
Over this past weekend, my son Jeremy and I were able to spend an hour in the Art of Play studio in the Melbourne CBD to get a first hand look behind the scenes of what goes into developing The Phantom Video Game.
The first thing that strikes you as you walk into the studio is the love of the nostalgia of childhood that Ash Nicholls, the Director of Art of Play Games has. You turn one way and there are two foot high life like models of the Ninja Turtles from the 1990 movie, another way and there's a mint condition Inspector Gadget, in other spaces Transformers, but on the top shelf, in pride of place, is The Phantom.
Now, if you follow Ash on his socials you will have an understanding of the passion that he has for these characters but also for video games. He is driven to provide the absolute best product so that both fans of the IPs and gamers will have a fulfilling experience with his games. When a game hits the store shelves it should be finished, unfortunately too often for a number of AAA titles with a lot bigger budgets behind them, it takes a number of downloadable updates before a game is actually finished. Ash and his team are working around the clock to ensure that when The Phantom Video Game hits the shelf it is the finished product.

What my son and I played last weekend wasn't the finished product, but we sure had fun with it, while Ash was furiously writing notes on more things that need fixing.
In the time we were there we were able to play the Skull Cave/ Bangallan Jungle Level as well as about half of the Indian Level. We also played it one player mode, swapping the controller each time we died, however 2 player mode is available with player 2 taking the role of Diana.
After the "For Those Who Came in Late" opening cut scene, the game opens with Diana and The Phantom in the Skull cave as a message comes through that trouble's afoot. The Phantom springs into action and starts battling the Singh Pirates who have infiltrated the Skull Cave.
As I was playing through this level it reminded me a lot of games such as Double Dragon II. There are a variety of enemies, some with weapons such as whips and projectiles. The enemies come in a variety of sizes with different skills/patterns which the player would do well to observe in order to progress. The giant brute character was particularly nasty. However, The Phantom has a range of different actions to deal out punishment to these roughnecks.
As I played, I tried to keep my actions restrained to the Phantom's punches and kicks, whereas my son went the quicker, more deadly approach and shot as many people as he could. This would have consequences later in the game, but we didn't get that far. In the top left hand corner where the game's Heads Up Display (HUD) is situated, a tally is kept of how many enemies have been "Skull Marked" and how many have been "killed".
The gun is very much "OP'd" (over powered) but the ammo is limited, so should only be used as a last resort, much like how The Phantom uses his firearms in the comics.

The "Hero" Stage where The Phantom and Diana are riding on The Phantom's great white stallion, Hero, reminded me a lot of the vehicle stage in the 1991 video game "Battletoads". The key to success in this stage is to recognise the patterns. When you get this down, the Singh Pirate doesn't stand a chance. This is also a stage that brings Co-Op to the fore. In 2 player mode, one player is controlling Hero while the other is trying to shoot the crates being thrown from the plane. No doubt there will be some fun shouting on couches as the two players work together to get themselves in sync with each other.

Battling through the levels you can't help but be in awe of all the little details that go into creating a game. At one point I had trouble picking up a torch, Ash quickly jotted down that the torch needed to come lower on the screen. Then there are the other things that suck you into the game's world. A couple of examples include the shadows of the characters, which my son noticed, chickens dropping feathers as they run off, and leaves falling from trees as Chee-Chee directs the way. These little details are the difference between a good game and a great game.
The actual gameplay is straightforward too. You can quickly develop your muscle memory so that you tap the correct button to attack, jump or crouch. We were playing on the Nintendo Switch and my gaming fingers are more accustomed to the Xbox controller's layout but were able to attune themselves well for the different controller.
My only issue was with the shoulder buttons, but that's an issue I personally have with the Switch controller as opposed to the Xbox rather than anything related to the game. The shoulder buttons are important as that's where your special abilities lie. These abilities include whistling for Devil, drawing your weapons (and holstering them) as well as special attack combinations which can "Skull Mark" the bad guys, which is particularly useful when you get over crowded or when you're having trouble with one of those "brutes" that I mentioned earlier.

The HUD is straightforward too. As mentioned earlier it keeps track of your kills and skull marks, but it also displays clearly how many lives you have and your health. Another element on display is your "vitality". When this meter fills you can unleash your special combination. Also on display is the health of your enemies, and how many times you can call Devil, which are both very helpful.
Finally, at the top of the HUD is a points tally, so you have something to aim for in beating your top score in future play throughs. Though the HUD is visually appealing and contains a lot of information, it doesn't encroach on the game space.


Jeremy and I were very impressed with what we were able to play in the time we had. At it's core the game is a "Side Scrolling Beat 'Em Up" and gaming fans of the genre are sure to enjoy this entry to its lexicon. The artwork is impressive, as is the gameplay. There were some issues with the audio but I'm sure that by the time this article is published, Ash and his team would have already squashed that bug.
For phans, what we played through stays true to Phantom Lore. The Phantom only uses his guns as a last resort, however if you can time it right you can shoot the projectiles away that are being thrown at you.

Needless to say, my appetite for this video game is even more ferocious now having had a taste than it was when I was just checking out screen shots and videos. I wish Ash and the team at Art of Play all the best as they continue tweaking the various ins and outs of the game.
A reminder that Art of Play are running a competition to win an 'Original Superheroes' NECA Phantom figure signed by Billy Zane. Details on how to enter the competition can be found here. Get your entries in soon as the competition closes on February 10, 2025.
If you have any questions about the play through, feel free to leave a comment in our socials and I'll do my best to answer it.
Happy Phantoming!
(Please note. All images in this article are images that have been previously shared about the video game. It's a bit tricky to take photos and play the game at the same time.)
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