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"Maniac isn't a strong enough word for this crazy game"

Next on the docket is a game called Manic Mansion. Just like Dr. Chaos I, once again, have never played this game before in my life, but concerning the well know nature of its game from countless other people, I'm actually expecting a pretty good experience with this game, but, just like Halloween itself, nothing is ever what you would expect, and yes, I just made a Halloween metaphor. How many people can say that they have though of one in their entire lives. None, that's who.

Upon booting up the system, I am again treated to a tile screen, and unfortunately, unlike Dr. chaos, this one isn't as interesting. Its basically just a red and black screen with the name Manic Mansion in bold, semi italic lettering, but what thou do my eyes bestowal? This is a LucasArts game? Hot damn! This game is going to kick butt, and it only gets better. Why? There's a story added in this game's cartage itself, instead of, you know, obscurely hidden in instruction manuals that probably don't exist anymore. Lets take a look, shall we?

Twenty Years ago today…

That's it? Really? That's not a story. I don't know, I was expecting some passive storyline to help make the game interesting and clear, but nope, I only get one sentence that doesn't really explain anything or ever really matters. So what if this game took place 20 years ago in 1990. That's not extremely helpful now is it. Oh well, I cant complain too much I guess, but still, what a rip-off. Moving on, and after yet another title screen, it finally arrives at a character selection screen where I have to pick three characters to play with. By the way, the music playing during this screen quite funky. I know you cant hear it through this text biased review, but trust me, its pretty cool.

Oh, wait a minute. Never mind, I was wrong, there IS more story added to this game. Apparently, you're a group of kids who must raid to some dusty, old mansion to save some chick named Sandy from the clutches of the evil Dr. Fred, and if that's not the most generic name for any character in any game, then I don't know what the hell is. Besides, what with all the doctors in these video games? Did the United States Department of Health have extra money laying round to fund games with doctors in them? Anyway, before I get way off track…wait, did one of the guy character I chose say “DR. FRED was CUTE”? This has to be a typo, its just got to be one.

So, after all this bizarre exposition, the game switches to the main game and…what the hell is this? Suddenly, I'm hit with a ton of choices to pick from to depict what human action I want to choose. OK, I really wasn't expecting some like this, but I guess I'll play along and learn to deal with it. Besides, the first thing I have to do is enter the building itself. How hard could it be? So, just getting use to the controls, this is more of an point and click kind of RPG where you have to navigate your character with an on screen arrow. Kind of clever and strange at the same time, seeing as how I could probably see this as a problem in the future, but, lets not get to pessimistic to quickly. I have also just found out that you can actually save in this game. Cool, but considering my emulator has a save feature on it that I trust, I doubt I'll be using this system

Hey this is interesting, one of the characters, Bernard, bears an uncanny resemblance to the Angry Video Game Nerd. I wounder if he dies, he will say something crude and foul like his real life counterpart usually does. I would just die of laughter.

So upon entering the house, I begin searching around in a couple of rooms. I come across a kitchen and begin to search around, and suddenly, I get captured by some creepy blue chick in a white lab coat. How random. Anyway she takes my character away to some hidden underground chamber and locks me in. So, without much of a choice, I have to switch to another character of mine. In the kitchen, I come across a fridge with broken bottles of ketchup, cheese, and Pepsi? Wow, product placement in a Nintendo game. Never thought I would see that.

This is kind of annoying. To pick multiple objects, I have to keep hitting the ‘Get' command over and over again. Why cant I just pick ‘Get' and keep me in that mode until I change it manually? Also, I forgot to mention, for each character in the game, he or she gets a theme song that plays constantly through the game. Sure, they sound quite spunky full of life, but I can just tell they will get annoying as the time goes on unfortunately.

Oh and apparently, some blue guy, who I'm guessing is some commander and chief of this mansion (I cant really tell you) is hungry and probably heading off on my direction. Seriously, this game is just bizarre. I guess that's the one word to describe this game, because who knows what will happen next, and, you know what, I kind of like it. In fact, just now, the AVGN character just got captured by the guy, accusing him of being a spy, investigating a resent meteorite that just crashed out beside the house. What the hell? Wow, this game is just absolutely hilarious. Again, the random cycle continues. I just came across a cut scene involving the Sandy chick and the Doctor and he is threatening and telling her that he will suck out her brains with his machine that he has built which I guess can harness the power of a meteor impact, and she's just standing there, all high and mighty in that sleek outfit of hers, telling the Doc. that he can “eat slime”… Uh, burn?

Continuing on with my quest, I'm come across all sorts of weird situations. Apparently, there is a green tentacle that wants to be fed and who also wants to be a rock star, and keeps a poster over his bed that reads “I'm a rocker Tour of 86”, which I just found absolutely funny. I'm truly at a loss of words with this game. The only problem really that I could find is, once again, I'm not exactly sure of where I'm suppose to go or what to get. Sure, a lot of these weird situations help you stay on the right track so you don't get lost, but it can still be a confusing and slighting annoying game from time to time, especially when the clues aren't very obvious.

Still, for most of the game, its usually consist of the same searching and gathering of items, so of you really like those kinds of games were you have to do all is collect until you heart explodes, then this game is for you, especially since I don't think you can die in this game. Besides, this game just has a great sense of humor and I swear you'll be laughing your ass off the whole entire time. In fact, despite such a creepy name, this isn't really that frighting of a game, so I cant quite suggest it for Halloween, but as a normal, everyday game to play on your spare time, I'd say check it out; Its not that bad.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/27/10, Updated 10/29/10

Game Release: Maniac Mansion (US, September 1990)