Grim Fandango is an adventure game directed by Tim Schafer at LucasArts and released for Windows on 30 October 1998. It is set in the Land of the Dead and mixes 1930s film noir with Aztec beliefs about the afterlife. Its skeletal calaca character designs were created by artist Peter Chan, and Peter McConnell's score blends jazz, swing and South American folk music. The hero, Manny Calavera, was voiced by Tony Plana, in a voice cast that was entirely Latino.
Technically the game runs on LucasArts' GrimE engine, based on the Sith engine and scripted in Lua, and it helped popularize Lua in games.
In January 2015 Double Fine released Grim Fandango Remastered for Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4 and PS Vita. iOS and Android versions followed on 5 May 2015, Switch on 1 November 2018 and Xbox One on 29 October 2020.1
Names and releases
| Region | Title on the box | Platform | Date | Publisher | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NA | Grim Fandango | Windows | Oct 30, 1998 | LucasArts | 1 |
| EU | Grim Fandango | Windows | November 1998 | LucasArts | 1 |
| WW | Grim Fandango RemasteredSame day on Linux, OS X, PS4 and PS Vita. Steam lists 26 January 2015. | Windows | Jan 27, 2015 | Double Fine Productions | 1 |
| WW | Grim Fandango RemasteredCross-buy and cross-save with PS Vita. | PlayStation 4 | Jan 27, 2015 | Double Fine Productions | 1 |
| WW | Grim Fandango RemasteredAndroid version released the same day. | iOS | May 5, 2015 | Double Fine Productions | 1 |
| WW | Grim Fandango Remastered | Switch | Nov 1, 2018 | Double Fine Productions | 1 |
| WW | Grim Fandango Remastered | Xbox One | Oct 29, 2020 | Xbox Game Studios | 1 |
Also known as: Grim Fandango Remastered WW1Мрачное фанданго RU2
Box art by region
NA Grim Fandango
Box art © its publishers, shown to identify each release. Scans: Wikipedia.
Version differences
-
GraphicsRemastered (2015)
The remaster improves character models and lighting, adds an optional 16:9 stretch and lets you switch between the original and remastered graphics at any moment.1
-
GameplayRemastered (2015)
The remaster adds point-and-click mouse control alongside the original tank-style controls.1
-
AudioRemastered (2015)
The remaster has a score re-recorded with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and adds developer commentary.1
Translations
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Spanish Official
Double Fine Productions2015Windows · RemasteredReleased · complete
Grim Fandango Remastered has Spanish (Spain) text and voice-over, along with French, Italian, German and Brazilian Portuguese.3
Where to play legally today
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Steam Purchase
Grim Fandango Remastered
Windows, Mac, Linux; 2015 remaster with original-graphics toggle
Checked: 2026-10-133store.steampowered.com
How to run it today
Buy Grim Fandango Remastered on Steam (it is also on consoles and mobile); it runs on current Windows, macOS and Linux. Owners of the original 1998 CDs can play them with ScummVM, which rates its Grim Fandango support as "Good".
- Grim Fandango Remastered on Steam store.steampowered.com
- ScummVM compatibility: Grim Fandango scummvm.org
Best version
Grim Fandango Remastered is the best way to play: it keeps the original look as an option and adds mouse controls, an orchestral score and developer commentary.1
Reception
The original scored 94/100 on Metacritic, yet sold only about 95,000 copies in the US by March 2000 and around 500,000 worldwide by 2012, so it is often called a commercial failure.1
Sources
Checked: 2026-10-13Text reviewed: 2026-10-13
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