Review of Sabrina: The Animated Series – “Zapped!”

A blast back to the late 90s, for real. Brace yourself.

Wayforward, man, that name just yanks me right back to some epic afternoons. I mean, think River City Girls and, oh, Shantae, obviously. But they’ve done way more than those gems, like a gazillion licensed games too. So, about Sabrina: The Animated Series – Zapped on the Game Boy Color. It’s like slipping into a charming little platformer time machine. Seriously makes me think about the groundwork that led to Shantae.

Anyway, picture this: Sabrina, teenage witch vibes, and boom! Her friends turn into animals. Yeah, wild, right? To get them back? She has to jump on their heads. I’m not kidding. And there are spells! One minute she’s double-jumping, next thing you know she’s got her cat Salem crawling through tight spots. Then there’s this bubble spell that lets her float. A flying witch, of course!

Talking about design—was I talking about it?—it’s kinda tight. There’s this one crazy vertical level where that bubble is everything. Trust me, you’d get it. Salem gets his spotlight too, squeezing through nooks to bust blocks. It’s all part of the ancient magic of Game Boy Color—bright sprites, friendly stages, and passwords that actually make things easy. Simpler times, huh?

Oh, and the controls, now that’s another story. The Game Boy Color, bless it, had limited buttons. B-button does double duty. Running and spells, same button! So, yeah, sometimes I’d mess up—hit by an enemy instead of casting a spell. Still, for a TV-spin-off-game, it plays way better than you’d expect. Don’t expect earth-shattering stuff like the original Shantae. It’s more like a sneak peek into what was coming. Might just be a quirky little detour, but hey, playing it isn’t the worst idea, unless you mind the magic fading after a round.