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Gobliiins 4

Last updated: January 22, 2026

Overview

Gobliiins 4 is the fourth installment in the beloved puzzle-adventure series that began in 1991, marking the franchise’s return after a fifteen-year hiatus since Goblins Quest 3 in 19931. Developed by Société Pollene and produced by the Russian company Snowball Studios, the game was designed by series creator Pierre Gilhodes alongside Muriel Tramis2. The game returns to the original formula of controlling three goblins with unique abilities, as indicated by the four “i”s in the title—a naming convention that reflects the number of playable characters3.

Released in March 2009, the game features 3D graphics while maintaining the classic gameplay mechanics that defined the series2. Players take on the roles of Detective Tchoup and his companions Stucco and Perluis, who are hired by King Balderon VIII to locate his missing pet aardvark named Riri4. For many gamers, the Gobliiins series represents “the gaming equivalent of marmite: either you love it or you hate it,” with its challenging puzzles and distinctive humor dividing audiences5.

The game received mixed reviews upon release, with critics praising its puzzle design while criticizing its dated presentation and lack of modern conveniences6. Despite its divisive reception, Gobliiins 4 successfully revived the franchise and demonstrated continued interest in the series, eventually leading to Gobliiins 5 in 20237.

Story Summary

The Kingdom of King Balderon VIII has been enjoying peace and prosperity for years when disaster strikes—the king’s beloved pet, a young aardvark (orycterope) named Riri, has gone missing from the royal palace9. Desperate to recover his favorite companion, the king commissions the renowned Detective Tchoup and his two associates to track down the escaped pet. Young Riri can only hope that the three Gobliiins will solve the riddles before him and ultimately save both him and his fiancée10.

The player controls three distinct goblin characters, each with their own unique personality and limited skillset. Tchoup serves as the brain of the operation, investigating clues and gathering information from the various characters encountered throughout their journey11. Stucco provides the muscle, able to grab, handle, and manipulate physical objects that require strength12. Perluis rounds out the trio as the magic user, possessing the ability to make plants grow and bewitch objects with his mystical powers8.

True to goblin nature, the three protagonists are not especially bright, and each is capable of performing only one type of action8. This limitation forms the core of the gameplay, as players must strategically combine the talents of all three goblins to overcome obstacles and progress through the adventure. The story unfolds across sixteen levels as the trio travels through increasingly bizarre and challenging environments in pursuit of Riri13.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Gobliiins 4 employs a point-and-click interface that allows players to switch between the three goblin characters at will14. The game uses a simple cursor-based interaction system where players select a goblin and then click on objects or characters within the environment to perform that goblin’s unique action. Unlike modern adventure games, the title does not feature an integrated hint system—a significant omission that led one reviewer to note “If there is a game that ever needs a hint system, this game will be it!“5.

The game utilizes an archaic save system that provides only a single save slot per level, relying on a password code system rather than traditional save files15. This design choice was criticized for feeling outdated, with one reviewer describing it as “very archaic; from the sub-par graphics, the level-by-level gameplay, even the codes used instead of a save file”15. The intrusive auto-save feature and limited save options were noted as sources of frustration16.

Structure and Progression

The game is structured around sixteen self-contained levels, each consisting of a single screen packed with interactive elements and puzzles13. This level-based approach was compared to “a point and click version of The Lost Vikings,” requiring players to combine the three siblings’ talents to find solutions16. Players must complete all puzzles within a level before receiving a code to access the next area.

  • Levels 1-13: Main story progression with hidden golden teeth collectibles14
  • Levels 14-15: Advanced puzzle areas
  • Bonus Level: Unlocked by collecting all golden teeth from the first thirteen levels14

The game compels repetition, forcing players to replay levels if certain actions are not completed correctly14. This design philosophy reflects the series’ classic approach but proved divisive among modern players accustomed to more forgiving game structures.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around solving multi-stepped puzzles using the unique abilities of each goblin character14. Tchoup’s investigative skills allow him to speak with NPCs and gather crucial information—sometimes requiring multiple conversations with the same character17. Stucco’s strength enables physical manipulation of objects, while Perluis’s magic can transform and enchant elements of the environment.

The puzzle solutions were criticized for being “annoyingly strait-jacketed at times,” requiring very specific sequences of actions6. Trial and error became a common approach, with one reviewer noting “I don’t mind hard puzzles, but I hate it when the player is reduced to just using trial and error to progress”18. However, fans of the series argued that “every puzzle is reasonable” and encouraged players to attempt solving them independently11.

A notable feature inherited from the original game is the goblins’ extraordinary vitality—in other words, they can never die19. This removes the threat of game-over scenarios but does not diminish the challenge of the puzzles themselves.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Gobliiins 4 received highly polarized reviews upon release, with scores ranging dramatically across publications. Adventure specialty sites generally offered more favorable assessments, while mainstream gaming outlets were considerably harsher.

Just Adventure awarded the game a remarkable 91/100, declaring it “a cleverly designed and entertaining game”6. Adventure Gamers gave it 80/100, calling it “one of the most likeable titles this year” and noting that “unless you play adventures only for their stories, I can safely say that this game is worth the time of any point-and-click adventurer”6. GameStar provided a mixed 68/100, observing “The series continues after 15 years and it’s true to its predecessors. That’s good and bad at the same time. It’s a colorful slapstick adventure, but today a game like this needs a real story, characters and some more functions”6.

Adventure Classic Gaming rated the game 2/5 (Fair), with reviewer Martin Mulrooney concluding “Sadly, for other adventure game fans, a recommendation cannot be offered with a clear conscience”5. GameGrin awarded 5/10, criticizing the disconnect between the child-friendly presentation and adult-level puzzle difficulty15. LEVEL (Czech Republic) gave 50/100, describing it as a “sequel to the famous trilogy changed into a kid’s entertainment game with uncomplicated logical puzzles. The sound and graphics departments should be fired anyways”6.

Total PC Gaming scored it just 30/100, summarizing “Gobliiins 4 has a lot of character, it just doesn’t have enough depth”6. PC Gamer UK was particularly harsh, awarding only 11/100 with the dismissive assessment “Deliberately obtuse is just frustrating”6.

Modern Assessment

The game maintains a contested legacy among adventure gaming enthusiasts. Some fans continue to champion it as a worthy successor that preserved the spirit of the originals, while others view it as a missed opportunity for modernization.

Aggregate Scores:

  • GameRankings: 56.5% (based on multiple reviews)2
  • Metacritic: 54 (based on 13 critic reviews)6
  • IMDB: 5.5/1020
  • MobyGames: 6.3/1021
  • Software Informer: 4/512
  • GameBoomers: B-14

The Metacritic breakdown reveals significant division: 23% positive (3 reviews), 46% mixed (6 reviews), and 31% negative (4 reviews)6. User scores remained largely unavailable, reflecting the game’s niche audience. The game’s availability became increasingly limited over time, leading fans to note on GOG’s wishlist page: “It’s sad that a not so old game (2009) is not available anywhere in the world”22.

Development

Origins

Pierre Gilhodes returned to game development after a decade of absence to resurrect his beloved franchise23. Having created the original Gobliiins characters alongside Muriel Tramis at Coktel Vision in the early 1990s, Gilhodes maintained a vision for continuing the series24. The long gap between Goblins Quest 3 (1993) and this fourth installment represented one of the longest hiatuses in adventure gaming history for a returning franchise.

Gilhodes continued working as a graphic artist and author of animations for various audiovisual productions during the intervening years before launching the production of Gobliiins 425. His artistic background since a very early age informed the game’s distinctive visual style, which aimed to preserve the whimsical aesthetic that defined the series25.

Production

To bring Gobliiins 4 to life, Gilhodes teamed up with Société Pollene, a small studio from the south of France13. Financial backing came from Snowberry Connection, an independent production fund based in Moscow13. This international collaboration between French creative talent and Russian production resources enabled the project to move forward despite the franchise’s long dormancy.

The development embraced 3D graphics technology while consciously maintaining the gameplay mechanics that had defined the series2. The decision to preserve the classic formula was deliberate, though it would later draw criticism for feeling outdated. The game was designed to be playable by all ages, with a “kidults style” aesthetic that Gilhodes personally championed13.

Development Credits:25

  • Designer: Pierre Gilhodes
  • Co-Designer: Muriel Tramis
  • Music: Didier Sallustro8
  • Additional Development: Vincent L’Hermite, Christian Laly25

Technical Achievements

The transition to 3D graphics represented the most significant technical evolution from the original trilogy2. However, reviews were divided on whether this constituted an improvement, with some critics finding the graphics “sub-par” despite the technological upgrade15. The game maintained the single-screen level design of its predecessors while rendering environments and characters in three dimensions.

The game supported an impressive array of languages for localization: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Russian, Polish, Czech, and Hungarian26. This extensive localization effort reflected the franchise’s international appeal and the publishers’ commitment to reaching global audiences.

Technical Specifications

Minimum Requirements:14

  • Operating System: Windows XP/Vista
  • Processor: Pentium 4 1.8 GHz (1.0 GHz minimum noted in some sources)5
  • RAM: 512 MB - 1 GB
  • Video Card: 128 MB 3D-accelerated (GeForce FX 5700 or better)
  • Hard Disk Space: 300 MB - 1.5 GB
  • DirectX: Version 8.0/9.0
  • Sound Card: 8 Bit compatible

Recommended Requirements:27

  • Processor: Pentium 4 2.0 GHz
  • RAM: 2 GB
  • Hard Disk Space: 1.8 GB
  • DirectX: Version 9.0

The game shipped on a single DVD-ROM disc5. The copy protection system employed ProtectDiSC v9 technology26.

Technical Issues

The game exhibited stability problems, being noted as “prone to crashing” by reviewers16. Compatibility issues emerged with newer operating systems, with users reporting that the game would install correctly but fail to launch—appearing in task manager without actually running28. The buggy translations from French to English also drew criticism5.

The limited save system proved particularly frustrating, offering only a single save per level through an intrusive auto-save mechanism or password system16. This archaic approach stood in stark contrast to modern gaming conventions and contributed to player frustration.

Version History

VersionDatePlatformNotes
1.0March 2009WindowsInitial release (MULTI5)26
1.0April 2009WindowsMULTI3 release26
1.012009WindowsPatch release with language updates29
Platinová EdiceApril 16, 2009WindowsCzech platinum edition21

Available Patches:29

  • Czech Patch (573KB)
  • Russian Patch (19.99MB)
  • Hungarian Patch (1MB)
  • Polish Patch (1MB)

Easter Eggs and Trivia

  • Hidden golden teeth are concealed on each screen; collecting all teeth from the first thirteen levels unlocks a secret bonus level5
  • The number of “i”s in the series titles directly corresponds to the number of playable goblin characters: Gobliiins (3 goblins), Gobliins 2 (2 goblins), Goblins 3 (1 goblin), Gobliiins 4 (3 goblins)3
  • The US release of the original Gobliiins renamed the characters to Hooter, Dwayne, and BoBo, whereas European versions used Oups, Ignatius, and Asgard30
  • Pictures of previous games’ goblins appear in scenes throughout the series3

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

Gobliiins 4 launched at a retail price of £19.99 in the UK and was available for digital download through GamersGate8. The game’s commercial performance was modest, reflecting its niche appeal to fans of classic adventure gaming. One reviewer suggested that “this is a full price retail game, yet I think it would have worked far more effectively as a cheaper, digital download”18.

The game’s distribution became increasingly limited over time, with the title becoming notably difficult to acquire. Community members on GOG.com’s wishlist page lamented that “a lot of people do not even know this game exists”22, highlighting the franchise’s fading visibility in the broader gaming market.

Collections

The game was released in a “Platinová Edice” (Platinum Edition) in Czech territories, which contained additional content21. The original trilogy remained available through various digital storefronts including GOG.com and Steam, often bundled together, though Gobliiins 4 itself proved harder to obtain.

Fan Projects

The series creator, Pierre Gilhodes, continued developing the franchise independently, releasing Gobliiins 5 (titled “GOBLiiiNS5 - The Invasion of the Morglotons”) in July 2023 on Steam7. This sequel was created using Adventure Game Studio and received “Very Positive” reviews (93% of 60 reviews)7. The game was also made available on itch.io for $11 USD31.

  • In-game hints: Players relied heavily on community-created walkthroughs due to the absence of an official hint system11
  • Online Walkthrough: Comprehensive text walkthroughs available on GameFAQs, Neoseeker, and other community sites11

Critical Perspective

Gobliiins 4 represents both a nostalgic revival and a cautionary tale about preserving classic gameplay without modernization. The game successfully recaptured the challenging, multi-character puzzle-solving that defined the original trilogy, satisfying longtime fans who appreciated its faithfulness to the source material. However, its refusal to incorporate modern conveniences—such as a proper save system, hint mechanism, or more flexible puzzle solutions—alienated potential new audiences and frustrated even sympathetic critics.

The game’s reception illustrates the tension between preservation and evolution in adventure gaming. While publications like Adventure Gamers praised its puzzle design and charm, mainstream outlets found its archaic design choices inexcusable in 2009. The stark range of review scores—from 91/100 to 11/100—demonstrates how deeply personal the Gobliiins experience remained. As one reviewer aptly noted, “The characters and situations seem tailored to a child’s demographic, whilst the game requires the iron will and stubbornness of an adult to solve”15.

Ultimately, Gobliiins 4 succeeded in proving that interest in the franchise persisted, paving the way for Gilhodes to continue the series independently. Its mixed reception served as valuable market research, suggesting that future installments would need to balance nostalgia with accessibility to reach broader audiences.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • Currently unavailable on major digital platforms22
  • Retail copies occasionally available through secondary markets

Download / Preservation

Patches & Updates

Series Continuity

Gobliiins 4 marks the franchise’s return after a fifteen-year absence, bridging the classic Coktel Vision/Sierra era with independent development. The game deliberately returns to the three-goblin formula of the original, acknowledging that fans preferred the cooperative puzzle-solving over the single-character approach of Goblins Quest 3. While the earlier games were developed by Coktel Vision and published by Sierra On-Line, this installment represents Pierre Gilhodes reclaiming his creation through independent production.

The series would continue with Gobliiins 5 in 2023, demonstrating the franchise’s enduring appeal and Gilhodes’s commitment to his creations. The games share a consistent design philosophy—challenging puzzles, cartoon humor, and the strategic use of characters with limited individual abilities that must work together.

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia – Gobliiins 4 – release date, developer, platform information ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Wikipedia – Gobliiins Series – designers, 3D graphics, GameRankings score ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  3. TV Tropes – Gobliiins – naming convention, series history, easter eggs ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  4. TV Tropes – Gobliiins 4 – story summary, character names ↩

  5. Adventure Classic Gaming – Gobliiins 4 Review – review score, criticism, technical specifications ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  6. Metacritic – Gobliiins 4 – aggregated review scores, critic quotes ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  7. Steam – GOBLiiiNS5 – sequel information, user reviews ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. GamesIndustry.biz – Perluis Character Introduction – publisher, composer, character descriptions, UK price ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  9. IGN – Gobliiins 4 – story summary, release date ↩

  10. IGN – Gobliiins 4 Walkthroughs – plot details ↩

  11. GameFAQs – Gobliiins 4 Walkthrough – gameplay details, story, puzzle philosophy ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  12. Software Informer – Gobliiins 4 – character abilities, technical specs, review score ↩ ↩2

  13. Rarewaves – Gobliiins 4 Product Page – development background, level count, Snowberry Connection ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  14. GameBoomers – Gobliiins 4 Review – gameplay mechanics, save system, golden teeth, grade ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  15. GameGrin – Gobliiins 4 Review – criticism of save system, demographic mismatch ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  16. HonestGamers – Gobliiins 4 Review – technical issues, Lost Vikings comparison ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  17. SuperCheats – Gobliiins 4 Walkthrough – gameplay tips, level codes ↩

  18. Alternative Magazine Online – Gobliiins 4 Review – pricing criticism, puzzle design ↩ ↩2

  19. Wayback Machine – MobyGames Gobliins 2 – immortality mechanic ↩

  20. IMDB – Gobliiins 4 – user rating, release date ↩

  21. MobyGames – Gobliiins Series – MobyScore, Platinum Edition ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  22. GOG Wishlist – Gobliiins 4 – availability concerns, community comments ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  23. Neoseeker – Gobliiins 4 – Gilhodes return, development background ↩

  24. MobyGames – Gobliiins (Original) – original game credits, series history ↩

  25. Wayback Machine – Gobliiins.com Author Page – development credits, Gilhodes biography ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  26. GameCopyWorld – Gobliiins 4 – protection, languages, version info ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  27. Games4PCDownload – Gobliiins 4 – recommended system requirements ↩

  28. Reddit – Gobliiins 4 Technical Issues – compatibility problems ↩

  29. Sierra Help – Gobliiins Series Updates – available patches ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  30. Wayback Machine – MobyGames Gobliiins – US character names ↩

  31. Pierre Gilhodes itch.io – Gobliiins 5 – sequel pricing, engine ↩

  32. Internet Archive – Gobliiins 4 CD-ROM – preservation copy ↩

  33. Internet Archive – Gobliiins 4 Spanish – Spanish version ↩

  34. Internet Archive – Gobliiins 4 Multi-language – language options ↩

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