Wallace And Gromit: Project Zoo is severely underrated and deserves a remake

Forget the latest 2024 releases, I want a remake of Wallace And Gromit: Project Zoo and you should too.

One of the best parts of my job is being able to pick out an obscure game and tell you all the reasons I like it so much, and out of all the ones I’ve played, I think Wallace And Gromit: Project Zoo is the one people will have heard of the least.

An original adventure starring two of Great Britain’s most iconic animated characters, Wallace and Gromit, the game was released in 2003 for PC, the PlayStation 2, the original Xbox and the Nintendo GameCube. Reception was mixed, resulting in average reviews and less-than-impressive sales.

I played the Nintendo GameCube version and absolutely adored it, especially since I was such a big fan of the animated short films.

The story begins with Wallace and Gromit on the way to their local zoo to visit an old friend, a polar bear called Archie the pair adopted. Upon arrival, they find the zoo has been taken over by the dastardly Feathers McGraw, the criminal penguin who starred as the antagonist in Wallace And Gromit: The Wrong Trousers. With the zoo under McGraw’s control and the animals locked in cages instead of their habitats, it’s up to the dynamic duo to save the day.

Aardman

Somehow the dodgy little penguin has managed to build an army of robots, as well as several contraptions that he’s forcing the animals to operate for him. This adds a bit of mystery to the game as it’s only made clear towards the end what he’s actually up to, and why he’s chosen a zoo as the destination of his next masterplan.

You play as Gromit during the game, though Wallace is never too far behind. It’s your standard 3D platform affair, with some light puzzle solving, collectables, and a bit of combat added in for good measure.

It plays out exactly how it would if it were one of the animated films. Gromit is left with the majority of the work whilst Wallace, the genius he is, bumbles about getting himself into scrapes his trusty companion needs to get him out of. You also occasionally come face to face with Feathers McGraw as he makes his way through the zoo, giving you a silent death stare every time he sees you which never fails to make me laugh.

Before you’re let loose in the first area, Wallace asks you to find some nuts and bolts, which are scattered throughout the game along with golden tools. By finding these, the player will be able to craft new weapons, like the Banana gun, as well as have Wallace fix various contraptions and open locked doors.

BAM! Entertainment

As you progress through the game you’ll explore the various parts of the zoo, like the Jungle House, The Mines, The Volcano, The Warehouse and The Ice Box. You’ll also unlock new tools and weapons to add to your arsenal, like the Porridge Gun, Turnip Launcher, Springy Boots and more. There are even Gyrocopter segments where the pair blast through underground tunnels, dodging and weaving around obstacles.

It’s completely silly fun, and it’s wonderful. You can bash the game out in about eight hours if you want to, making it short enough for the odd replay if and when you feel like it.

If you’re a fan of Wallace And Gromit it’s a must-play and it deserves more recognition. As for its options, the chances of a full-on remake are slim to none I’d imagine. If for some unforeseen reason, it wasn’t given the remake treatment though, it’d benefit from an updated art style, as well as some new levels and weapons/gadgets. More unlockables could also be shoved in to fill it out a bit, but for the most part, just expanding on what’s already there should be enough. If a remake is completely out of the question, it could always go down the route of the remaster like Ghostbusters did. Touch up the graphics a bit for a nicer resolution, boost the frame rate and add a bit of colour and it’d look fine on current-gen systems. The last option would be a simple re-release, maybe even as part of a collection with some other Wallace And Gromit games, like Curse Of The Wererabbit.

BAM! Entertainment

You could certainly argue there’s a market for this, as Wallace and Gromit has retained its popularity over the years, especially in the UK, and is even getting a brand-new film later this year. Also, players dig it when an obscure game gets a new lease on life with modern consoles, just look at all the success Limited Run games have had over the past few years.

With all of that in mind, why not give Wallace And Gromit: Project Zoo another chance at success? It’s a tidy little platformer and if nothing else, it’s good for a laugh. It’d feel right at home on most consoles, especially the Nintendo Switch, and might even make more people fans of the short films. The worst-case scenario is it never happens, in which case I’ll just replay my original copy for the GameCube.