Hacker ApprovedDepartments

Grim Fandango

Ranked 2 of 24 adventure games by recommenders

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

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

49 people gave an opinion

recommend it
41
criticize it
8
approval share
84%
Each figure is one person. RecommendsCriticizes

Recommended in 3 of 13 months

  1. November 2025: not recommended
  2. December 2025: not recommended
  3. January 2026: not recommended
  4. February 2026: not recommended
  5. March 2026: not recommended
  6. April 2026: not recommended
  7. May 2026: not recommended
  8. June 2026: recommended
  9. July 2026: not recommended
  10. August 2026: not recommended
  11. September 2026: recommended
  12. October 2026: recommended
  13. November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)

Owned for 20 years

Median of the 3 owners who said how long they have had it.

Each square is one year.

Why it doesn’t carry the badge

  • 41 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, met.
  • 5.1 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
  • Recommended in 3 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.

The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works

What people say about it

The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.

Why people recommend it

Each mark is one comment

  • Setting, characters and atmosphere

    “Grim Fandango is a game that's all about the setting and characters. For that alone it's a masterpiece. But the puzzles... ehh..”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “has lots of bugs (crashed on several occasions) and weird things, but the atmosphere is so cool”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “The game is a prime example of how characters can drive engagement.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”
  • Lasting nostalgia and personal memories

    “The one thing I remember the most was making the jump across the broken bridge”

    Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “I fondly remember getting so stuck in Day of the Tentacle or Grim Fandango”

    Comment from 10 Oct 2026 in “Triple-A Minesweeper”

    “One of my all time favorites and one I introduced my Son to as a child.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”
  • Considered a favorite adventure game

    “Superb and unique universe. It's brilliant.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “it's one of my favorite adventure games!”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “My favorite game of all time.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”
  • Distinctive art style

    “pulled out that beautiful 3D toon feel before toon shaders were made”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “The whole game oozes of style that I've never seen replicated.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “That game was a piece of art.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

What people warn about

Each mark is one comment

  • Obscure, illogical puzzles

    “The puzzles are so bad. Like how in the world is somebody supposed to think of that stuff.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “the demo ends right before the game starts proffering anti-logic puzzles”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “Too bad the dated puzzles pull me out of it so much.”

    Comment from 22 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”
  • Clunky controls and dated 3D graphics

    “Grim Fandango (which is arguably held back by its 3d graphics and controls)”

    Comment from 24 Sep 2026 in “The science of Monkey Island: can grog dissolve a metal mug that fast?”

    “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”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “It released with unbearable keyboard controls instead of the familiar point-and-click.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”
  • Buggy and crashes

    “has lots of bugs (crashed on several occasions) and weird things, but the atmosphere is so cool”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

    “It was rather buggy and hard to play without a walkthrough.”

    Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

Other adventure games people recommend

The four most recommended other adventure games, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.

Grim Fandango compared with 4 alternatives
ProductRecommendCriticizeApprovalMonthsOwnedBadge
Sid Meier's Pirates!611185%5—Approved
Grim FandangoThis page41884%320 yrs3 owners—
Myst31782%10—Approved
Monkey Island29391%9—Approved
Doki Doki Literature Club25681%3——
See all 24 adventure games, ranked

What people said

40 of the 54 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.

“I fondly remember getting so stuck in Day of the Tentacle or Grim Fandango”

RecommendsComment from 10 Oct 2026 in “Triple-A Minesweeper”

“Grim Fandango (which is arguably held back by its 3d graphics and controls)”

MixedComment from 24 Sep 2026 in “The science of Monkey Island: can grog dissolve a metal mug that fast?”

“Those tank controls are not great, and going to 3D made the graphics noticeably worse.”

CriticizesComment from 24 Sep 2026 in “The science of Monkey Island: can grog dissolve a metal mug that fast?”

“Too bad the dated puzzles pull me out of it so much.”

MixedComment from 22 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“The one thing I remember the most was making the jump across the broken bridge”

RecommendsComment from 22 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“One of my all time favorites and one I introduced my Son to as a child.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“the Grim Fandango remaster turned out so well, now that controls have settled into their modern forms”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“Year 2 of GF might be my favourite memory of any video game, ever.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“The puzzles and interface really are awful though”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“it's just so chock full of character”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“It's the theme and characters.”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“Grim Fandango is a game that's all about the setting and characters. For that alone it's a masterpiece. But the puzzles... ehh..”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“It's well worth playing despite the many years passed since its release.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“Superb and unique universe. It's brilliant.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“The game is a prime example of how characters can drive engagement.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“The puzzles are so bad. Like how in the world is somebody supposed to think of that stuff.”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“so much soul and character”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“I still have no idea how the hell the Chain puzzle worked”

CriticizesComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“The puzzles, to me, made zero sense, which sucks the fun out of the game”

CriticizesComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“It was rather buggy and hard to play without a walkthrough.”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“it's a beautiful work of art”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“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”

CriticizesComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“by the end of the game, their personalities had won over my heart”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“It released with unbearable keyboard controls instead of the familiar point-and-click.”

CriticizesComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“it's one of those things that stays with you for life”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“My favorite game of all time.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“it just felt clunky and the 3d art wasn't nearly as good as the amazing pixel art”

CriticizesComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“it's one of my favorite adventure games!”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“That game was a piece of art.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“I remember it took me a very long time to even find the Tube Room”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“It holds up incredibly well, particularly with the modernized controls.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“I literally hate the puzzles and the gameplay.”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“pulled out that beautiful 3D toon feel before toon shaders were made”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“mostly it was a blast to finish it back in the day”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“has lots of bugs (crashed on several occasions) and weird things, but the atmosphere is so cool”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“It makes the control a bit more bearable but otherwise feels like the original.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“the demo ends right before the game starts proffering anti-logic puzzles”

MixedComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“Literally one of the best.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“The whole game oozes of style that I've never seen replicated.”

RecommendsComment from 21 Sep 2026 in “Grim Fandango Puzzle Document (1996) [pdf]”

“Such a big part of my childhood and teen years.”

RecommendsComment from 17 Sep 2026 in “Lucasart's Afterlife”

Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.