Occasionally, there is an old game that randomly skyrockets back into popularity, and Piglet’s Big Game is one of the most recent of these sudden resurgences. Aiming to be a horror comedy game for children, Piglet’s Big Game has found a surprising new following, as the PS2 and GameCube versions of the title have become huge on the internet. The game caught the attention of many for its unexpected likeness to Silent Hill 2, causing the director of Piglet’s Big Game to even address the surprising popularity surge.
After the success of the Silent Hill 2 remake, it’s probable that Piglet’s Big Game could have been rediscovered based on people wanting a similar experience and stumbling upon the title. Although it isn’t directly inspired by the original Silent Hill 2, the director of Piglet’s Big Game has confirmed fellow survival horror franchise Resident Evil served as a huge source of inspiration when it came to the gameplay.
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Piglet’s Big Game Finds a New Lease on Life Over 20 Years Later
An Unexpected Gaming Trend For November
Director Pascal Stradella not only confirmed the game’s Resident Evil inspiration, but he also shared outlines of the original intentions for Piglet’s Big Game on X. Development documents for the game state, “The game is a horror comedy aimed at children. By ‘horror,’ the goal is not to frighten them but to make them feel uneasy, to give them just the right amount of chills so they don’t feel entirely at ease as they progress through the game.” This unique blend of children’s game and horror has fascinated many, as Piglet has been a character a lot of gamers have grown up with. Since Piglet is known to have a lot of fear and anxiety, giving a game based on him a horror slant offers a unique experience for kids. While some are likely revisiting the game for nostalgic purposes, there are also plenty of people who were completely unaware that such a game existed.
Pascal Stradella also shared a game design draft that named
Luigi’s Mansion
as a main reference for
Piglet’s Big Game
.
The Price of Piglet’s Big Game Skyrockets
Due to the viral popularity of the obscure title, the price of Piglet’s Big Game saw a huge uptick, with some eBay listings being as high as $300 USD. The surprise of seeing a family friendly character like Piglet searching through a large house that largely resembles the Spencer Mansion from Resident Evil is such a huge contrast that it has struck a chord with a completely new audience. Released back in 2003, the game premiered to mixed reviews, and up until now, it had been lost to time.
Gameplay and Story Features
- Seven levels task Piglet with exploring his friends’ dreams and helping them with problems.
- Enemies in the form of Heffalumps, Woozles, scary trees, and a talking door.
- A “Brave Face” mechanic that Piglet must use to scare away enemies.
- Other playable characters include Pooh and Tigger.
Piglet’s Big Game
served as a tie-in game to
Piglet’s Big Movie
that was released in the same year.
Piglet’s Big Game Demonstrates the Power of Virality
Returning to Long-Forgotten Games
As footage has continued to spread since the beginning of November, Piglet’s Big Game has made a splash that many were likely never expecting. It’s unknown what caused such a surprising resurgence in attention for the game, but the success of Silent Hill 2‘s remake seems like a safe bet. Deemed by some on the internet as “Baby’s First Horror Game“, Piglet’s Big Game is a fun reminder that there is definitely a market for more family-friendly horror.
Although the hype surrounding Piglet’s Big Game likely won’t last for a long time, it’s always fascinating to see which old games suddenly gain fresh attention. With so many survival horror games in the industry, Piglet’s Big Game is an unorthodox, but welcome, addition.
PlayStation 2
- Brand
- Sony
- Original Release Date
- October 26, 2000
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $299, £299
- Weight
- 4.85 lb