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

A stroll—no, a wild ride—back to the late 90’s, if you fancy it.

So, Wayforward. A name that’s like a magic spell itself in the world of 2D games. You hear it, and bam, memories of handheld beauty like River City Girls and, duh, Shantae come flooding in. But here’s a twist: these folks didn’t just dabble in gems; they went knee-deep in licensed game galore. On that note, ever heard of Sabrina: The Animated Series – Zapped on the Game Boy Color? If not, you gotta check out how it laid the groundwork for what’s now Shantae.

Picture this—Sabrina, the teenage witch, with that classic mess-up. Ends up turning her pals into animals, and they’re seconds away from a zoo breakout. Classic move, right? So, you guide her in this pixelated world, jumping on critters to turn them back. Along the way, you’re granted new spells. Salem the cat? Yeah, you get to control him. He throws some wild crawls in there. There’s a bubble spell too for floating up, which is, if I’m honest, weirdly fun.

Got to mention—the levels got their act together well. They shuffle up themes in a way that keeps you on your toes. There’s this one steep, vertical bit where bubble magic becomes your lifeline. Plus, Salem’s got some cool tricks, unlocking spells and smashing blocks. Not like it’s a groundbreaking spectacle—probably won’t leave you wide-eyed or anything—but these quirks are why some folks still treasure platformers on the Game Boy Color. Big, bright sprites and that simple password progression, remember those?

Now, about the controls—kind of good, kinda silly. The B-button does double duty as run and spell-cast, which, quite annoyingly, sometimes makes you eat a hit from enemies because Sabrina decides to bolt instead of poof! It’s like this game has no business being as fun as it is, considering it’s a spin-off on a spin-off. It’s not going to flip your world upside down, nor is it as slick as Shantae, but hey, it’s a solid stepping stone. A curiosity, maybe? Sure. But even if the charm fades after one playthrough, Sabrina’s little adventure has its moments.