Ta-Da!!! Now who’s pulling who out of a hat, motherfucker?!?!

It was really only a coincidence but I think I’m working up a new tradition here to include 1 classic LucasArts adventure on my Winter Games list every year. Last year Grim Fandango ate the bomb (and was the only game on my list to do so) but this year the spot goes to Sam and Max Hit the Road. This hilarious take on cheesy Americana heartland tourism was an instant classic and has recently gotten its due with the episodic sequels being released by Telltale Games.

First of all, major props go out to the SCUMMVM engine, which makes it possible to enjoy these classics on modern day machines. The LucasArts adventures should be missed by no self-respecting gamer, as they represent some of the finest examples of the genre. Hit the Road features the detective duo of Sam and Max as they cross the country searching for a Bigfoot that disappeared from a circus sideshow.

If there is one caveat to be mentioned, it’s that you should seriously reconsider allowing long spans of time lapse between play sessions. As a Winter Game, it may not have been the best choice because there were several puzzles made excruciatingly difficult by having forgotten the places I’d been to and characters I’d already met. Grim Fandango was much easier in this regard due to the more self-contained chapters. Nonetheless, a modicum of prodding from the Universal Hint System allowed me to stay on track without too much frustration and I look forward to checking out the new episodes on GameTap.

I’m thinking next winter I’ll either have to return to Monkey Island to rediscover LeChuck’s Revenge or finally wrap my brain around Day of the Tentacle.