MANIAC MANSION (1987/88) _____________________________________(by Ron Gilbert)

This excellent (and deservedly gushing) review at MobyGames says it all about why
a game made in 1987 remains better than most adventure games made over a decade
later:

"Few games can claim to be a revolution in every aspect of it's genre, few games
that is, aside from Maniac Mansion. From interface, to plotline, to graphics, to
design, etc... MM managed to become the holy grail of adventure games and it's
influence can still be felt to this day. [The game]'s most obvious and well-known
contribution to the genre was the inclusion of it's wonderful scripting engine
which formed the basis for adventure game interface's for years. No longer you had
to contend with a measly text parser and the world of adventure games would change
forever to become much more accessible and much easier to develop content for.

Furthermore, it is extremely interesting to note how sophisticated the game is
gameplay wise considering it was one of the very first graphic based adventure
games ever. Maniac Mansion sports multiple characters changeable on the fly (to a
total of 13 possible combinations) each with it's distinct puzzles that lead to 4
possible endings, and each with multiple solutions to most puzzles and a
completely non-linear structure that allows you to (with some exceptions) try and
re-try every aspect of the game without fear of dying or screwing things up
(remember that most puzzles have alternate solutions, even if you just screwed up
a possible key item!). You can try the "generic Bernard and anyone else" way, or
see what the Jeff-Razor combo is all about, it's up to you! Tell me what other
adventure game does that?? Before or after!

Forgoing any "epic" adventuring MM revolutionized adventure games in general by
being itself a spoof of cheesy 80's sci-fi/horror movies. I understand how anyone
can have his reservations about considering that revolutionary in any way, but
that was because this was the first game (at least to my knowledge) that made full
use of sarcasm and became one big spoof in itself and not just a regular game with
some comedic dialogues and gags.

The plot in Maniac Mansion takes it's roots in every cheesy sci-fi movie of the
80's you've ever seen, but does so knowingly and exploits every single aspect of
it. Everything from the Ed Wood-like plot (mad-scientist, horrible monsters, funky
uses of radiation and chemistry, evils from outer space, etc...) to the super
stereotyped cartoony characters (the Punk "bad" girl, the nerdy geek, the handsome
all-american protagonist, the sensitive girl next door, etc..) to the cheesy
dialogues and remarks is exploited to full comedic genius. If you've ever seen
movies like "Fright Night" (or better yet, the equaly genius spoof "Return of the
Living Dead" [which I suspect was a major influence on Maniac Mansion]) you know
what I'm talking about. MM's plot forgoes all the "formal" concepts most
*CENSORED* close-minded people consider when they judge a good storyline and
instead turns the cake around and uses it's brains (for a change) in order to
spoof the living daylights out of the definitive pop-culture mainstay of the 80's.
Proof positive of it's comedic genius is that as the years go by, and the
"nostalgia curve" closes in the Maniac Mansion's plot remains charged with all
it's irreverent wittysism, and sarcastic edge.

Imitated by everyone, loved by millions, misunderstood by some few sorry dudz.
That's Maniac Mansion, the Street Fighter 2 of adventure games. Truly one of
the finest games ever conceived and arguably one of the best adventure games ever
made. Fortunately for us the few misguided souls that didn't get this game are
indeed few and misguided, and MM was a blockbuster hit in it's time and remains to
this day a pinnacle of interactive entertainment."

Maniac Mansion Deluxe then is a superb remake of one of the best adventure
games of all time. Ron Gilbert's wacky and revolutionary masterpiece comes to life
as never before in this Windows version lovingly crafted by fans: sporting
improved SCUMM point-and-click interface, digitized sound effects, and gorgeous
256-color VGA graphics. Created by the same team that gave us The New Adventures
of Zak McKracken, LucasFan this time did not give us a new storyline, but
recreated the story and gameplay of LucasFilm's original game that is 100%
faithful - everything from the characters' wisecracks, object descriptions,
multiple solutions, and multiple endings are all here to delight a whole new
generation of adventure gamers.

THE GAME

This is the great 256-colour-remake of the original game by LUCASFAN GAMES. Just
start that in Windows. I you have DAY OF THE TENTACLE you can also play the
original version from 1987 - it's included as a game in the game! Just take
Bernard and go up to the 2nd floor, right door. There's an old computer standing
around. "USE COMPUTER" - and the fun begins!

WALKTHROUGH

HOW TO PLAY LUCASFILM GAMES >>>>