Revisiting Monkey Island

There are hundreds of reasons to be a PC gamer this year, but I think that The Secret of Monkey Island is probably the most pleasant surprise I received in 2009.
LucasArts released the original version back in 1990 when the top gaming technology available was 256 colours on screen. It used the SCUMM engine on which many classic adventure games are based. A few years later (1992) it was re-released with improved graphics, a better UI and a MIDI soundtrack which enhanced the gameplay and put the game back on the shelves.

I was lucky enough to be able to play the earlier editions of the game but for those newcomers and the nostalgic ones who would like to revisit this timeless classic, LucasArts just launched a Special Edition!

Monkey Island Special Edition features:

• New high resolution 32-bits graphics


• Remastered soundtrack


• Voice acting


• A flashback feature that allows you to quickly switch between the original and the new edition by just hitting a key

I find myself hitting the F10 key all the time going back and forth with a smile remembering how great Monkey Island was and what an awesome job they did with the art on this one. The gameplay is almost untouched except by the UI which was simply truncated to gain space on the screen. The action panel was replaced by a smart pointer that can switch the actions with the mouse wheel or keyboard shortcuts.

The voice acting makes the game feel much more realistic, and the 2D-like graphics are charming and innovative but preserve that memorable touch that make nostalgic gamers smile on every screen. Some newcomers might not like the artistic work since it is not 3D like all the modern adventure games, but I think this was essential to preserve the game's classic feel.

The release of Monkey Island Special Edition is great news and this hopefully means the resurrection of a beautiful game genre, with many more titles to come.