No matter what age I am, I always end up returning to point and click adventure games. Every year, usually without fail, I revisit and finish this list of classics. There is something quite simple, but endlessly engaging about them. I think the puzzle variety and story-driven nature of point and click games just draws me in.
This is my classic all time top 10 best point-and-click adventure games. I’ve shuffled this list more times than I care to admit, but I think I’ve finally landed on this particular order. Oh yeah, all of these run perfectly on the Steam Deck. Most of them are easy enough to just grab on Steam or GOG, but I usually just fire them up through ScummVM. It has the best support out there for these old game engines.
Well, let’s get to it.
10. Touché: The Adventures of the Fifth Musketeer
Clipper Software delivered this underrated gem in 1995. It looks and feels eerily similar to Monkey Island 2. Touché is a lesser known and not often talked about point-and-click adventure game, but it is no less enjoyable. You play as Geoffroi Le Brun, who has been recruited into the company of musketeers in Rouen, France. The game is set during the French Wars of Religion and this plays into the story quite significantly. Geoffroi becomes entangled in a series of dangerous events involving murder, betrayal and dark secrets. Geoffroi must navigate shifting alliances, confront corrupt figures and uncover hidden truths. Touché delivers a pretty classic point-and-click experience. My only real complaint is the unskippable travel sequences. The music is top tier and suits the environment incredibly well. I also feel the voice acting is pretty sharp. Touché is criminally underrated, and is more than good enough for #10 in my book.
9. Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge
Guybrush Threepwood, mighty pirate, finds himself on Scabb Island. Armed with a rugged beard and the clothes on his back, Guybrush sets out to find the legendary treasure of Big Whoop. As the title suggests, Guybrush is in line for yet another run in with the ghost pirate LeChuck. Guybrush navigates through yet another series of challenges, twists and uncovers a hidden connection to his own identity. While still holding onto that comedic style, Monkey Island 2 manages to deliver an overall much darker atmosphere. In lieu of insult sword fighting, there are a range of improved and more enjoyable puzzles. I feel like the puzzles are much more refined. I don’t even hate the monkey wrench puzzle. The story feels much deeper than the original. The music is much improved and the hand-painted backgrounds make the game feel like the environments really matter. Monkey Island 2 is a deadset classic, it refines everything that made the original great while elevating the experience to new heights.
8. The Dig
I’ve read a lot of negative comments about The Dig in recent times. I’m here to tell you, I’m not having it. The Dig follows Boston Low, a seasoned astronaut. Boston leads a team that includes journalist Maggie Robbins and engineer/geologist Ludger Brink. Initially, the team is to destroy an asteroid on a collision-course with Earth. The team soon discover, this is no ordinary piece of space rock. As they explore further, they start to uncover clues about a lost and once proud alien civilization. The Dig is unique, it feels big budget and it may as well just be an interactive movie. I mean, it nearly was a movie. Hell, Steven Spielberg was even on board as an executive producer. They did eventually pivot from being a movie to a video game mainly due to the rise of interactive media through the 1990s. That, and the fact that the setting, concept and narrative would have been incredibly difficult to adapt to film at the time. Landing on the format of an interactive point-and-click adventure game allowed the story to unfold in a more immersive way. This allows the player to solve puzzles and engage with the plot directly. The Dig is truly one of the best adventure games. While it will test your patience at times, but the experience it offers is definitely worth the effort.
7. Full Throttle
Tim Schafer’s vision of a darker, mature and more edgy narrative is on full display in Full Throttle. Full Throttle is set in a dystopian future, where technological advances has led to hover-vehicles being the norm. You play as Ben, leader of the Polecats biker gang. The Polecats are hired by Malcolm Corley, owner of the last known motorcycle manufacturer, Corley Motors, to escort him to their annual shareholders meeting. Things take a dark turn after Malcolm is murdered in a suspicious accident. Ben is framed for the crime. While Ben works to prove his innocence, he uncovers a larger conspiracy and a more sinister plot to essentially eradicate the motorcycle industry. I must say it is a somewhat different take on the point-and-click adventure game genre, as it incorporates more action elements. My only real complaint is that it runs a little short. Full Throttle helped define the genre during the golden era of adventure games. It stands out for it’s hand-drawn animation, compelling story and memorable characters. It’s blend of humour, action and adventure ensured it became a cult classic. Oh, and did I mention the soundtrack is biker metal?
6. Discworld Noir
Discworld Noir released in 1999 and is the third game in the Discworld series. Being a later release, it has made the jump to 3D. Despite the graphical shift, it retains a more classic point-and-click interface. It also does away with the moon-logic of the original Discworld game. You play as Lewton, a former member of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch turned private investigator. Lewton has been hired to investigate the disappearance of woman named Therma. As the case unfolds, Lewton uncovers an interconnected web of intrigue with magic and betrayal amongst a city-wide conspiracy. If you’ve read the Discworld books at all, the first thing you may notice about Discworld Noir is that they absolutely nailed the setting. Terry Pratchett himself even said that he appreciated how the game managed to capture the essence of the Discworld universe. He did have a hand in ensuring this. Pratchett held a supervisory and consultative role during development to ensure the game stayed true to the Discworld universe. It did just that. While Discworld Noir is a different style to the books, being a dark detective noir theme, it still holds onto that classic Discworld-style humour and tone. The 3D art style is well presented and the interface is simple and elegant. I’ve read my fair share of Discworld books and Discworld Noir as an original story is honestly up there with the best of them.
5. Sam & Max: Hit the Road
Into the top 5, Sam and Max was always going to be here somewhere. Sam & Max: Hit the Road follows the freelance police, Sam a 6-foot tall wisecracking, suit-wearing dog and Max a hyperactive rabbity-thing. The duo travel across the USA to solve the mystery of missing carnival attractions, Bruno the Bigfoot and Trixie the Giraffe-necked girl. Throughout their journey, the pair encounter even more bizarre characters in equally bizarre tourist-trap style locations. To me, the game is less about the story and more about the humour and dynamic between Sam and Max as they interact with the world. Sam is the straight-man, he has a calm and logical demeanour. Max is basically the exact opposite. He’s quite unpredictable and chaotic. For example, not even a few minutes in, Max is turning a cat inside out. The story is definitely there, and the story is good. But I just don’t think that’s the focus, nor is it the best part. The Sam and Max dynamic keeps the laughs flowing throughout the entire game. I guess you could say the comedy really drives the story. There’s just something about the combination of comedy, mini-games and big foots that makes the game work. And it works incredibly well.
4. Day of the Tentacle
I honestly couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve finished Day of the Tentacle. Original or remaster, I’ve lost count long ago. It’s one of the most perfect examples of point-and-click adventure games. The game follows Bernard, Hoagie and Laverne as they quest to stop the evil Purple Tentacle, a sentient tentacle created by Dr. Fred, from taking over the world. As a direct sequel to Maniac Mansion, the setting is once again the Edison family’s creepy mansion. This time, scatted through different eras of American history. After Bernard lets Purple Tentacle loose, the group are sent back through time using Dr. Fred’s time machine toilet, the Chron-O-John, to turn off Dr. Fred’s Sludge-O-Matic machine to prevent Purple Tentacle’s rise to power and hostile takeover of the world. It doesn’t exactly go to plan, as Dr. Fred has cheaped out on the required materials which lands our trio in different time periods and they must work their way back. The quirky atmosphere of Day of the Tentacle, including the music, is key to the whole experience. There is even a nice sprinkling of American history throughout, both fictional and non-fictional, that just adds to the level of intrigue. The game engine itself is nothing outrageous, even the remaster keeps things quite modest. But the story along with well-written characters and dialogue, the cartoony graphic style and the fun, but fairly simple, problem-solving all combine to make this one of the best adventure games of all time.
3. The Curse of Monkey Island
The Ron Gilbert-less Monkey Island. Sacrilege! Yeah, nah. I thoroughly enjoy Ron Gilbert’s games, I do. But I don’t give a shit what anyone says, The Curse of Monkey Island is the best Monkey Island game there is. Guybrush is much more lanky, the graphics are much more cartoony and Dominic Armato gives a voice to our once silent hero. We follow Guybrush after escaping the Carnival of the Damned, finding only disappointment in the quest for Big Whoop. Guybrush arrives on Plunder Island to find Elaine Marley under attack by LeChuck. Guybrush is captured but inadvertently defeats LeChuck and sinks his ship. Taking a giant diamond ring as a souvenir from LeChuck’s hold and using it to propose to Elaine, they discover the ring is cursed and turns Elaine into a solid gold statue. Guybrush sets off to the mysterious Blood Island to break the curse. The curse does get broken, but it doesn’t lead to the fairytale ending we’re expecting. After being captured again, Guybrush finally learns the terrible secret of Big Whoop. First Guybrush must escape his ‘imprisonment’, defeat LeChuck and save Elaine. Then, and only then, can we have our fairytale ending. The Curse of Monkey Island story is great and thoroughly enjoyable. The art style is excellent and the voice acting is superb. The puzzles are legitimately fun and engaging and the game actually runs quite long, which is a huge plus. Curse really doesn’t do a lot wrong. I’m a huge fan of the art style, all the environments look fantastic and everything looks like it belongs. Rubber trees included! Monkey Island surges into the future with full voice-acting. Monkey Island games don’t get any better than this. Seriously. More than good enough for 3rd spot.
2. King’s Quest 6: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow
It’s not another LucasArts game?! Come on now, I can’t help it if LucasArts were the kings of classic adventure games. Anyway. King’s Quest 6, the undisputed best in the King’s Quest series. Prince Alexander is more or less haunted by memories of his lost love Princess Cassima, who had been rescued by King Graham in the previous game. After seeing a vision in the magic mirror of Cassima being held prisoner in a tower, Alexander sets sail to rescue her. Through his long sea journey, he ends up shipwrecked. Conveniently in the right place, I might add. Alexander washes up on the Isle of the Crown, one of the five islands in the Land of the Green Isles. Alexander arrives to learn that evil vizier Abdul Alhazred has taken control of the kingdom, isolated all the islands and plans to force Princess Cassima to marry him. Alexander must explore each island, uncover their secrets, re-unite the islands and save the Princess. Sierra really got a lot of things right in King’s Quest 6. I thoroughly enjoy the story, it’s pretty well in-line with what you’d expect from a King’s Quest game with a good lot of tall tales and fairytale stories rolled in. It’s almost an open-world adventure game, you’re allowed to explore each island at your leisure in whatever order you like. But the biggest addition to the game is that your choices actually matter. While your choices did matter in previous games to some extent, the choices you make in King’s Quest 6 directly affect which ending you get. About half the puzzles in the game are surprisingly optional and you can solve them in a variety of ways. You can also complete them in whatever order you like, for the most part. The more open-world like style, for me at least, pushes King’s Quest 6 ahead of a lot of other adventure games. While I definitely like others with a more linear style, when presented with options on what I can do in the game it makes it all the more enjoyable.
1. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis is my favourite point-and-click adventure game of all time. It combines all the elements of the previous games on this list, but it’s wrapped in an Indiana Jones shell. We find Indy at Barnett College looking for a small statue on the eve of World War 2. Indy retrieves the statue for the mysterious Mr. Smith, only to discover that Smith is actually Klaus Kerner, a nazi agent. After stealing the statue and a small metal bead inside it, Kerner leaves behind a clue. A magazine article about an archaeological expedition Indy worked on with Sophia Hapgood, now a psychic. Assuming Sophia is Kerner’s next target, Indy leaves for New York City to warn her. Indy and Sophia uncover that Dr. Hans Ubermann, nazi scientist, wants to harness the power of the Atlantis for the war and presumably beyond. The goal becomes clear: stop the nazis at all costs. Indy and Sophia track down the Lost Dialogue of Plato which helps them uncover the location of Atlantis. The Lost Dialogue also reveals that keys will be required. These are engraved stone discs, which are required to enter the lost city itself and any lesser colonies of Atlantis. Travelling around the world to Algiers, Monte Carlo, Crete and Thera, Indy encounters nazi stooges, ancient puzzles and mysterious Atlantean devices. Indy must uncover the secrets of Atlantis and prevent the nazis from harnessing it’s power and unleashing it upon the world. Fate of Atlantis is a much longer adventure game, it also gives you some choice. There are three different paths. Wits, Team and Fists. Those three paths, I would hope are pretty self-explanatory. Pro-tip: make a save game when the options come up and come back and finish the other two paths! Each path is very enjoyable and has it’s own way of getting you to Atlantis. While it is a more linear game, the story is well-paced, concise and thoroughly engaging. The characters are all very well portrayed and developed. The music is excellent and fits with its well-crafted environments. Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis is more than deserving of top spot. This is the Indiana Jones movie we all deserved.
You can also read my review of Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis if you want to know more.
Dad with a Deck 
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