Coraline

a game by | Papaya Studio |
Platform: | Playstation 2 (2009) |
Mode | Single-player |
Setting | The game takes place in two parallel worlds the real world and the Other World, inspired by the environments from the ""Coraline"" movie and book." |
Gameplay | Adventure game with puzzle-solving elements; players navigate environments, interact with characters, and solve puzzles to progress." |
Playable Character | Coraline Jones, a young girl exploring her home and its otherworldly counterpart. |
Graphics | 3D graphics with a stylized art style that matches the distinctive look of the film. |
Editor Rating: | 4.7/10, based on 3 reviews, 2 reviews are shown |
User Rating: | 6.8/10 - 26 votes |
Rate this game: | |
See also: | Action Games, Action Adventure Games, Download Movie-Based Games, Tim Burton's Style Games |
Every moderately successful film has to have a video game adaptation, and Coraline is no exception. With a game that expands upon the events of the movie's fantastical setting, Coraline aims to captivate the hearts of Neil Gaiman fans everywhere.
That said, as much as Coraline retains the same visual spectacle of the film, the bland gameplay, and repetitive quests make this game a bit of a tough sell, Gaiman fans or not. As is the case with many tie-in games, what you see is just a retelling of the film in another medium, and for the most part, you would be better just watching the movie one more time.
No Stone is Left Unturned
If there's one thing that the Coraline game does well that would be adapting Coraline's character into a gameplay mechanic that fits her behavior in the film and book. As an inquisitive girl, it would only make sense for the game to be a point-and-click adventure, and Coraline fulfills that prerequisite.
While exploration might feel rewarding to some of the most die-hard fans of the movie, for players with only a passing interest in the film, most of the scenarios look barren and devoid of life and charm. I get it, tie-in games usually disappoint (looking at you, Shrek for the Xbox,) but there's no reason why this should be the norm.
A Recognizable Plot
Instead of going for a whole new story featuring the same characters from the film – a la The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge – Coraline follows essentially the same events from the movie. This might interest younger players who want to play through the film, but it's certainly disappointing for players who wanted more of an epilogue.
Still, considering the rest of the game's mechanics, perhaps it was for the best that Coraline didn't attempt to create a whole new plot for the game. At the very least, knowing what happens in the film will give the player some hints as to where to go next, even if the clues found in the game itself can be of little to no help whenever you come across them.
Stop-Motion Visuals
The game runs great on most consoles, at the very least. While the visuals might be a bit bland for most players, the fact that the game manages to achieve its target framerate in most areas alleviates some of the issues that usually come with these kinds of games.
Despite the negatives, there are some areas where the Coraline game can still find get some fans. Things like the voice acting – which uses some actors from the film – and the original score all work in the game's favor. As it is, it's clear that Coraline is a game for very young players, even if the difficulty might at times be daunting even for the more seasoned gamers out there.
Coraline fails to escape from the usual fate of the tie-in game. With its bland visuals and cryptic puzzles, this game can only be truly enjoyed by die-hard fans of the film.
Pros
- Great voice acting featuring some actors from the movie
- Character models look acceptable for the most part
- Short and to the point
Cons
- Puzzles can be too challenging for younger players
- Bland level design
- Lacks replayability
Download Coraline

System requirements:
- PC compatible
- Operating systems: Windows 10/Windows 8/Windows 7/2000/Vista/WinXP
Game Reviews
As you may know this title from the famous movie with the same name, you can certainly imagine that there was a video game created in its honor as well. The game is mainly an adventure based game that went under the same name of the film but some versions had the extra titles of Coraline: The Game or Coraline: An Adventure Too Weird for Words. Of course you can imagine with the game being solely made around a movie that there would be a lot of excitement for this game and you are certainly correct in thinking that. Well in today’s article, we will discuss whether the game lived up to the hype of the movie as well as giving our personal rating and finally leaving you with some pros and cons in the end. With that, let’s get right into the article!
When Was Coraline Released?
When it comes to the release date of the video game, they did not waste any time getting it out on the market as the game came shortly after the movie was released in theaters. This already made for an interesting strategy, because usually when video games are based on movies they come years and years after the release once a company knows whether the movie was a hit or not. Well luckily for Papaya Studio the movie instantly became a classic, but the video game was not so much. The gameplay is very similar to George Of The Jungle And The Search For The Secret.
When it was released on January 27, 2009 it did not necessarily fly off the shelves because people first had to see the movie before playing the game would make any sense at all. Even after that, the video game did not necessarily get any great reviews from those that played it. Now the games came out for the popular consoles at the time which were the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, and the Wii but reviews were low across all boards. The highest review this game ever got from critics was a 6/10 with the average rating being around 4/10. Now it is also important to understand the reasoning behind these reviews, which is what we will explain now.
What Reviews Were Written About Coraline?
These negative reviews came from the basis that the game felt rushed first of all. This seems easy to imagine since they were most likely on a timeline to get the game produced quickly and closely enough to match the timeline of the movie theater. Of course this may have required some skipped steps in the process. On top of this, the game was regarded as extremely difficult and “too hard even for adults”. Keep in mind it was a mystery game so what could have been so hard?
Just like the other reviews, we would have to give this one a 4/10. The reasoning behind this falls with the others as it was rushed and was certainly too difficult to complete without additional help.
Pros:
- Fun with the Movie
- A Unique Mystery Game
- A Fun Challenge
Cons:
- Rushed Game
- Too Difficult to Complete
- Many Other Negative Reviews