LucasArts Veterans Reunite for Thimbleweed Park

As always, I remind you that I don’t report on video game kickstarters willy-nilly: if I’m going to bring your attention to a fundraising effort it’s because there’s something about that kickstarter that’s either incredibly impressive or worth knowing as a consumer.  The former is the case today, as former LucasArts legends behind Secrets of Monkey Island and Maniac Mansion are asking for some funding to finish their newest Point-and-Click adventure, Thimbleweed Park.

Being developed by Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, Thimbleweed Park aims to recapture the glory days of the point-and-click adventure game, complete with complicated plot, biting humor, and 8-bit graphics that look ripped straight off an old Atari computer… with more color, but still.   The game stars five protagonists (two washed-up detectives, a cursed clown, a ghost, and a wealthy heiress) who can be switched between at any time, and, allegedly, a plot tied together by a bloated corpse under a bridge.  

The game is asking for a pretty hefty $375,000 to get started, with no stretch goals announced and a $20 minimum donation to get a copy of the game when it’s released, which is looking to be around 2016.   At time of writing, they’ve raised an impressive $154,061, meaning they’re well on their way to being half done, with 29 days yet to go.

Personally, this does little for me, as I’ve never had much fondness for Point-and-click games nor any nostalgia associated with them, but there are giant names connected to this that you have to respect for their impact on the industry, so it would be inconceivable for me to NOT report on this.   Check it out, donate if you want, and I’ll keep an eye on it as it develops.