Summary
Maniac Mansion (1987) invited you to pick a trio of teenagers and trespass into the Edison household, where every room hid a gag, a trap, or a way to accidentally doom your friends. Its point-and-click style let you poke, pull, microwave, and misbehave, while multiple solutions made you feel clever - or guilty. The tone was pure B-movie mischief: goofy, creepy, and oddly charming. Different kids unlocked different routes, so replays felt like new capers rather than a rerun. It was less about reflexes and more about curiosity, experimentation, and laughing when your 'plan' backfired.
What it does well
Brilliant writing, multiple solutions, memorable characters, satisfying puzzles, and replays that genuinely changed how you approached the mansion.
Where it falls short
Occasional moon-logic, easy to miss key items, sudden fail states, and interface quirks that slowed momentum in tense moments.
Verdict
A genre-shaping comedy-horror adventure that rewarded experimentation, and stayed funny even when it punished your curiosity.