Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion is a 1987 adventure game developed by Lucasfilm Games, notable for introducing the SCUMM engine that would power many classic point-and-click adventures for years afterward. Players control teenager Dave and two friends chosen from a group of characters, each with unique skills such as writing music or hacking, to rescue Dave's girlfriend Sandy from the deranged Dr. Fred and his mansion overrun by a meteor-controlled family.
The game replaced typed parser commands with a clickable verb-and-inventory interface, making adventure gaming far more approachable, and its choose-your-cast structure meant different combinations of characters could unlock different puzzles, paths, and multiple endings, including some spectacular failures. Its offbeat humour, B-movie premise, and interactive environments set the tone for the LucasArts adventures to come.
Maniac Mansion is remembered as a milestone in the genre and even appeared as a playable game-within-a-game in its own sequel, Day of the Tentacle. The original remains playable through re-releases and fan-supported engines.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Maniac Mansion, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thimbleweed Park Indie | € 19,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch |
| The Excavation of Hob's Barrow Indie | € 12,49 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch |
| Return to Monkey Island | € 24,99 | Steam Deck Verified | PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch |
| Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure Indie | Free | Steam Deck Untested | PC, Mac, Linux |
Thimbleweed Park Indie
€ 19,99An indie point-and-click adventure by Maniac Mansion's creators reviving the classic SCUMM style.
Thimbleweed Park runs on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
The Excavation of Hob's Barrow Indie
€ 12,49A pixel-art folk-horror adventure with classic inventory puzzles and a genuinely unsettling house.
The Excavation of Hob's Barrow runs on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch. Not available on PlayStation, Xbox.
Return to Monkey Island
€ 24,99A modern point-and-click adventure from the same creative lineage with witty puzzles.
Return to Monkey Island runs on PC, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Switch. Not available on PlayStation, Xbox.
Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure Indie
FreeA free short adventure by Ron Gilbert himself, using the verb interface he invented for Maniac Mansion.
Delores: A Thimbleweed Park Mini-Adventure runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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