Play Pagemaster, The (Beta) on sega Online

The Pagemaster beta for Sega Genesis, never officially released, was developed by Probe Entertainment and published by Fox Interactive. It arrived during the platform's later years, a period crowded with licensed titles and experimental side-scrollers. Based on the animated film, the game attempted to translate its book hopping adventure into a playable experience, though it remained unfinished and largely unseen by the public.

You control Richard Tyler, a cautious boy who must navigate through various literary worlds represented as side-scrolling stages. The main objective is to progress through each themed area, like Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror, by defeating enemies and overcoming environmental obstacles. Signature mechanics include screen by screen exploration, simple sword combat against foes like pirates and dragons, and collecting pages to restore health. The pacing is uneven, and the difficulty can feel unforgiving due to imprecise controls and limited continues. It feels like wandering through a rough draft of a much bigger idea, where every jump and swing carries a hint of uncertainty.