The Monkey Island series began in 1990, during the golden age of point-and-click adventure games. The games have predominantly been developed by LucasArts (also known as Lucasfilm Games), who developed numerous iconic point-and-click games in the 90s, including Grim Fandango, Full Throttle, and Day of the Tentacle. The point-and-click genre was incredibly popular throughout the 90s, with the genre's storytelling, notoriously tricky puzzles, and comedy keeping players coming back for more.
Unfortunately, the genre had a sharp fall from grace at the end of the millennium, as it struggled to adapt to the fast-changing landscape of the gaming industry, and the style of game was soon seen as old-fashioned. However, point-and-click games have been making a steady return, with games like Kentucky Route Zero showing how the genre can still thrive today, while Disco Elysium - although not strictly a point-and-click adventure game - has offered a modern RPG take on the genre that could influence point-and-click games for years to come. For those wanting to revisit one of the greatest point-and-click franchises of all time, here's every Monkey Island game, ranked.
Updated on September 27, 2022, by Jack Pursey: In an announcement that took everyone by surprise, a new Monkey Island game was revealed on April 1, 2022. The April Fools' Day timing understandably made everyone assume that it was just a joke, though it was soon revealed to be real. Return To Monkey Island was released on PC and Nintendo Switch on September 19, 2022, and is the first Monkey Island game from Ron Gilbert since 1991's Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge. The game has been very well-received by fans and critics, so we've updated this list of the best Monkey Island games to include the latest release.
6 Escape From Monkey Island
Escape from Monkey Island was initially released in November 2000, making it the fourth entry in the Monkey Island series. The game was the first in the franchise to use 3D graphics and once again centers around protagonist Guybrush Threepwood. Despite placing last on this list, Escape from Monkey Island is still an enjoyable adventure game that received a very respectable Metascore of 86, which is a testament to the consistent quality of the series.
For many years, it seemed that Escape From Monkey Island would be the final point-and-click adventure game from LucasArts, though the announcement of Return to Monkey Island, nearly 22 years later, has changed that. Escape from Monkey Island predominantly finishes last on this list for its awkward controls, poorly aged visuals, and infamous Monkey Kombat.
5 Tales Of Monkey Island
Tales of Monkey Island was initially released in July 2009 and is the only Monkey Island game that wasn't developed by LucasArts. Instead, Telltale Games took on the task of rejuvenating the series, which was an exciting prospect for Monkey Island fans given how well the studio did with bringing back LucasArts' Sam and Max franchise.
Tales of Monkey Island didn't disappoint and provided some of the best humor, voice acting, and writing in the entire series. The game picked up a handful of awards, including "Biggest Suprise" from IGN.
4 The Secret Of Monkey Island
The one that started it all, The Secret of Monkey Island, was initially released in October 1990 and - along with Loom from January 1990 - kickstarted a decade of dominance for LucasArts in the point-and-click genre.
The Secret of Monkey Island was LucasArts at their best in the early 90s, with the company's knack for writing genuinely funny dialogue and creating memorable characters on full display. The game also features some of the series' most iconic moments, such as the insult sword fighting. Nearly 20 years after the game first hit stores, a special edition remake was released that implemented a new hand-drawn art style, remastered music, and a hint system.
3 Return To Monkey Island
Return To Monkey Island's surprising return delighted the Monkey Island series' many fans, many of whom were just happy to see that the franchise was returning, with little thought going to how the game would turn out. To make the franchise's return even sweeter, the game has been receiving excellent review scores, resulting in a whopping 89 Metascore on PC.
Although the game is full of references to older games, especially with the collectible Trivia Cards, Return to Monkey Island is certainly not just fan service. Moreover, the game accommodates new players with an interactive scrapbook, which offers a brief re-telling of the key events of the previous games. The game is also accessible for those who struggle with tricky puzzles, as there is a Casual Mode that removes some of the harder puzzles, allowing players to just focus on the story. However, for those who love the tough puzzles that the Monkey Island games are known for, Hard Mode is there to provide a worthy challenge.
It is hard to compare Return To Monkey Island to the other games in the series, given how new it is and the time difference between releases. However, the game has lived up to even the highest of expectations, making the franchise's return a dream come true for many fans.
2 The Curse Of Monkey Island
The Curse of Monkey Island was released in November 1997, at a time when point-and-click adventure games were starting to go out of fashion. LucasArts clearly weren't going to let the genre die without a fight, however, as they attempted to breathe new life into the Monkey Island series with a new art style that gave the series a cartoon-like appearance, along with fully animated cutscenes.
The gameplay offered a quintessential Monkey Island adventure, led by its excellent story and a fantastic performance by Dominic Armato as Guybrush Threepwood.
1 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge, as the name suggests, was the second entry in the Monkey Island series. LeChuck's Revenge does have some issues, most notably the infamous "Monkey Wrench" puzzle, but by and large features a wonderful blend of the series' best features, with its excellent writing, humor, and puzzles.
Like its predecessor, Monkey Island 2 was remade with a modern new art style, which brought a whole new audience to the game. The upcoming Return to Monkey Island is set just after the events of LeChuck's Revenge, so now's the perfect time to revisit the series' best entry.