Maniac Mansion II: Day of the Tentacle (1993)
by Tim Schafer & Dave Grossman / LucasArts
The game in which there are no horizontal and vertical lines.
Day of the Tentacle (DOTT) is a 1993 point-and-click adventure game by LucasArts, and a sequel to Maniac Mansion. It follows three quirky characters—Bernard, Hoagie, and Laverne—who must stop the evil Purple Tentacle, a sentient mutant bent on world domination. After Purple drinks toxic waste and grows arms (and ambition), the heroes are sent across time—Hoagie to the past, Laverne to the future, and Bernard remains in the present. Players solve puzzles across these eras, where actions in one timeline affect the others.
The game is renowned for its cartoonish art style, absurd humor, and clever time-travel mechanics. For example, sending a message through time or freezing an object in the past to use it in the future are core puzzle elements. Its writing is sharp, with witty dialogues and exaggerated characters.
Originally released for DOS and Mac, DOTT became a cult classic and was praised for innovation and design. A remastered version launched in 2016 with HD visuals and voice acting updates, making it accessible for modern players. Today, it stands as one of the most beloved adventure games of all time, blending humor, storytelling, and clever puzzles into a timeless experience.