# Grim Fandango

41 Hacker News commenters recommended Grim Fandango and 8 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 13 months; owners who said how long report a median of 20 years (3 owners).

**Verdict:** Recommended for its setting, characters, atmosphere and art style, and for lasting personal memories. Critics agree the puzzles are obscure and often illogical.

## Why people recommend it

- Setting, characters and atmosphere (7 comments): "Grim Fandango is a game that's all about the setting and characters. For that alone it's a masterpiece. But the puzzles... ehh.." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49788588)) "has lots of bugs (crashed on several occasions) and weird things, but the atmosphere is so cool" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784118)) "The game is a prime example of how characters can drive engagement." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49787582))
- Lasting nostalgia and personal memories (7 comments): "The one thing I remember the most was making the jump across the broken bridge" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49798248)) "I fondly remember getting so stuck in Day of the Tentacle or Grim Fandango" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50030524)) "One of my all time favorites and one I introduced my Son to as a child." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49793584))
- Considered a favorite adventure game (4 comments): "Superb and unique universe. It's brilliant." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49787628)) "it's one of my favorite adventure games!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784975)) "My favorite game of all time." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49785094))
- Distinctive art style (4 comments): "pulled out that beautiful 3D toon feel before toon shaders were made" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784187)) "The whole game oozes of style that I've never seen replicated." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49783677)) "That game was a piece of art." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784952))

## What people warn about

- Obscure, illogical puzzles (8 comments): "The puzzles are so bad. Like how in the world is somebody supposed to think of that stuff." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49787518)) "the demo ends right before the game starts proffering anti-logic puzzles" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784062)) "Too bad the dated puzzles pull me out of it so much." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49801289))
- Clunky controls and dated 3D graphics (5 comments): "Grim Fandango (which is arguably held back by its 3d graphics and controls)" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49836908)) "Between an art style that didn't age well and didn't grab me even then, obscure puzzles and a theme that doesn't interest me so much" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49786204)) "It released with unbearable keyboard controls instead of the familiar point-and-click." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49785157))
- Buggy and crashes (2 comments): "has lots of bugs (crashed on several occasions) and weird things, but the atmosphere is so cool" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49784118)) "It was rather buggy and hard to play without a walkthrough." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49786358))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Sid Meier's Pirates!](https://hackerapproved.com/p/sid-meier-s-pirates.md): 61 recommend
- [Myst](https://hackerapproved.com/p/myst.md): 31 recommend
- [Monkey Island](https://hackerapproved.com/p/monkey-island.md): 29 recommend
- [Doki Doki Literature Club](https://hackerapproved.com/p/doki-doki-literature-club.md): 25 recommend
- [Thimbleweed Park](https://hackerapproved.com/p/thimbleweed-park.md): 20 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Grim Fandango", https://hackerapproved.com/p/grim-fandango/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).