Over the years groups or individuals will come to a point where they are compelled to create more stories within the Maniac Mansion universe. Some make it all the way, and some never made it further than a nifty webpage graphic spouting "Coming Soon" for over two years. Lets take a look down memory lane.
Maniac Mansion Deluxe - On July 1st, LucasFan updated his site (LucasFan Games) with a new version of his widely successful remake of Maniac Mansion. This Deluxe Edition offers 256-colour artwork and characters, MIDI music and full sound effects to enjoy a romp around the mansion once again, with a screen-for-screen, joke-for-joke adventure remake. This wonderful job done by his team recaptures the whole game with precision. This remake was also featured on a TV segment, which I will have the links up to it soon for you to view it for yourself.
This latest update: "includes many bug fixes and additional translations. The game is available in twelve different languages now: English, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Maltese, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Brazilian, and Russian."
And for a game that has been downloaded more than 250,000 times (more than 100,000 downloads during its first week after release), and played by thee Ron Gilbert, it is definitely on its way to earning respect around the underground adventure game scene, as well as being revered by gamers of the adventure group for many years to come.
Added Nov 1st, 2004: LucasFan Games is now hinting at making a "Special Edison" Edition in the future. "The "Directors Cut" of Maniac Mansion Deluxe. More puzzles, more dialogs, more gas! Find out what's above the library and discover many new endings!"
Michael Jackson and the Moonwalking Mindbenders - I can't get the download to work, but it probably has to do wtih the fact that the game has been out for a good while, and has been forgotten about by the creator.
Manick Manschion - more information here.
DOTT: Return of Purple Tentacle - A Beats of Rage MOD - Seriously, this looks like a fun little mod to play. I hadn't heard about this
Beats of Rage, but basically it's "the combination of two of the best beat-em-up games around, Streets of Rage and King of Fighters." BOR was created by Senile Team, and offers a very easily mod-able game, in which aL BeasTie has taken it upon them self to bring in sprites from DOTT and create a fun looking TPP - Third Person Puncher. Be sure to stay tuned as this mod comes available. Also go to the site and check out the current screenshots.
DOTT2: Return of the Tentacles - There's also this German fan-game, being made my TRAM, or The Retro Adventure Makers. Using Visionare Adventure Creation Software, this game features only Bernard and the Edison's battling a future Purple Tentacle that survived, from what I have gathered from the site. They even have an english forum which I have recently posted on. Go check it out. I believe they have gotten a new artist, because the last time I had checked this site out, they were using backgrounds from DOTT, itself.
Return of the Tentacle - I have also heard rumblings of a Maniac Mansion 3 game (which is essentially the
same thing as saying DOTT2, but recognizes all three games in the series) being
made with Adventure Game Studio, with the name ROTT, Return of the Tentacle (no 's'). This game is in English, and as I said, not the same game makers as DOTT2, and isn't as far as the German game as far as production goes. Although wanting to remain anonymous, the maker commented that he had been working on this games storyline on and off for over 5 years, and is happy now to be able to get into making the game. He sent me in this early edition of the opening title shot, just to give a little proof to the existence.
Another possible game coming from Adventure Game Studio, is by Farlander.
A bit on the possible storyline has to do with Weird Ed's hamster passing on, and in his grief, is convinced by Purple Tentacle to open the basement, in which Purple escapes into time. Instantly, the current time around them changes, and it will be up to them to change it back.
Poor little hamster...
Maniac Mansion Quake 3 Mod
- a project started back in October 17, 2001. The group also had a level for Unreal that they were creating, but images of that are no longer available. You can download beta level, the PK3 file, right here.
Crazy Mansion - by Desperate Studios
Maniac Mansion Remake - A Spanish Maniac Mansion remake, not in production, but it
exists... here's the site. The graphics aren't always consistent, but yeah, it is a fan project.
