the wilderness faces are everywhere. If there are cliffs, rock formations, or really anything made of stone, expect to find at least one. This becomes more obvious as you enter the mountains, as the formations become more EldritchAbomination like in appearance.
** While beautiful, making you feel like you've stepped straight into a parody of Middle Earth, the level of detail can work against the player. Some key items are obscured, like the fossil, [[GuideDangIt making them very easy to overlook and miss]].

* MagicAmpersand: In the second game, Simon encounters a group of nerds playing ''Apartments And Accountants''.

The first game was about as well received as the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' games at the time getting scores in the 90% area. Seven games have been made in total (two games being average pinball and puzzle games), the first two beloved, the subsequent sequels... not so much. An eighth game that would bring the series back to its roots with 2D graphics, a more British sense of humour and hand-drawn imagery was later in development by [=StoryBeasts=]. Unfortunately, the developing team broke up and the project was cancelled. In the year 2022 the prequel game ''Simon the Sorcerer: Origins'' developed by Smallthing Studios was announced.

* NiceHat: Simon has a nice wizard hat which he uses to store his inventory. Including a ten-feet-long ladder.

** The second game also features a crowning moment of Guide Dang It near the end of the game. You need to be able to sneak past a monstrous guard. The solution to muffling Simon's footsteps? ''Wear a dog''. This command makes Simon magically transform the dog into a pair of fuzzy slippers and wear them. Considering that a recurring source of humor is Simon's near total inability to use actual magic, him being able to do this trick comes out of nowhere.

* BagOfSpilling: In ''Simon the Sorcerer'', you lose your whole inventory ''twice'' (you use a shrinking potion but all your stuff except clothes stay the same). As the game had an annoying tendency to clutter up your inventory with things you use once only, this was a ''good'' thing.

* BreakingTheFourthWall: In ''Simon the Sorcerer'' the protagonist encounters a group of four wizards; when he talks to them, they pretend they are farmers. But you can point out that when you point at them with the cursor, it says "wizards"...
** And when you talk to them, you DO treat them as wizards. You can even tell them about the cursor.
*** [[spoiler:You have even to tell them about it, when you want to get a wizard. Any other explanation, how you may know, that they are wizards, they wouldn't believe.]]

* ChildMage: Played with in the games, where Simon is a regular British kid from our world who ends up in the magical realm. However, he doesn't have any magical abilities on his own.

* ChuckCunninghamSyndrome: ''Simon the Sorcerer 3D'' has a strange character called Jar Nin whom you accidentally kill at the beginning of the game. Towards the end of the game it turns out that you have to resurrect him because you need him on your team. But when you do, he does exactly nothing and even vanishes shortly after, never to be seen or mentioned again.
** To be precise, except of Coneman the Barabrain, the entire subplot about great heroes was kinda pointless.

* EvilSorcerer: Sordid

* GameBreakingBug: In Simon the Sorcerer 2 had a strange bug where a certain character and the object you needed to give them were on the same screen, and you could successfully use the SCUMM-style interface to "Give <object> to <character>" despite <object> not being in your inventory. This skipped a large chunk of game and messed up many dependencies.
* TheGenieKnowsJackNicholson: The game contains a fair share of references also. Somewhat justified what with Simon being transported from a modern world into a magical fantasy realm, but the fantasy realm itself seems pretty heavy on the references and not just to fairy tales and fantasy books, mind you.
* GoodAngelBadAngel: A brief scene in the second ''Simon the Sorcerer'' game features this trope. Simon being [[JerkAss Simon]] opts to side with the bad angel.
* GuideDangIt: By far the worst is in ''Simon the Sorcerer 3D''. The game is full of moments like that, but the final puzzle is just unforgettable. You're in front of a huge computer, and you must put a CD there. The problem is that the computer has no button to open the CD space. So, what to do? Oh, easy: just stand in front of the computer with the CD on your hand, and then open the CD space of your [[NoFourthWall REAL-LIFE COMPUTER]], so that the in-game computer opens. No previous hints at any point.
** Climbing. What the fuck. There's a point that requires you to climb a rock. It could have been much easier if you were told at some point that you're able to climb in that game. During the tutorial you're explained everything (and I mean everything) you can do there but the only thing you really should have been explained.
*** Actually the manual tells it, but there's no in-game explanation. Besides, considering that's the only time in the whole game where you can actually climb (except from another rock in the very first room, but it's pointless to climb there, so most people will finish the game without knowing they could climb there) they could even believe it was a dropped-out game resource.
** The second ''Simon the Sorcerer'' game also features a crowning moment of Guide Dang It near the end of the game. You need to be able to sneak past a monstrous guard. The solution to muffling Simon's footsteps? ''Wear a dog''. This command makes Simon magically transform the dog into a pair of fuzzy slippers and wear them. This trick comes out of nowhere.

* InformingTheFourthWall: Several distinct lines including when you Use Crowbar on any person: "Very tempting and very illegal", pick up any person: "I prefer blondes", and eat anything not meant to be eaten: "That is not part of a balanced diet".
** It's interesting to note that, if you want to pick up a blond girl, you [[DevelopersForesight get a different response]], usually something on the lines of "Not my type" or "She wouldn't like that".

* InterfaceSpoiler: Invoked in the first ''Simon the Sorcerer'' game. You can locate a group of wizards at a bar using this method, and address them by their title. When they ask you ''how'' you knew they were wizards, Simon points out that they are labeled "wizards" by the game.

* MoonLogicPuzzle: ''Simon the Sorcerer 2'' features a puzzle that is relative straightforward: Use a pair of fuzzy slippers to sneak past a monster. But the way of GETTING those slippers is absolutely bizarre, you have to use the "wear" command on a dog, which turns said dog into a pair of slippers via magic. Note that while Simon is a sorcerer that is the only point in the game where you can do magic just like that.

* MultipleHeadCase: There's a two headed shopkeeper in the first game whose heads bicker about where the merchandise should go ("The asparagus jelly belongs with the other jellies!" "I think it belongs with the vegetables!"). Apparently they don't share digestive systems, since one head complains about needing to go to the toilet and the other snaps that he'll just have to restrain himself. It is revealed if you listen to them long enough, that they were originally one person (The right head) but he touched a glowing stone, causing a second head to grow from his shoulder. Whether this is magic or a mutation is never explained.

* SceneryPorn: The first game in the series had many, many locations that were completely empty and whose only purpose was to look gorgeous. Interestingly, at least in the first game, in the wilderness faces are everywhere. If there are cliffs, rock formations, or really anything made of stone. Expect to find at least one. This becomes more obvious as you enter the mountains, as the formations become more EldritchAbomination like in appearance.

* SequelHook: Rather than just having its own self-contained story, Simon the Sorcerer ends very unsatisfyingly with a games show presenter hijacking the plot to make a shameless plug over next year's sequel. Even Simon is baffled and asks what is going on. Because it's so abrupt and forced in nature, the player experiences no sense of award for completing the game.

The first game was about as well received as the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' games at the time getting scores in the 90% area. Five games have been made in total, the first two beloved, the subsequent sequels... not so much. Sixth game that would bring the series back to its roots with 2D graphics, a more British sense of humour and hand-drawn imagery was later in development. Unfortunately,the developing team broke up and the project was cancelled.In the year 2022 the prequel game Simon the Sorcerer: Origins was announced.

A prequel, titled ''Simon the Sorcerer: Origins'' developed by Smallthing Studios was announced for 2023.

* BagOfHolding: Simon's hat can hold such things as barrels and ladders. As with everything else, Simon {{lampshade|Hanging}}s it a few times. Though oddly he won't pick up a loose plank under Swampy's house saying "It's too big for me" despite it's no bigger than the ladder was.

*** [[spoiler: You have even to tell them about it, when you want to get a wizard. Any other explanation, how you may know, that they are wizards, they wouldn't believe.]]

** To be precise, except of Coneman the Barabrain, entire subplot about great heroes was kinda pointless.

* EvilTwin: The ending of the third game introduces a second Simon with a stereotypical BeardOfEvil. FridgeLogic kicks in once you realise that Simon himself isn't really a good guy. [[spoiler: The sequel reveals that the other Simon is actually his [[LawfulNeutral ''lawful'']] twin.]]

*** Actually the manual tells it, but there's no in-game explaination. Besides, considering that's the only time in the whole game where you can actually climb (except from another rock in the very first room, but it's pointless to climb there, so most people will finish the game without knowing they could climb there) they could even believe it was a dropped-out game resource.
** The second ''Simon the Sorcerer'' game also features a crowning moment of Guide Dang It near the end of the game. You need to be able to sneak past a monstrous guard. The solution to muffling Simon's footsteps? ''Wear a dog''. This command makes Simon magically transform the dog into a pair of fuzzy slippers and wear them. It should also be noted that a recurring source of humor is Simon's near total inability to use actual magic, so him being able to do this trick comes out of nowhere.

* InnocentAliens: In the fifth game you have to stop what appears to be an alien invasion, turns out the aliens are [[spoiler: tourists unaware that their cameras have a bad reaction with magical matter.]] And their planning to [[spoiler: end the tour by taking a picture of the entire planet]] with [[EarthShatteringKaboom predictable results.]]

** The first game has a puzzle that requires you to use a magnet to collect gold coins. Simon even [[LampshadedTrope points out how stupid this is]].

* NiceHat: Simon has a nice wizard hat which he uses to store his inventory. Including ten-feet-long ladder.

* ScaledUp: At one point, you partake in a "wizard's duel" (read: magical rock-paper-scissors) with a witch. Upon winning three rounds, the witch transforms into a dragon (breaking the rule she set at the start). [[spoiler: This is completely ineffective, of course - you just transform into a mouse and escape through the small mousehole in the wall.]]

* SequelHook: Rather than just having its own self-contained story, Simon the Sorcerer ends very unsatisfyingly with a games show presenter hijacking the plot to make a shameless plug over next year's sequel. Even Simon is baffled and asks what is going on. Because its so abrupt and forced in nature, the player experiences no sense of award for completing the game.
** ''Simon the Sorcerer 2'' ended with [[spoiler: Simon still trapped in Sordid's body]].

* TrademarkFavoriteFood: For the dwarves in the first game: beer. [[spoiler: This becomes a plot point. They like it so much that "beer" is the password to their mine.]]

The first game was about as well received as the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' games at the time getting scores in the 90% area. Five games have been made in total, the first two beloved, the subsequent sequels... not so much. Sixth game that would bring the series back to its roots with 2D graphics, a more British sense of humour and hand-drawn imagery was later in development. Unfortunately,the developing team broke up and the project was cancelled.

* InterfaceSpoiler: Invoked in the first ''Simon the Sorcerer'' game. You can locate a group of wizards at a bar using this method, and address them by their title. When they ask you ''how'' you knew they were wizards... see the page quote there.

* UnwinnableByMistake: The final puzzle of the third game involves opening the CD drive on an in-game computer by opening the CD drive of your own real computer. However, not all computer setups handle this the same way on the programming side. Already at the time of the game's release, some computers would not send the signal the game looks for as an indication that the CD drive was opened, therefore making the final puzzle impossible to solve.

A series of five adventure games, created initially by AdventureSoft and HeadFirst Production, later by the German company Silver Style Entertainment, in the which the protagonist, an obnoxious, narcissistic teenager from our universe, gets sucked into another universe by the good wizard Calypso to fight the evil wizard Sordid.

Basic as the plot may sound, these games include endless charming parodies of various popular books and fairy tales, including ''Rapunzel'', ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Chronicles of Narnia'', ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' and ''The Three Billy Goats Gruff''. To wit: the latter involves a troll protesting about being tossed from a bridge every day and thus wishing to rework his contract.

Simon is voiced in the first game by Chris Barrie, known for his roles in ''Series/RedDwarf'' and ''Series/TheBrittasEmpire''.

* ShoutOut: Practically the games' ''raison d'être''. ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia'', ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', and ''Disney/TheSwordInTheStone'' are among the most obvious ones.

Basic though the plot may sound, the games include endless charming parodies of various popular books and fairy tales, including ''Rapunzel'', ''The Lord of the Rings'', ''The Chronicles of Narnia'', ''Jack and the Beanstalk'' and ''The Three Billy Goats Gruff''.

The first two games are also available as apps in the Apple Store and can be played on the iPad. Whether it's as fun or practical to play as the PC version is arguable.

A series of five adventure games, created by AdventureSoft, in the which the protagonist, an obnoxious, narcissistic teenager from our universe, gets sucked into another universe by the good wizard Calypso to fight the evil wizard Sordid.