Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge 1991
Why it still holds upThe humour and the dialogue are the reason to play it now, with a lot of people to talk to and puzzles spread over a set of islands.
1990s point-and-click adventures that still hold up
Talk to everyone, pick up everything, think about it after
Games
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge 1991
Why it still holds upThe humour and the dialogue are the reason to play it now, with a lot of people to talk to and puzzles spread over a set of islands.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis 1992
Why it still holds upThe three paths give it three routes through one story, which is why it still holds up today, in a tone close to the films.
Day of the Tentacle 1993
Why it still holds upIts comic writing and voice acting are the reason to play it now, since in the CD version every line of dialogue is spoken.
The Secret of Monkey Island 1990
Why it still holds upIt stays playable because its puzzles avoid dead ends and deaths, and because the dialogue is still witty.
Grim Fandango 1998
Why it still holds upPlay it now for a Day of the Dead inspired afterlife styled as film noir, in a game where you cannot get stuck.
The Curse of Monkey Island 1997
Why it still holds upA simplified interface and a hard mode option still make its puzzles easy to approach today.
Sam & Max Hit the Road 1993
Why it still holds upPuzzles that ask you to collect items and combine them with scattered objects, in a tourist trap setting that cannot dead end, still let you explore at your own pace today.
The Longest Journey 1999
Why it still holds upThe slow pace of an adventure still suits clues that come from conversations and places, as each puzzle is a matter of paying attention.
The Neverhood 1996
Why it still holds upA puzzle is a matter of what Klaymen can do in the room you are in, which is simple to follow now.
Broken Sword: The Smoking Mirror 1997
Why it still holds upDescriptions on a right click, and conversation trees that give hints, still tell you what to try next.
Full Throttle 1995
Why it still holds upOne menu for every action, and dialogue where you pick the answer, still keep the adventure easy to get into today.
Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 1993
Why it still holds upChoosing exactly what to ask each person, one day at a time, still makes the investigation a slow puzzle of listening today.
Circle of Blood 1996
Also known as Broken Sword
Why it still holds upQuestioning every character and finding clues in your own inventory still makes each scene a small investigation today.
Toonstruck 1996
Why it still holds upWith nothing to lose, trying every item on every character is still the way to play it today.
Discworld Noir 1999
Why it still holds upAn investigation still keeps moving without leaving you stuck, as leads are crossed out in a notebook and a missed clue arrives later.
Blade Runner 1997
Why it still holds upSuspects who differ each new game, and clues that change what others do, give every case a reason to start again today.
Sanitarium 1998
Why it still holds upWith no game over, and chapters that each change the look and mood, it is still easy to follow into every new place.
The Dig 1995
Why it still holds upIt is easy to approach even now, because each puzzle is a matter of what to carry where, with items you collect and use on the environment.
Discworld II: Mortality Bytes! 1996
Also known as Discworld II: Missing Presumed...!?
Why it still holds upThe puzzles are still about finding the right item for the right person, with a Luggage that holds everything and four attitudes for every conversation.
Riven: The Sequel to Myst 1997
Why it still holds upA vaguely explained goal and cursors that tell you what a click will do still make exploring each place a matter of observing.
The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery 1995
Why it still holds upToday, two playable characters who each take half the chapters give the investigation two angles.
Space Quest IV: Roger Wilco and the Time Rippers 1991
Why it still holds upIt still has a lively look, from hand painted scenes and a click that tastes or smells things.
Tex Murphy: Under a Killing Moon 1994
Why it still holds upYou are still the one searching a 3D world for clues, at your own pace.
Discworld 1995
Why it still holds upChoosing a tone for each conversation, joking or angry, still gives every puzzle a social side.
The Last Express 1997
Why it still holds upA train full of people living on their own schedules, in a short game, still makes it worth replaying today.
Pajama Sam In: No Need to Hide When It's Dark Outside 1996
Why it still holds upA game with a sock hunt and a quiz show is an easy one to share, and it still is today.
Space Quest V: The Next Mutation 1993
Why it still holds upA starship captain who gives orders instead of just walking around still gives the point and click a new role.
Simon the Sorcerer II: The Lion, the Wizard and the Wardrobe 1995
Why it still holds upPicture icons for every action still make the commands easy to learn.
The Dagger of Amon Ra 1992
Why it still holds upA murder you have to solve from your own notes makes each playthrough a careful one.
Zork: Grand Inquisitor 1997
Why it still holds upThe jokes still make it a Zork that laughs, with supporting characters to step into.
Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned 1999
Why it still holds upChapters that let you do the required actions in any order still leave room to look around.
King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow 1992
Why it still holds upWith several routes through so much of it, a return trip now can turn up something missed the first time.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream 1995
Why it still holds upHaving the author of the story help design the game is a reason it is still worth seeking out.
Simon the Sorcerer 1993
Why it still holds upA lighthearted evening with a parody of fairy tales is still a fine way to spend a few hours today.
The Journeyman Project 3: Legacy of Time 1998
Why it still holds upThe disguise still lets a time traveler solve the past by pretending to belong to it.
Shivers 1995
Why it still holds upThe one slot still makes every capture a trip across the haunted museum with your hands full.
The Legend of Kyrandia 2: The Hand of Fate 1993
Why it still holds upThe cauldron still makes the answer a potion you have to work out how to brew.
Gobliiins 1991
Why it still holds upWorking out what each odd talent will do in a cartoon world with its own logic still turns every screen into a small puzzle box.
Torin's Passage 1995
Why it still holds upAn adventure made for a parent and a child, with a hint for whichever of them is stuck, is still a shared game today.
Tex Murphy: The Pandora Directive 1996
Why it still holds upThe three paths still leave the detective you are to decide how it ends.
Albion 1995
Why it still holds upThe story reviewers praised on release, set in a world this carefully built, is the reason to play it now.
Loom 1990
Why it still holds upAn adventure played by humming spells is still a distinct way to play today.
Realms of the Haunting 1996
Why it still holds upThe doors still hide a universe behind every one, in a haunted house that is also a shooter.
Myst 1993
Why it still holds upAn island that explains nothing, with puzzles as its only voice, is still there to wander today.
Inventories, dialogue trees and puzzles that sometimes ask you to think like the person who wrote them. Many of them are also very funny, and the writing is a large part of why they still work.