Christmas Giveaway: Tales of Monkey Island

The Secret of Monkey Island, published in 1990 by LucasArts, formed the basis of what would become one of the greatest adventure game series ever made. Playable on Ataris, PCs and Macintoshes, Monkey Island was the game that would turn every-day computer users into gamers. Followed up by Sam & Max Hit The Road in 1993, LucasArts created, cemented and effectively crowned themselves kings of the the graphical adventure game genre. Perhaps it's a good thing that they stopped producing adventure games soon after the fourth title in the Monkey Island series. Sometimes it is good to leave on a high note, right?

High note or not, it left many of us begging for more. We've been yearning for more Monkey Island for almost a decade -- but no longer!

We finally have a successor, an upgrade of the franchise that is more than worthy of its inclusion in the Monkey Island universe: The Tales of Monkey Island. Thank you Telltale Games for revisiting and rejuvenating this classic, hilarious and much-loved franchise that played such a pivotal role in the development of so many gamers.

For a brief review of the game, and details of the ten (10) copies of The Tales of Monkey Island that we're giving away (all 5 episodes!), keep reading.

The first thing that strikes you upon starting a new game of Tales of Monkey Island is just how polished it is. It's surprisingly great both visually and aurally. This isn't simply a sell-out by LucasArts or a quick money-maker by Telltale Games -- they've done it properly, thank God. They've done our memories of Monkey Island and its cast of hilariously dysfunctional characters justice -- they've even managed to get the entire cast of original voice actors!


Guybrush Ulysses Threepwood is back, and as funnily incompetent as before. As is his girlfriend Elaine -- the first chapter's tutorial opens with you trying to save her sassy, snazzy ass -- and his arch-nemesis LeChuck remains the big, bad boss of the new series. The first chapter picks up the story a few years after the last Monkey Island story and throws you straight into the thick of things: save your beautiful wife (what is it with animated girls being cuter than real ones?) and destroy LeChuck! Two birds with one stone! But, alas, it's just the tutorial, so you can't really expect to achieve a happy-ever-after...

Before you know it, you're dunking your magical sword into an unstable concoction of Mentos-and-Coke, chopping up helper monkeys and generally trying to save the day. I don't want to spoil it too much but... let's just say you don't get the girl. and you don't kill LeChuck. In fact you're violently exploded into the ocean (magically remaining in one piece) and spat out on an island of backward inbreds. And thus begins the first chapter of The Tales of Monkey Island: The Launch of the Screaming Narwhal.


And we have ten copies to give away! Of all five chapters! This is your perfect chance to give the gift of game this Christmas -- or maybe you just want to spoil yourself? Either way, here's a great way to enjoy an awesome adventure game and save $35 in the process. What've you got to lose?

Simply leave a comment and we'll enter you into the prize draw. You have until 11:59PM EST Sunday 9th December. Full terms and conditions follow.

• Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
• To enter, leave a comment below.
• The comment must be left by Sunday, December 9 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
• You may enter only once.
• Winners will be selected in a random drawing.
• Prize: Tales of Monkey Island (All 5 chapters) retail value of $34.95USD.
• Click Here for complete Official Rules.

Tags: adventure game, AdventureGame, features, game, gift, hgg, lucasarts, monkey island, MonkeyIsland, reviews, tales of monkey island, TalesOfMonkeyIsland