The Secret of Monkey Island is a point-n-click adventure game released by
LucasArts in
1990, widely regarded as a classic and the best game in the genre. It utilises the
SCUMM system. It was originally released on the
Amiga and
PC, with an enhanced
CD-ROM version following on several platforms. The idea and much of the design was the work of
Ron Gilbert. Many
LucasArts luminaries were dragged into the game's development. Legend has it that the writers would patrol the corridors asking people to think up funny lines.
The plot revolves around Guybrush Threepwood's attempts to become part of the pirate community, Deep in the Carribean. While trying to pass some initiation tests set him by a bunch of drunks, he stumbles into the path of the evil Ghost Pirate LeChuck. Eventually he must thwart LeChuck's evil plans (using the Voodoo Root) and rescue Elaine Marley. They cleverly left the plot nice and open-ended for a slew of sequels. Classic (and usually recurring) characters in the series include Stan the salesman, The Voodoo Lady, Meathook, Lemonhead, Herman Toothrot and of course, The Three-Headed Monkey.
This generation of the SCUMM interface was also used in Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade.
For those who are still curious, the Secret of Monkey Island is never actually revealed in any of the games.