Before Monkey Island was cool again and before the word “remaster” became part of the gamer dictionary, Simon the Sorcerer stood tall among adventure classics. Known for its sharp humor, quirky puzzles and its signature British wit, the 1993 original quickly became a fan favorite. Now, over 30 years later, Simon the Sorcerer Origins brings the beloved spellcaster back in a gorgeously hand-drawn prequel that celebrates everything players loved about the original series while introducing Simon’s story to a new generation. We spoke with developer Massy Calamai, Founder and Game Director at Smallthing Studios, about blending nostalgia and modern design in this long-awaited return to the magic.

GiN: The Simon the Sorcerer series goes back to the early days of adventure gaming in the 1990s. How did you first become involved with the game? Did you play the originals?

Calamai: From a crude box of 3.5″ floppy disks with no name written on them that I found in my hand. I’d put them in my Commodore Amiga 500 and voilà…Simon the Sorcerer. I immediately fell in love with its realistic irreverence. Then I bought the original, I adored it. It was 1993.

GiN: What do you think makes games like the Simon the Sorcerer series stand out and become so beloved by fans and players?

Calamai: Simon is iconic; since 1993, it has embodied a series of unusual elements in video games. I mean, all video games (or most) wanted to be “video games.” Simon was a comic theater that hid behind that velvety sadness that puts a mask on you. Why is it so irreverent? What’s behind it?

It was a unique game and deserved the enormous success it achieved. Today it’s a true legend.

GiN: How do you plan to make Simon the Sorcerer Origins remain faithful to the original games while also modernizing the experience for a whole new audience of players?

Calamai: From the very first moments of development, I wanted the gameplay to be streamlined and modern yet capture the spirit of the past for fans. I wanted the graphics to be unique today yet look like they were drawn for a ’90s cartoon. I wanted the texts to reflect the original sarcasm, but avoiding awkward words or sarcasm and capturing the essence and spirit of the original.

I wanted the voice actors from the previous games in the series, and orchestral music based on the original soundtrack. I wanted to tell the story of 1993 in a way that made it feel like a journey for new players and a journey through time for fans. I wanted that Simon from the past, but I wanted him to act and talk about himself and what he’s doing today.

Origins has two sides; each element tells something to the modern player and the fan, striking different chords.

We’ve been working along these lines for five years.

GiN: The original voice actor for parts one and two of the original games, Chris Barrie, did an amazing job voicing the main character. How did you get him involved in the prequel, and what was it like getting to see Barrie bring Simon to life once more?

Calamai: It was tough. Barrie has an exceptional career and getting his attention wasn’t easy, but I wanted it so badly.

He read the script, understood what we wanted and fell in love with it. When he entered the studio, cleared his throat and transformed into an annoying, irreverent pre-teen with that melancholic, insecure quality of our Simon, well, he was exceptional. Those were intense days, ending with applause and everyone in tears at the end. How emotional.

GiN: Can you tell us about the graphical changes that were made for Origins? How did you decide on the new hand-drawn style, and what do you think that brings to the title?

Calamai: I wanted the 30-year gap to be seamless. Origins had to be modern yet feel like it belongs to another era, an iconic style—new today, I’d say—that’s instantly recognizable. So, we decided to hand-draw everything in that quivering, flawed style of the ’90s, yet so unique today—warm, enveloping and artisanal in a world that increasingly relies on stereotypical techniques that lose their soul.

Origins has a handcrafted soul that makes its visual style unique.

GiN: How does the balance between puzzle solving, adventuring and humorous interactions with the game’s characters in Origins compare with the original titles? What about the difficulty or challenge level?

Calamai: We’ve incorporated many elements into the game. Narrative is the key theme, a comical, theatrical narrative that conceals the turbulent relationship between a son and his mother. Throughout the story, there will be magical puzzles, so there will be extensive use of magic with some original conditions for the series, logic puzzles, comical puzzles and contraptions—in short, you’ll find typical adventure conditions alongside several new elements, starting with a linear narrative that then opens up into a fairly open world. It’s still a logical game but challenging. We didn’t want a simple title that wouldn’t provide gratification due to its oversimplification. I wanted players to finish it feeling intoxicated with the satisfaction of the story and of having completed a challenging mission, which would justify the confidence Simon gradually gains.

GiN:  I have two questions related to players and the new game. First off, for veterans who got to play the original titles back in the 1990s, what can they expect from Origins?

Calamai: Origins is a prequel and a reborn, set a few weeks before the events of the first episode. Fans will find their Simon right where they left him 30 years ago, right there. Veteran testers told us: I felt like I was a child again; he’s just as I remembered him but with more depth.

GiN: And now for new players who have never gotten to play the original titles or may not even know very much about them, what can they expect from Origins? Can they still have a good time with the new game?

Calamai: For new players, Origins is a modern title that tells a beautiful story, one that even today’s youth (more than ever these days) will recognize. They will experience the insecurities of a teenager trying to find their worth in a complex world, and in their own way, they will prove it. They will experience a beautiful, emotional conclusion and will meet for the first time a boy who in 1993 ended up in a magical world, filled with wizards, strange creatures and all sorts of amenities.

GiN: Okay, thanks so much for talking with us about the history of Simon the Sorcerer and the new Origins adventure. Where can we play Origins and on what platforms?

Calamai: On October 28th, it became available on practically all platforms. It’s out now for the PC and Mac through Steam, Steam Deck, Linux, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch (Nintendo Switch 2 compatible), Xbox One and on the Xbox S/X.

In addition to the digital versions, publisher ININ Games, together with us, has created wonderful physical versions for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, both in the standard version with a reversible cover and a color manual complete with a story inside and the beautiful special version with, again, the physical version of the game, reversible cover, manual and artbook of over 80 pages (also full of hidden features) and a CD with 23 music tracks.

In short, it’s difficult not to find a favorite version as we have taken care of every detail out of love for both the players and the saga.