Pumpkin Jack
A pumpkin-headed spirit battles monsters in a cursed kingdom.
Pumpkin Jack is a video game created by Nicolas Meyssonnier and released by Headup Games. It launched on Windows, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One in 2020, followed by PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. The gameplay blends action-adventure, 3D platforming, and hack and slash elements.
Players control a spirit revived as a pumpkin-headed man on Halloween. With an owl and a crow as companions, they guide Jack through puzzles and 3D platforms with the goal of defeating the Wizard and ending the curse. Jack fights in melee using weapons such as a shovel, scythe, and magic sword.
In the Arc En Ciel Kingdom, a peaceful but dull land, the Devil summons the Curse of Eternal Night to spread darkness and unleash monsters. Villagers seek a Wizard to end the curse. The Devil then makes a deal with the trickster Stingy Jack, forgiving his past misdeeds in exchange for finding and destroying the Wizard. Armed with various weapons and befriending a crow, Jack travels the cursed kingdom fighting monsters and searching for the sorcerer.
Nicolas Meyssonnier developed the game mostly alone. Adrien Lucas helped port it to consoles, and Yohan Jager composed the music. Headup Games released it for Windows, Xbox One, and Switch on October 23, 2020; for PlayStation 4 on February 24, 2021; and for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on October 27, 2021.
On Metacritic, the game received positive reviews on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, and mixed reviews on Windows and Nintendo Switch. OpenCritic found it fairly approved, with 61% of critics recommending it. Hardcore Gamer praised its variety of gameplay styles, calling it fun despite rough edges. Push Square noted its retro PlayStation 2-style gameplay, saying it "knows exactly what it wants to be, and delivers with confidence." Nintendo Life called it "an absolute triumph," comparing it favorably to MediEvil. NintendoWorldReport found it "surprisingly charming," praising the platform elements but criticizing the combat.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Pumpkin Jack
- Developer
- Nicolas Meyssonnier
- Publisher
- Headup Games
- Composer
- Yohan Jager
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch / Windows / Xbox One / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X/S
- Released
- WIN, XONE, NS WW · October 23, 2020 / PS4 WW · February 24, 2021 / PS5, XSX WW · October 27, 2021
- Genre
- Action-adventure
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The game is set in the Arc En Ciel Kingdom, where the Devil summons the Curse of Eternal Night to spread darkness and unleash monsters. A Wizard is called to end the curse, but the Devil makes a deal with the trickster Stingy Jack to find and destroy the Wizard. Players control a spirit revived as a pumpkin-headed man on Halloween, guiding him through puzzles and 3D platforms with the help of an owl and a crow. Jack uses melee weapons including a shovel, scythe, and magic sword to defeat the Wizard and end the curse.
Reader's Guide
Pumpkin Jack was developed mostly by Nicolas Meyssonnier alone, with Adrien Lucas assisting with console ports and Yohan Jager composing the music. The game received positive reviews on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 and mixed reviews on Windows and Nintendo Switch according to Metacritic. OpenCritic reported that 61% of critics recommended the game. Hardcore Gamer praised the variety of gameplay styles despite some rough edges. Push Square noted its retro PlayStation 2-style gameplay and confident delivery. Nintendo Life called it an absolute triumph and compared it positively to MediEvil. NintendoWorldReport found it surprisingly charming and praised the platform elements while criticizing the combat. The game's significance lies in its homage to classic 3D platformers and its largely solo development.
More in Halloween video games 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced