I think old point and click games were and still are great!
There, I said it.
A genre unto itself, the humble point & click game needs little in the way of bolstering for popularity. It is still a much-loved genre in the modern day. Gamers who think 2D games are a thing of the past may also believe that graphic adventures are dead too.
They would be surprised.
This post has been written as a nostalgia piece that we can mutually share and enjoy. A place where we can lose ourselves to pixelated bliss, mind-swimming object hunting, and hours of red-eyed bewilderment with moon logic.
These games came at a time when players embraced a challenge and strange game logic reigned supreme. The internet was yet to become synonymous with the iconic sound of the dial-up modem. I remember it all too well.
You can listen below.
Hear that? They were the days.
When parents could ruin a deathmatch by ringing Auntie Mary on the landline cutting you off mid-game!
“A Landline” I hear you say?
What’s “A landline?” That is another subject. It was a phone that was plugged into the wall, it didn’t come with WhatsApp.
My Love Letter To The Humble Point & Click Game
Anyway, who remembers some of the classic point and click games you could play on the PC or Amiga?
Gobliiins ring any bells?
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis by Lucas Arts? ( they made some great games )
My letter
Dear Point Point & Click Game
It feels so long since I basked in your VGA glow from the comfort of my Dad’s PC. All the pixel searching, the sharp aliased edges, the bright colours… the moon logic and process of elimination. You came at a time when entertainment, including games came with passion and love. Games didn’t have an identity crisis. The creator put the art first and the money spin second.
Games knew they were games back then, and they couldn’t be anything but original.
Or perhaps it is nostalgia that makes us forget your flaws? Either way, my fondness has not waned for you, but increased in your absence!
I must confess something to you my old point and click game. You are not just a thing of the past… I still play you, from time to time. When I get time.
Live strong!
Love of Indie Point & Click Games
I love a true adventure, I like 2D, and I like different. I’m in the stages of transferring all that I used to know with Adobe Flash, and creating projects in Unity.
I wrote a post previously in the Retro Gaming category – Are Point & Click games dead? You should check it out if you want to see if these games still have a pulse.
On my design blog, I have written a DEV diary around creating a point and click game which I have linked to here. Using Adventure Creator | Experiment
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Below is a list of some of my favourite point and click games.
Love Letter To My Old Point & Click Games | The List
This is a list of classic graphic adventure games you can still think about and even play in some corner of the internet.
Lure Of The Temptress ( Free )
Do you remember this game?
If you can recall this game, you may remember the escaping from a dungeon, bumping into the townsfolk, the locals, and the general challenge. This is a classic you must play if you need a dose of retro. I have referenced this game a couple of times on this blog when mentioning old games.
Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
What a game! I remember playing Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis on the old 486 PC on a floppy disc! Did old DOS computers come with games?…
If you want to play this awesome graphic adventure from the golden age of point-and-click games then you should consider downloading and playing the game from GOG. Push and pull your way to victory.
Broken Sword
When writing Love Letter To My Old Point & Click Games, this old pixel searcher that I played on the PS1 is another memorable game.
I do remember however that this game was particularly fussy when looking to interact with the environment. Broken Sword deserves to be on this Love letter list.
The Curse of Monkey Island
I have such fond memories of playing this game, however, I can’t recall if this one was on the 486 or a later PC with Windows 95, not Windows 3.2…
No list of classic graphic adventure games would be complete without The Curse of Monkey Island.
Gobliiins
This was a quirky game where you assumed the role of 2 Gobliiins. Back in the days of the old 486, I recall this being a tricky game to play, and I can’t recall the plot… only that I liked it.
Love Letter To My Old Point & Click Games | Recent Entries
Barrow Hill
Barrow Hill : Curse of the Ancient Circle is a more recent graphic adventure, and just touches upon being in my old point and click games list. Time flies!
This FPS point and click adventure kept me entertained when looking for work.
* Spoiler warning :
Never would I have felt threatened in such a way by a large standing stone in real life!
It was made by Shadow Tor Studios in the mid-00s. I felt it deserved an honourable mention as it was fun and full of character. This game had borderline nerd level of interaction in some parts ( Ketchup ) but I love it all the more for it. With the ham voice acting too which just added to the character, I recall this game with fondness. Again taking inspiration from my native Cornwall, I have a sentimental love for this game. It also came inside a PC box too.
The Lost Crown
Join Nigel on his ghost-hunting adventures!
By the way I describe the game in that opening sentence, it makes it sound like Nigel needs to be on some kind of medication but trust me… I enjoyed the game – especially as an indie development. It was creepy, interesting and I enjoyed the general aesthetic of the game too. The sound design was spectacular I would also like to add! With setting the tone and atmospshere. ( I doff my cap )
This is a game that deserves a nod in my love letter to my old point & click games. It is by no means an ancient game, but I felt I could tag into the tail end of some of my older games.
It was made with love and passion by a very small team. Much of the backdrops for this black and white 2.5D game were shot in and around South East Cornwall.
As an older new-game, made by a small team with a small budget, I found it pleasing to play to the end. The 2 entries here are by no means AAA, they are made by small teams but I love just the same.
Love Letter To My Old Point & Click Games – Finish
As a sign-off and a humble nod to some of the classics, I felt it was worth noting that these games were great fun and perhaps deserve another look. To play some of these games you may also want a more get an old controller.
Other interesting retro gaming topics:-
– Did MS DOS come with pre-installed games
– Are Retro games still popular