A guide to find games similar to point and click adventure games ala. Maniac Mansion.
Requirement to be included in list:
- Point and click adventure with movable character in 3rd person view.
- Must have list of at least 5 text verbs visible on screen.
- Must be 2D or have a 2D feel.
The list:
Maniac Mansion (1987)
Mystery game.
The LucasFilm game that started this genre, also one of the best.
The full game is also available from inside Day of the tentacle, by playing an arcade machine.
Zak McKraken and the Alien Mindbenders (1988)
Sci-fi adventure game.
Available on GOG and Steam.
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure (1989)
Game for 3rd Indiana Jones movie.
Available on Steam.
The secret of Monkey Island (1990)
Pirate game.
Special edition available on Steam. Press F5 to get the original game with the verbs listed at bottom of screen.
Countdown (1990)
Adventure game.
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge (1991)
Pirate game.
Special edition available on Steam, sadly with a different user-interface, but still same game.
Dirty (1991)
A German game similar to maniac mansion.
Probably available somewhere as a C=64 ROM for emulators.
The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes: The Case of the Serrated Scalpel (1992)
Detective.
Indiana Jones and the fate of Atlantis (1992)
Archaeological adventure game.
Available on Steam.
The Dark Half (1992)
Horror.
Edd Schiester (1992)
Amiga game.
Rex Nebular and the Cosmic Gender Bender (1992)
Game.
Relics of Deldroneye (1992)
Amiga game.
Starbase 13 (1993)
Amiga game
Simon the Sorcerer (1993)
Fantasy game.
Available these days for android.
Day of the tentacle (1993)
Sequel to Maniac Mansion.
Remastered version available on Steam. Classic interface and/or graphics can be switched on.
Geheimprojekt DMSO (1993)
German game.
Return of the Phantom (1993)
Trick or Treat (1994)
Arnie Goes 4 Gold (1994)
German game made as ad for a bank.
Inherit the Earth: Quest for the Orb (1994)
Available on Steam
Igor: Objective Uikokahonia (1994)
Adventure game.
Dragonsphere (1994)
Available on Steam.
Das Telekommando kehrt zurück (1995)
German game.
Kwatermaster (1995)
Amiga game
Epsilon 9: The Revenge of the Stingons (1995)
Amiga game
Scooby-Doo Mystery (1995)
Genesis and NES.
Relics Of Deldroneye 1.5: Return To Zantis (1995)
Amiga game.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (1995)
Cyperpunk/horror game.
Available on Steam.
Relics of Deldroneye 2: Island of Debreen (1996)
Amiga
Bud Tucker in Double Trouble (1996)
Comedy.
Fenimore Fillmore: 3 Skulls of the Toltecs (1996)
Western.
Windows/DOS.
Available on steam.
Mutation of J.B. (1996)
Adventure.
The World of Magic (1997)
Amiga
Sixth Sense Investigation (1998)
Amiga game.
The World of Magic 2 (1999)
Amiga
Escape from Hammy Town (1999)
Amiga game
The Legend of the Elves (1999)
Amiga game
Lord of Alcandria II (1999)
Amiga game
Lord of Alcandria III (1999)
Amiga game
Muscarine, or: Erica's Trip (1999)
Amiga game
Nihilism (2001)
Garfield: Attack of the Mutant Lasagna (2004)
Maniac Mansion Mania (2005+)
Mystery. Smaller episodes. Many offers additional languages besides German.
Available for free.
Cedric and the Revolution (2005)
The Game That Takes Place on a Cruise Ship (2006)
Zak McKracken: Between Time and Space (2008)
Sci-fi. The normal German version has the verb list interface, the directors cut (includes other languages) has another.
Available for free.
Danny Dread is on Call (2009)
AeroNuts (2009)
Fester Mudd: Curse of the Gold (2013)
Wild west game.
Available on Steam.
The Preposterous Awesomeness of Everything (2016)
Joke/meme game.
Available on steam.
Chronicle of Innsmouth (2017)
Horrror.
Available on Steam.
Thimbleweed Park (2017)
Mystery game. Some compare it to a mix of X-files/Twin Peaks.
Made by the same guy who was behind Maniac Mansion and Monkey Island.
Available on Steam, iOS, Android, Switch and GOG.
Yorkshire Gubbins (2017)
Available on Steam.
I want out (2017)
Downloadable for Windows and Linux.
A couple examples of very similar games, but missing the classic verbs on the screen:
Loom (1990)
A real great game. Available on Steam.
The Dig (1995)
Very very good game. Available on Steam.
Notes:
- Some of these great games have sequels, they are however not included if they are missing the verb interface.
- The screenshot at the bottom is from Thimbleweed Park.
Feedback and suggestions
- E-mail verbFan at shaolin.dk
