Point-and-click games may not be as anywhere close to as popular today as they were in their 1990s heyday, but classics within the genre were undoubtedly influential to many narrative-focused games. Back then and even today, a great point-and-click game features a story that puts butts in seats, is filled with witty banter, and engages your brain with puzzles that'll make you feel smarter when the clues click into place. With surprising reveal of Return to Monkey Island, we decided to round up the best point-and-click games across the ages (in no particular order). While many of our picks are older, genre-defining classics, there are some modern must-play titles here, including the recently released gem Norco. All of the games on this list are still playable and easily obtainable on modern platforms, so we've included links where you can get them today.
More best lists
Ahead of its time in multiple departments, 1993's Day of the Tentacle is still a wonderfully absurd point-and-click from the golden age of LucasArts. Finally remastered in 2016, Day of the Tentacle remains a masterpiece that helped lay the foundation for a genre that was about to reach its peak. The remaster is a perfect reminder of this, sharpening the visuals with original hand-drawn art, adding a high-fidelity soundtrack, and retaining all the classic gameplay that made this title a hilarious head-scratcher. Day of the Tentacle Remastered is available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and mobile devices.
LucasArts at its very best, Grim Fandango's tale of love and death is a sprawling adventure that plays out across several years. Packed with fantastic voice-acting and dripping with level design that set a new benchmark for games when it first arrived in 1998, Manny Calavera's journey through the underworld is still regarded as the pinnacle of the point-and-click genre. The remastered version is well worth a look, and like the best games in that category, it's packed with a number of substantial upgrades. You can grab it on consoles, PC, and mobile devices.
Read our Grim Fandango Remastered review.
LucasArts had been on a creative roll since its formation, and in 1990 the studio continued to prove that it was a heavyweight force to be reckoned with when it released The Secret of Monkey Island. Witty, charming, and well-animated sequels further fleshed out the tale of wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood and the comical world he inhabited. LeChuck's Revenge and Curse of Monkey Island all contributed to creating an incredible trilogy of high seas adventure, and while additional titles might not have recaptured that magic, the whole collection is still worth checking out on PC. Return to Monkey Island will be the sixth entry in the series and the first in more than a decade.
Read our Monkey Island Collection review.
Telltale Games found a recipe for success with Sam and Max, as the revival of the classic LucasArts IP came at the perfect time. Featuring an original story told in episodic fashion, the freelance police were back in action and ready to turn the town upside down in search of clues. Somehow managing to be both bizarre and logical, Sam and Max Save the World was a bonkers return to form for the duo. Later seasons might not have reached the same level of quality, but the tongue-in-cheek escapades of the first season is still a highlight worth experiencing. Sam and Max Save the World is available on Xbox, Switch, and PC.
Read our Sam and Max: Save the World review.
At its peak, Telltale Games was a creative force in gaming that was regularly churning out well-received point-and-click games. The Walking Dead was the studio's breakout game and led to a flurry of episodic adventures across numerous popular franchises. Building on the foundation set by earlier projects and defining the studio for a new decade, the Walking Dead Games are a haunting collection of cel-shaded episodic horror, fast-paced QTEs, and decisions that had tangible consequences. Five games in The Walking Dead Telltale series were released. The first entry was always the best, and there were some less-than-stellar spin-offs, but the final story arc brought Clementine's emotional journey to an impactful close. The Walking Dead's structure and gameplay found its way into other Telltale adventures such as the brilliant Telltale's Batman and The Wolf Among Us. You can play The Walking Dead on consoles, PC, and mobile devices.
Read our The Walking Dead reviews.
Time has taken its toll on the King's Quest series, but the original point-and-click is still an incredibly important part of gaming history. Essentially helping Sierra Entertainment evolve into a gaming juggernaut during the 1980s, King's Quest was a pioneer with its use of animation and almost-3D environments to create a graphic adventure. If you're looking to enter that kingdom and experience a less medieval point-and-click approach, check out the 2015 remake for a nostalgic dive into the past.
Read our King's Quest review.
What happens when you mix Twin Peaks with X-Files? You get this gentle love letter to supernatural TV series that also throws in plenty of LucasArts influences into its mix of puzzles and retro graphics. The big draw with Thimbleweed Park was its creative approach to puzzles, as it regularly tested your grey matter with imaginative solutions for its various puzzles. Loaded with a regular number of "EUREKA!" moments when you figured out those enigmas, the game is an ingenious homage to the past. Thimbleweed Park is available on just about every modern platform.
Read our Thimbleweed Park review.
Myst is required gaming for any point-and-click fan, and easily one of the biggest titles in the entire genre. A blockbuster game that had some fiendishly challenging puzzles to solve, Myst also featured some of the best set design of its time. If you were going to be stumped, at least you'd get a great view in the process. In the years since it first arrived, Myst has been ported to a wide range of platforms and can be found on most modern consoles. To get the most immersive experience possible, check out the VR version if you're able to.
Read our Myst review.
The game that introduced the world to the revolutionary design of the SCUMM interface, Maniac Mansion paved the way for LucasArts to create some of the best point-and-click games of all time. At the same time, Maniac Mansion is more than just a genre-defining tech showcase. It's a game that pokes gentle fun at horror films and B-movies, always having fun with its subject matter and thinking outside of the narrative box. Technology comes and goes, but the genuine affection for its cinematic inspirations and heartfelt humor helped define an era of gaming. You can pick up Maniac Mansion for cheap on Steam.
Point-and-click games had been used across a wide variety of genres, but Phantasmagoria was one of the few titles brave enough to use the format for horror. A huge departure from the more family-friendly King's Quest that Roberta Williams had created, Phantasmagoria mixed FMVs with terrifying encounters that was groundbreaking for its time. While some of the visuals might look dated by today's standards, the game still has a talent for being constantly unsettling. It's an interactive B-movie with some of the best overacting around. A cheesy classic that was unique for its time.
Read our Phantasmagoria review.
Credit to Funcom, as The Longest Journey certainly lived up to its title. A sweeping odyssey set across time, The Longest Journey is seen as one of the last great point-and-click games during the twilight of the genre. Released in 2000, it was a beautifully-rendered visual masterpiece, loaded with dialogue, and filled with foul-mouthed characters. If you have plenty of time to spare, give it a look on pC.
Read our The Longest Journey review.
Fans and supporters of Kentucky Route Zero had to exercise extreme patience for this episodic series, but with each chapter released, developer Cardboard Computer reminded people that the wait was more than worthwhile. Delayed satisfaction wrapped up in intriguing layers of mystery and fresh perspectives, Kentucky Route Zero is one of the finest point-and-click games of the modern era. If you're just checking it out, the good news is that you can grab all five acts of this magical realist adventure game in one complete package. No waiting years between chapters required.
Read our Kentucky Route Zero reviews.
Harrison Ford's whip-wielding hero of archeology was destined to be a video game headliner, and in 1992 he got to embark on what is arguably considered to be the best Indiana Jones game. Fate of Atlantis was an adventure that would have been impossible to realize on the silver screen, a swashbuckling tale of mystery and danger that offered versatile play styles. An Indiana Jones game that was heavy on cerebral challenges and punch-powered action, it was another feather in the LucasArts fedora when it first hit the scene.
There is no game: Wrong Dimension is as high-concept a title that you can point and possibly click at, a collection of meta-commentary and silliness that never takes itself too seriously. It's one of those titles that has to be played to be understood, as its abstract design and clever puzzles create one of the best paradoxes you'll ever interact with. It's a game, but it also isn't one. And the only way for that statement to make sense, is to try this underrated gem out for yourself.
Every great point-and-click game has an element that helps it stand apart from others in its genre, and for The Procession To Calvary, that X-factor is its beautiful absurdity. Taking a museum's worth of fine Renaissance art and using those assorted canvases to paint a puzzling picture, the game runs wild with Monty Python-esque humor. Whip-smart dialogue and bizarrely fun puzzles make this game a must-play on the bucket list for anyone who's a fan of the point-and-click genre.
A point-and-click game in an arthouse movie format that blends sliding-tile puzzles into its elegant design, Gorogoa still manages to use these cathartic themes to create exciting moments within its world. Some of the puzzles may leave you scratching your scalp raw, but nothing beats the feeling of successfully completing its visual riddles. Even if you can't solve those puzzles, the game is gorgeous to look at, an artisanal and hand-crafted mystery that'll challenge your perception.
Read our Gorogoa review.
An adventure game that features a more retro inspiration in its art direction, Norco is a more somber tale of life in the South. Melancholic characters inhabit a land that bears the scars of the merciless march of the oil industry, environmental ruin has set in, and a community is under siege in a game that has deep layers of storytelling. It's leagues more somber than anything else on this list, but Norco still manages to provide a thin sliver of hope within its pixelated tale of decay.
Read our Norco review.
Mobile devices have become the perfect platform for point-and-click games, and the 2013 game Device 6 still stands apart from the pack for its novel approach to taking advantage of that technology. What starts out as a text adventure quickly evolves into a highly interactive puzzle game that's backed by a jazz soundtrack and a unique layout. It has an eye-catching design that uses the iOS medium to tell a fantastic story.
Read the original here:
Best Point-And-Click Games To Play Ahead Of Return To Monkey Island - GameSpot
- High Seas Forecast (Tropical Atlantic) [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2016]
- International waters - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2016]
- high seas | maritime law | Britannica.com [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2016]
- Radiofax Charts - New Orleans [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- High Seas Alliance | highseasalliance.org [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- High Seas Fleet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- Web Design & Mobile App Developer San Francisco CA | HIGH SEAS [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- knit/lab high seas - Kieran Foley [Last Updated On: June 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 21st, 2016]
- Protecting Ocean Life on the High Seas - Pew Trusts [Last Updated On: June 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 27th, 2016]
- Convention on the High Seas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2016]
- Ultima Online: High Seas - UOGuide, the Ultima Online ... [Last Updated On: July 3rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 3rd, 2016]
- High Seas - Science NetLinks [Last Updated On: July 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 10th, 2016]
- High Seas Fleet - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: November 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 12th, 2016]
- United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea [Last Updated On: November 27th, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 27th, 2016]
- Ocean Prediction Center-Coastal, Offshore and High Seas ... [Last Updated On: December 15th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 15th, 2016]
- Global High Seas Marine Preserve A non-profit dedicted ... [Last Updated On: February 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 2nd, 2017]
- New centre for high seas visitors in Angus - The Courier - The Courier [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Naval Presence on High Seas Underscored - Financial Tribune [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Pirates Face Push Back On The High Seas - American Media Institute [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Queen Mary 2 to Host High Fashion on the High Seas - Cruise Hive - Cruise Hive [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Nigeria Rescues Oil Tanker From High-Seas Pirates - OilPrice.com [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- High Tea on the High Sea by Searoad Ferries Services [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Conflict and Diplomacy on the High Seas - Focus News [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Cabin cam shows the hilarious frustration of rolling on the high seas - Pickle [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Ransomware Gangs Have Become the High-Seas Pirates of the Internet - On the Wire (blog) [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Suspect in high-seas homicides hospitalized, putting case on hold - Sacramento Bee [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- To Boldly Cruise Where No Couple Has Cruised Before - Bloomberg [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Sailing the high seas: Top cruises for first-timers, families and excursions in 2017 - Malay Mail Online [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- All aboard for Cosplay on the high seas - The New Paper [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Star-Studded Broadway on the High Seas 8 Sets Sail Feb. 17 - Playbill.com [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- The Cold War returns to the high seas - CNN [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- 'The internet is like the high seas' - Deutsche Welle [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Greg McQuade discovers life on the high seas aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower - wtvr.com [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- In Dramatic High Seas Rescue, Four Fishermen Rescued By Good Samaritans Off Galveston, Texas, Coast - Patch.com [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Escape to the high seas at the National Aviary - NEXTpittsburgh [Last Updated On: February 22nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 22nd, 2017]
- Scapa Flow German High Seas Fleet scrap sites explored - The ... - The Orcadian [Last Updated On: February 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 23rd, 2017]
- Two boats towed in harbor in high seas - Cayman Compass [Last Updated On: February 24th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 24th, 2017]
- Take to the high seas with Condor Sailing Adventures - Pensacola News Journal [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2017]
- Aging high-seas murder suspect out of hospital and back in court - Sacramento Bee [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Masters of the waves talk of high seas, thrills & spills - The New Indian Express [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- Campbell River Sea Cadet off to England to hit the high seas - Campbell River Mirror [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Survival on the high seas (From The Northern Echo) - The Northern Echo (registration) [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Industry 4.0 on the High Seas - MarineLink [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- New Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales Trailer Brings Us More Action On The High Seas! - LRM Online (press release) (blog) [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Eco-warriors meet government authority on Ballina's high seas ... - Echonetdaily [Last Updated On: March 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 6th, 2017]
- Tech on the high seas: Fred Olsen IT chief chats cloud, connectivity and security - www.v3.co.uk [Last Updated On: March 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 6th, 2017]
- Why newbie Drusilla is preparing for life on the high seas - The Wharf - The Wharf [Last Updated On: March 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 7th, 2017]
- Bhang Travel Inc. Brings Cannabis Networking to the High Seas - PR Web (press release) [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- Drama on the high seas: East Kilbride couple reveal dramatic rescue after boat sinks in Gulf - Scottish Daily Record [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- French, Irish yacht sailors survive high seas off Australia's coast - TRT World [Last Updated On: March 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 10th, 2017]
- Journey through the high seas - Manila Standard - The Standard [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- High Seas Yacht Service | Specializing in Marine Propulsion Alignments [Last Updated On: March 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 11th, 2017]
- High Seas Adventure With Bunn And Molina's 'X-Men: Blue' - ComicsAlliance [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- Fun on the high seas - Dallas Voice [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Freedom on high seas - nation.lk - The Nation Newspaper [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Limerick cancer survivor returns to the high seas - Limerick Post [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- At ease on high seas, woman pilot storms into male bastion | Kolkata ... - Times of India [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Meeting on High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean - The Arctic Journal [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Shell Looks to Lower The Cost of Drilling on The High Seas - Chem.Info [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Indians work on high seas but yet to take a cruise | Goa News ... - Times of India [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Cubans Still Fleeing on the High Seas, Months After Obama Nixes Wet Foot/Dry Foot - Breitbart News [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Narcosis Brings Terror Comes to the High Seas on March 28 - Dread Central [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Duncan high takes class to the 'high seas' - Duncan Banner [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Cardboard vessels take to the 'high seas' at MCA - News Item [Last Updated On: March 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 27th, 2017]
- Skating a halfpipe on the high seas - GrindTV [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2017]
- SEAS: The Art Of Sound Perfection [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2017]
- Helping save a life on the high seas warmed the heart of one Craig woman - Craig Daily Press [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- Watch: Impressive High Seas Evacuation from Tall Ship - GCaptain [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- A dining odyssey on the high seas - Detroit Free Press [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- High Stakes for High-Seas Gaming - TravelPulse [Last Updated On: April 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 2nd, 2017]
- High life on the high seas - THE BUSINESS TIMES [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Captain Cannonball sails the high seas as a pirate - Destin.com - Destin Log and Walton Log [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2017]
- Real 'Pirate Women' On The High Seas Of Old | On Point - WBUR - WBUR [Last Updated On: April 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 5th, 2017]
- Trekr Racing makes its debut on the high seas - Washington Blade - Washington Blade [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- No clean boats on the high seas | Kochi News - Times of India - Times of India [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Cruise Operators Continue to Hide Behind the Death on the High ... - Cruise Law News [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Master of the high seas: Pomp, patriotism and politics as Navy's newest ship gets a name - Wicked Local Wellesley [Last Updated On: April 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 10th, 2017]
- Young family moves from high desert to life on the high seas - Grand Junction Daily Sentinel [Last Updated On: April 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 10th, 2017]
- Master of the high seas: Pomp, patriotism and politics as Navy's ... - Wicked Local Quincy [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]
- Orphans turn sailors for fun day on the high seas - Pattaya Mail [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2017]