40 Winks (video game)

Lore & Background

40 Winks was the first original video game of developer Eurocom Entertainment Software, as their previous works included licensed products and ports of arcade titles. The project spent six months in pre-production before 16 months of production began. As a game for all ages, Eurocom's focus was on developing new graphical techniques, the various skillsets and personalities of the playable characters, and presenting the humor and interactiveness of what the developers thought a child's viewpoint of a world with frightening creatures would be. Titles similarly meant for young players, such as Croc: Legend of the Gobbos (1997), Spyro the Dragon (1998), and Banjo-Kazooie (1998) were referenced, as well as focus groups of inexperienced young gamers. Changes made with their opinions include tweaks towards the controls and the help system. The Jack-in-the-Box was added to incorporate diverse gameplay styles, and the use of areas only accessible to Ruff and Tumble were meant to add replay value to the game. ZeeMan The Superhero was going to be one of the Jack-in-the-Box costumes, but his 'massive build' looked too 'adult' for the kid-friendly visual aesthetic; he was replaced by a robot that launches missiles. GT Interactive bought the worldwide publishing rights in August 1998, after several other publishers vigorously competed for them, and the release date was set in late 1999.

Reader's Guide

40 Winks is notable as Eurocom's first original IP, a 3D platformer that drew comparisons to Banjo-Kazooie and other genre benchmarks. Critics praised its visuals, particularly the attention to detail and look of the level settings, with AllGame writer Glenn Wigmore noting the character animation as 'fluid' and cartoony, and Martin Kitts of N64 Magazine noting its 'technical prowess' and finding it as visually impressive as Banjo-Kazooie. However, reviewers found the gameplay too basic compared to the genre's best, with Kitts stating it could be finished within a week with little incentive to play again. The game's troubled release history—cancelled on Nintendo 64, then resurrected via Kickstarter in 2018—adds to its legacy as a cult title. The Nintendo 64 version includes a two-player co-op mode and supports the Expansion Pak for higher screen resolutions. The discovery of a cancelled Game Boy Color port in 2021 further highlights the game's extended development footprint.

Did You Know?

• The Nintendo 64 version was reviewed in both Nintendo Official Magazine UK and Nintendo Power, whose January 2000 issue featured a strategy guide for the game, but it was cancelled before release.
• On 12 February 2018, Piko Interactive launched a Kickstarter campaign that funded the same day, confirming the release of the Nintendo 64 version and a Microsoft Windows version through Steam.
• A cancelled Game Boy Color port was discovered in 2021.
• The game's Jack-in-the-Box costumes include Monster, Robot, Ninja, and Superhero; ZeeMan The Superhero was cut because his 'massive build' looked too 'adult'.

Gameplay & World Design

Players control siblings Ruff and Tumble, roused from bed by their mother's tale of the Winks, tiny guardians who shield humans from nightmares. In Dreamland, the insomniac NiteKap orders his teddy-bear minion Threadbear to kidnap every Wink, transforming them into nightmare-spreading HoodWinks. With only forty Winks remaining, the duo must traverse six realms: a Halloween-flavored Nightmare zone, a Jules Verne–style underwater Atlantis, an alien-filled Space sector, a dinosaur-and-temple Prehistoric world, a medieval Castle, and a golden-age Pirate haven. Each realm contains three levels, a flying race, and a boss gated by Dreamkeys, while golden cogs unlock intermediate doors. Z icons serve as health and R&T tokens as extra lives. Ruff wields a candle and Tumble a teddy bear; both can walk, run, jump, kick, butt-slam, swim, slide, and chain a punch-punch-kick combo. Their default attack is a scream that hardens into a glowing ball, fueled by Moons. Jack-in-the-Box costumes reshape their abilities: Monster turns them into Neanderthals with a vomit attack, Robot adds missiles and jetpacks for double jumps, Ninja grants rope-swinging and extra agility, and Superhero makes them invulnerable to enemies and drowning. HoodWink foes range from Frankenstein's monster and boxer apes to sharks, tarantulas, and small dinosaurs.

Development & Design Philosophy

40 Winks marked Eurocom Entertainment Software's first original title; their earlier catalogue consisted of licensed products and arcade ports. The project consumed six months of pre-production followed by sixteen months of full development. Because the game targeted a young audience, Eurocom studied titles like Croc: Legend of the Gobbos, Spyro the Dragon, and Banjo-Kazooie, and ran focus groups with inexperienced child gamers whose feedback shaped control schemes and the in-game help system. The Jack-in-the-Box costume system was introduced specifically to offer diverse gameplay styles, and certain areas were designed to be reachable only by Ruff or only by Tumble, adding replay value. One costume, ZeeMan The Superhero, was cut because his oversized physique clashed with the kid-friendly visual tone; a missile-firing robot replaced him. GT Interactive secured worldwide publishing rights in August 1998 after a competitive bidding process, and Eurocom cited the publisher's marketing resources and a capable producing team as the deciding factors. The release was scheduled for late 1999.

The N64 Version's Fate & Resurrection

A Nintendo 64 version of 40 Winks was fully developed and reviewed in both Nintendo Official Magazine UK and Nintendo Power, whose January 2000 issue even printed a strategy guide for it. Despite that coverage, the N64 release was cancelled before it ever reached shelves. For nearly two decades the version remained a footnote in gaming history. On 12 February 2018, Piko Interactive launched a Kickstarter campaign promising to release the N64 build alongside a Microsoft Windows version on Steam; the project reached its funding goal that very same day. The original PlayStation port followed onto Steam on 22 October 2018. The N64 edition featured a two-player co-op mode in which partners could not directly damage enemies but could nudge and launch one another via kicks and punches. It also offered three screen resolutions via the Expansion Pak: a fast but fuzzy Normal mode, a sharper Medium mode with more graphical detail, and a Hicol mode that added lighting effects at the cost of slightly reduced frame rate. In 2021, a previously unknown cancelled Game Boy Color port was discovered, further expanding the game's lost-media legacy.

Critical Reception & Visual Praise

Critics consistently singled out 40 Winks' visual presentation. AllGame's Glenn Wigmore praised the smooth, cartoonish character animation and the voice work in the opening sequence. Martin Kitts of N64 Magazine highlighted the game's technical achievement, drawing a direct comparison to Banjo-Kazooie in both visual impressiveness and level-setting design, particularly noting a resemblance to that title's Crusty Rusty Wreck area. Mike Wilcox commended the high-resolution graphics, cutscenes, near glitch-free motion, and interactive music. Official Nintendo Magazine called it another excellent N64 platformer full of cartoonish worlds and eerie enemies, with sound effects that made readers grin and a soundtrack with genuine edge. N64 Gamer's Arthur described the stages as visually sharp with bright, cheerful colours and nighttime lighting effects, singling out the soft glow trail left by Ruff's candle. Wigmore also compared the title to Banjo-Kazooie within the platform genre, noting its moody atmosphere. Across outlets, the consensus was that Eurocom had delivered a technically polished, visually rich platformer that stood alongside the era's biggest family-friendly titles.

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