Maniac Mansion

The Good
Maniac Mansion, was the first adventure game from LucasArts. As well as the first game to use the now infamous S.C.U.M.M. design. That would later be implemented by the Monkey Island series. The NES port is surprisingly an excellent port of the PC classic.

In Maniac Mansion, Dave’s girlfriend Sandy, is taken by the loony Dr. Fred. To be used in an experiment. “Weird Fred”, will take her brain! Dave and two of his friends of your choosing, must infiltrate the mansion and rescue Sandy.

Each of Dave’s friends has there own unique talents and abilities. Michael for instance, is the only one that can develop Weird Ed’s secret spy film. While Wendy is the only one that can re-write the memoirs of the tentacle.

Depending on how you solve the puzzles will result in the various different endings. These add to the replay value of the game. And make Maniac Mansion, the only LucasArts adventure with multiple endings.

In the game you explore the house, collecting items, using them to solve problems, and avoiding being caught by the members of the house. Some items are implemented very well, while others tend to be more off-beat. The way Ed reacts to the doorbell ringing is genius.

The Graphics are good for a NES game. But compared to other versions of the game they are more of a mixed bag. The Commodore 64 version for example, features bigger more detailed sprites. But they tend to be less colorful. But overall they are good, practically considering the weakness of the NES.

The Music really shines here. All the kids and situations have a theme song. All of which are very catchy. I have not played this game in years, yet, I can remember the music as if it was yesterday. Why doesn’t all NES music sound this good?

There are very few sound effects to speak of. But the very few there are fit the context, and the game as well as possible.

The Bad
The controls suffer on the NES. A mouse would be ideal for a game like this. And of course there is not one for the NES. You can only save one game. In the Commodore 64 version you could not save at all, so I guess this is an improvement, yet more save slots would have been nice.

This version is pretty obsolete, with the LucasFan Games version. Which is freeware by the way. That’s the one I play when I have a hankering for some Maniacing.

The Bottom Line
Overall this is one of the best games of the NES. Despite the fact that the free remake is available. Try it if you are one of those types that must play every version of a game that you like.

The Good
What did I like about the game? Everything! In fact, it hurt a lot to read the comments of others (especially considering the poor use of grammar and spelling). So many people missed the point of the game: it's supposed to provide a good time. While others were busy nitpicking the "poor" graphics and bad story line, I was busy having a blast playing the game.

I don't simply like the game because it heralded a new era in graphic adventures. Why do you think all those other graphic adventures came after Maniac Mansion? Because of the precedence set by Maniac Mansion! Do you honestly believe that if Maniac Mansion was a poorly-conceived flop, other graphic adventures, such as the Monkey Island series, would have been released? No! Corporations may not always know what product will turn out to be good or bad until it's released, but sales figures and customer feedback doesn't lie! Maniac Mansion was a solid hit in 1987, and it has left a legacy still being felt today.

The game play is great! Even though the graphics were unrealistic, I was still panicking (and yes, putting an ING after panic includes a "k") when Weird Ed (one of the villains) comes down to get the door and I'm still in the living room.

The creators of "Monkey Island" didn't wake up to a comic epiphany in the middle of the night. The comic genius of the creators is very evident in Maniac Mansion, even though some of it is missing in the watered down NES version (by the way, there is much more to Maniac Mansion than you think. You should read "The Expurgation of Maniac Mansion" at http://dott.mixnmojo.com)

I can't say enough about the game.

The Bad
There's all sorts of reasons why people don't like the game, I'll describe the most common complaints:

THE GAME GRAPHICS ARE BAD! Well, no offense, but "DUH!" The game was made in 1987. Also, if some gamers find that graphics are the sole point of playing a game, then they should probably consider playing more "up to date," "shooter" games. The graphics adventure genre probably goes over their heads anyway.

THE PLOT'S STUPID! And so are the special effects on Mystery Science Theater 3000. Have many gamers missed the point? It's a PARODY of really bad teenage entertainment of the '80s (do I have to bring up "Hobgoblins?"). Obviously people associate bad graphics (due to being dated, not the fact that they were particularly bad in the first place) with a bad plot! If you're not looking for humor in a game, might I suggest "Loom?"

IT'S SO OLD! Well, granted there are nice things about games being new, but who says that old is the same as bad? Is the movie "To Kill a Mockingbird" bad? Is the Mona Lisa or Michaelangelo's "David" lame because they're aged?

The only complaint I've ever had about the game was the fact that you can waste certain objects that will become necessary in a future puzzle. This will just teach you to be careful and save the game often.

The Bottom Line
How would I describe this game to others? I don't know, let's see...will I have to use picture flashcards?

Some think that Maniac Mansion is remembered fondly because it brought about a new age in graphic adventures. On the contrary, Maniac Mansion was so GOOD that it was able to bring about a new age in graphic adventures. If Maniac Mansion really was as bad as some of these reviews describe, most of the games would have been banished to the backs of closets and landfills across the U.S. by now.

Serious graphics adventure gamers who are looking for a campy classic, listen up! Don't let the "McDonalds-esque" instant-gratification gamers deceive you! If you're looking for a solidly built graphic adventure from a long forgotten era where gameplay mattered more than whiz-bang special effects, THIS GAME IS FOR YOU! Get to eBay immediately and pick up a copy. You certainly won't break the bank, they only go for $3-4.

The Good
The historical value of this game is huge: It was the very first of LucasArts' games to feature the SCUMM (Script Creation Utility For Maniac Mansion) engine, a groundbreaking platform that featured many classic adventure games over the course of the '80s and '90s (such as the Monkey Island series, Day Of The Tentacle and Sam & Max).

It's certainly interesting to play through this game in light of having played through the 'classic' SCUMM games: You can then see how the genre has evolved over time.

The Bad
Some puzzles are quite a bit harder than those found in other LucasArts games; can be dull/frustrating if you get stuck. The interface isn't as intuitive as is found in later SCUMM games, so it can be confusing at times.

I expect that if you played this in 1987 you would really enjoy it and find the graphics and sound to be excellent. Nowadays, it just doesn't stand up to the later SCUMM games in terms of storyline, humor, graphics and just about everything else. I found it interesting to play, but not that much fun really.

The Bottom Line
If you're a fan of SCUMM games, then you need to play this game (make sure to play the enhanced version). If not, stick to the later SCUMM games to fully experience and appreciate the genius of LucasArts.