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An Adventure Draws Near! Maniac Mansion photo

Every time I sit down to write this column, I find myself thinking back to some of my favorite adventures in gaming and wondering if they classified as RPGs. To be hardcore about the definition, an RPG features turn-based battles in which your party can level up their stats. Maniac Mansion does allow you to play with a party, but leveling your characters is not an option. What is it doing here, then?

Like the previously featured NES title Tombs and Treasure, Maniac Mansion falls closer to the adventure category, but since the exploration and interchangeable character elements are so strong, I thought it would fit well here. However, since it's not a perfect fit, the title of the article is a bit tweaked. If you have never played this game, you owe yourself a trip back to one of the classic titles of the late eighties. You can even play the NES version on Facebook, so I don't want to hear any complaints about how you can't find a copy!

Hit the jump for more.

Maniac Mansion
Publisher: Lucasfilm Games
Released: 1987
Platform: Nintendo Entertainment System (also released on DOS, Apple II, Atari ST, Commodore 64, Commodore Amiga and the Famicom)

 
There are a lot of wonderful things about Maniac Mansion, but my favorite of all of them is that it's one of the most peculiar games I've ever played (even to this day!). It was notorious for the whole hamster exploding business, which I don't want to ruin for you, but suffice it to say that at some point it is possible to do so in the game if you've got the guts for it.
 
The story begins simply: Dave Miller (your main character) and a group of friends are standing outside of a creepy old mansion, after hearing word that Dave's girlfriend was kidnapped by Dr. Fred Edison. After agreeing that you will venture within to save her, you can choose two friends to take with you out of a group of six.
 

 
Choosing the characters for this game was not only fun, but also could affect which of the game's five endings you ended up with (and yay for replayability options!). Syd and Razor are both in bands and look the part, and they also have similar abilities. Michael is a photographer and Wendy is a novelist, and Jeff is a surfer (that latter has very few abilities, which is why I rarely chose him to play with). Bernard, the token nerd, eventually became my favorite character, and went on to star in the next game in the series, Day of the Tentacle.
 
While the mansion is fun to explore, my love for the game was borne out of the encounters with its aberrant inhabitants, who can land you and your friends in a variety of unpleasant situations. Dr. Fred, the mad scientist, lives in his lab, while Nurse Edna, his wife, makes no bones about letting you know she's a fan of sexual perversities. You'll also meet Weird Ed, their son, and Dead Cousin Ted, Edna's cousin, who happens to also be a mummified corpse. I told you this game was bizarre.


 
Eventually you'll trace the evil back to its source, but not before meeting the tentacles, who of course figured prominently in the next entry in the Maniac Mansion series. The story, dialogue and characters stay weird and witty all the way to the end, which is a feat considering the quality of the humor. Of course, it isn't for everybody, but if you've ever thought someone would consider you certifiably insane, this game will probably suit you perfectly.

Although it is more difficult to find the game in its original Commodore 64 incarnation, it should be noted that the NES version was heavily censored to comply with Nintendo's standards. A fascinating account of the port is told in The Expurgation of Maniac Mansion, where you can find out just how much you missed if the NES version was the only one you ever played.
 

 
Command?

>Attack: This game is made for you if you love weird titles. The poky controls suffer the passage of time, for sure, but if you play a game because you love a good story, this one's got it in spades. Maniac Mansion has that trademark quirk that is associated with LucasArts adventures titles, but it also kept me laughing the whole way through, which is a quality I treasure in a game.

>Parry: If you play games more for the controls than the story. The movement of the pointer is incredibly awkward, especially if you play a lot of modern games using an analog controller. Also, if you don't appreciate stuff like News of the Weird, this game will totally turn you off. Like I said before, not for everybody ... but sure to be really rewarding for gamer who always hoped for an oppotunity to use an electric cattle prod.

LAUNCH GALLERY (3 IMAGES)
Photo Photo Photo
 

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22 comments | showing # 1 to 22

doktorwyzzerd1's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 15:23
doktorwyzzerd1
Hmmm, an awesome game but an RPG? One of the coolest things about Day of the Tentacle, amongst many cool things, was that you could walk to the computer in Ed's (am I right about the character name?) and play Maniac Mansion in its entirety. Talk about a play within a play!!!
Schmo0zle's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 15:32
Schmo0zle
I used to play this game when I was young and it scared me and I NEVER beat it. Not even close.

I've since lost it. :(
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 15:34
Dexter345
Okay, between you and Chad, I'm convinced. I have to try out this and Day of the Tentacle. Perhaps I will pick them up at the Pink Godzilla store when I'm up in Seattle for PAX?
-PL-'s Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 15:40
-PL-
Maniac Mansion is awesome, but it's not an RPG.
sweetchuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 15:44
sweetchuck
We had this on our Commodore64 back in the day. I remember trying it after my brothers had played through, but I don't think I ever finished it at the time. The sequel is an amazing game too. I miss the classic Lucasarts games!
STUVNING's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 15:56
STUVNING
My brother had this for the NES when I was a kid. It scared the crap out of me with that music when the family members chased you. I finally gathered my courage and beat it a few months ago and it was a great game.
JTHomeslice's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 16:00
JTHomeslice
Oh my God I love this game.
Brad Nicholson's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 16:06
Brad Nicholson
Makes me wish I still had access to all these Lucas classics, especially the Monkey Island series.

Great review and you provided an awesome flashback.
Fishstick's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 16:18
Fishstick
I'd love to play Zak McKracken again.
Perry Simm's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 16:28
Perry Simm
Forget the NES version, get "Maniac Mansion Deluxe". It's free, and it's the definitive version.
Chad Concelmo's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 16:37
Chad Concelmo
This game holds such a special place in my heart. :)

@Dexter,
Yes. You need to play Day of the Tentacle.
ClarenceBoddicker's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 17:09
ClarenceBoddicker
DoTT is also a GREAT game,I still love maniac mansion though its funny how when I played the deluxe version a couple years back that I could move so fast I could run from edna,on the NES you couldn't run from people for shit the cursor moved like it was trapped in molasses
KARMACON's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 17:17
KARMACON
WOW 0.o
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 19:01
Mxyzptlk
Man, I need to finish this game. I always get about half way through before screwing the pooch somehow. Time to download the deluxe version.
Timmeh's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 19:26
Timmeh
Mxy:

You need to finish this game? How... what... How can you not have finished a game that can be completed in 8 minutes!

In all honesty though, when I found out it could be done that quickly I was like what? huh? No way. Oh, well that guy just did it in a video so I guess you can.

This is the seond time today I've been reminded of how awesome Lucasarts used to be, I was reading about the sublime Grim Fandango earlier. Man, it's such a shame they decided to trade off their big couple of brands instead and kill everything else off.
LarkOhiya's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 21:44
LarkOhiya
I'm playing it right now!
Conrad Zimmerman's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/16/2008 21:48
Conrad Zimmerman
My Commodore 64 disc is nestled snugly in a box in my closet. I adore this game.
Shaneq's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/17/2008 03:07
Shaneq
Funny you bring this game up. I was hankering for it and decided to beat it yesterday. Then I made pictures of it on facebook. Search for Shane Quinlan in MO to see 'em. I even made a Chuck the plant button.
A Humble Mr Perfect's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/17/2008 06:34
A Humble Mr Perfect
RANDOM: Does anyone remember Dragon Lore back around 95-96 ish? That was a sweet adventure/rpg game. Mutant dogbeasts ftw.
gladstone's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/17/2008 16:57
gladstone
This brings back fond memories of my C64. This game, Zak McKracken, the Infocom text adventures, and the SSI gold box D&D games all ate up hours of my young life.
PetiePal's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/18/2008 22:29
PetiePal
I have the computer version still and have attempted to play 3x but never got very far :(
The Amazing Shenazin's Avatar - Comment posted on 06/20/2008 06:25
The Amazing Shenazin
I just played this game yesterday :|
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