Games
Sony
Microsoft
Nintendo
Other Platforms
Upcoming &
Recent Releases
42
0 Day Attack on Earth
80
0-D Beat Drop!
68
Alien Breed Evolution: Episode 1
xx
Aliens vs. Predator
xx
Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? Game Time
73
Army of Two: The 40th Day
91
Assassin's Creed II
56
Assassin's Creed II: Battle of Forli
71
Axel & Pixel
61
Backyard Football '10
60
Bakugan Battle Brawlers
76
Band Hero
xx
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
90
Bayonetta
70
Ben 10: Alien Force - Vilgax Attacks
89
BioShock 2
62
Blood Bowl
xx
Blur
84
Borderlands
63
Borderlands: Mad Moxxi's Underdome Riot
81
Borderlands: The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned
82
Brutal Legend
72
Call of Duty Classic
94
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
60
Chaotic: Shadow Warriors
79
Chime
xx
Crash Time III
51
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation - Deadly Intent
74
Dante's Inferno
59
Dark Void
83
Darksiders
xx
Darwinia+
xx
Deadly Premonition
55
Death by Cube
67
Diner Dash
62
Divinity II: Ego Draconis
84
DJ Hero
86
Dragon Age: Origins
xx
Dragon Age: Origins - Return to Ostagar
56
Dragon Ball: Raging Blast
xx
Dreamkiller
60
Encleverment Experiment
51
Fairytale Fights
90
FIFA Soccer 10
xx
Final Fantasy XIII
92
Forza Motorsport 3
xx
Fret Nice
89
Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
60
Guitar Hero: Van Halen
75
Gyromancer
62
Inferno Pool
61
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game
60
Jurassic: The Hunted
64
Karaoke Revolution
70
KrissX
89
Left 4 Dead 2
71
LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues
71
LEGO Rock Band
70
Lips: Number One Hits
xx
Madagascar Kartz
66
Madden NFL Arcade
69
Magnacarta 2
xx
Major League Baseball 2K10
96
Mass Effect 2
65
Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond
xx
Metro 2033
xx
Misadventures of P. B. Winterbottom, The
78
MX vs. ATV Reflex
25
NBA Unrivaled
75
NCAA Basketball 10
75
Panzer General: Allied Assault
89
Peggle Nights
53
Planet 51
74
Polar Panic
77
Pro Evolution Soccer 2010
67
Puzzlegeddon
51
Qix++
62
Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!
xx
Rock Band Metal Track Pack
28
Rogue Warrior
73
Saboteur, The
75
Sam & Max Beyond Time and Space
56
Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen!
68
Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter
60
Sherlock Holmes vs. Jack the Ripper
xx
Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing with Banjo-Kazooie
xx
SpongeBob's Truth or Square
81
Stoked: Big Air Edition
xx
Supreme Commander 2
80
Tekken 6
xx
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction
46
Tony Hawk: RIDE
60
Tower Bloxx Deluxe
75
Tropico 3
55
Vancouver 2010: The Official Videogame of the Winter Olympic Games
69
Vandal Hearts: Flames of Judgment
73
Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Ep 2: The Last Resort
72
Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Ep 3: Muzzled!
72
Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures Ep 4: The Bogey Man
66
Way of the Samurai 3
53
Where the Wild Things Are
xx
Winter Sports 2010: The Great Tournament
81
WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2010
Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.
Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, The
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 34 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 36 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >
Game Info
Publisher: LucasArts
Developer: LucasArts
Genre(s): Action, Adventure
Players: 1
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)
Release Date: July 15, 2009
Summary
[Xbox Live Arcade] Pirates! Adventure! Monkeys! Relive the hilarious swashbuckling misadventures of the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood as he attempts to become the most infamous pirate in the Caribbean! Back by popular demand, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition faithfully re-imagines the internationally-acclaimed classic pirate adventure game from LucasArts in gorgeous HD detail. Featuring an all new re-imagined contemporary art style, hand-drawn and presented in 1080p, complete voice over by members of the original Monkey Island - franchise cast, a re-mastered musical score using live instruments, plus scene-for scene-hot swap to seamlessly transition between Special Edition and Classic modes at anytime. Embark on a bumbling misadventure in an attempt to become the most infamous pirate in the Caribbean, win the heart of the beautiful governor, Elaine Marley, and confront the evil ghost pirate, LeChuck! The game is all-new and re-imagined with a contemporary art style, hand-drawn and presented in 1080p. Complete voice over using original Monkey Island franchise cast members brings the story and characters to life like never before. Enjoy the re-mastered and re-recorded musical score using live instruments. Scene-for-scene hot swap lets you seamlessly transition between Special Edition and Classic modes at anytime during gameplay. The all-new intuitive game interface and controls provide a more interactive gameplay experience. Hint system: Not sure what to do next? The in-game puzzle hint system keeps the puzzles fresh and fun. [LucasArts]
Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central
Also On The Web: Official Website
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
1UP
This is quite a perfect adventure game that joins a not-as-perfect-but-still-really-damn-good modern adaptation of a perfect adventure game. What we have is a classic game packaged in a way for everyone (PC or console gamer alike) to finally and easily play it, and that's exactly what you should do -- whether you're learning the secret of Monkey Island for the first or 50th time.
Read Full Review >Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
Guybrush and gang get the gaming equivalent of a knighthood, a Ferrari and a bonk with Megan Fox. [Oct 2009, p.102]
Gameplanet
An excellent remake that does total justice to the original. A joy to play with the fantastic humour and characters lovingly recreated as we can only imagine they were originally intended.
Read Full Review >WonderwallWeb
This is what remakes should be all about, keeping the original story was a brave but sensible move and Lucasarts have pulled off the new look well.
Read Full Review >Destructoid
Memories of Secret of Money Island are cemented in my brain, and my original experience with the title is intertwined with my gamer soul. This is an incredibly special game already -- a benchmark for future adventure titles -- made even more special for the current-generation player with new art, UI, sound, and voice acting. Don’t miss this.
Read Full Review >TeamXbox
For long-time fans, it’s a chance to relive a part of our childhood; for newcomers, it’s a chance to experience what so many of us haven’t stopped talking about for nearly 20 years.
Read Full Review >Games Master UK
A remake oozing love and affection - hopefully the first of many LucasArts reduxes. [Sept 2009, p.74]
Gamer 2.0
With so many fans already on board and many gamers itching to see what all the fuss was about, Secret of Monkey Island never disappoints and delivers a remarkable revision of this classic adventure.
Read Full Review >Gamers.at
Monkey Island Special Edition is the well done remake of a classic game. The controls may not be perfect, but the graphics and sound make up for it.
Read Full Review >3DJuegos
It is impossible not to feel nostalgic with The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition. An amazing remake of an amazing original game.
Read Full Review >Gaming Age
The Secret of Monkey Island is a classic, and the enhanced visuals, soundtrack and audio, along with the inclusion of the original art and music is just icing on the cake. Drop that FPS, pack up your rubber chicken-with-a-pulley-in-the-middle, and book a trip to Monkey Island.
Read Full Review >Cynamite
If you’ve never played Monkey Island, now you've got a very good reason to.
Read Full Review >Thunderbolt
The Secret of Monkey Island is still one of the greatest games of all time and this new Special Edition presents it to a new audience with its fantastic production values and hilarious dialogue.
Read Full Review >Gamer.nl
For only 800 Microsoft Points you'll get one of the greatest adventure games of all time, complete with spoken dialogue and brushed up visuals. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition offers fans as well as newcomers hours of gameplay.
Read Full Review >X360 Magazine UK
Point-and-click gaming at its very best. Ignore it at your own stupidity. [Issue#49, p.102]
Teletext GameCentral
The landmark script and puzzles override the bland artwork as the classic graphic adventure returns.
Read Full Review >GameSpy
If you cut your teeth on, say, Telltale's various Sam & Max or Strong Bad series, you're about to find out exactly what a hardcore adventure game plays like.
Read Full Review >Official Xbox Magazine
Secret is the foremost example of the genre on Xbox — and arguably anywhere else.
Read Full Review >Eurogamer
Few games can stand the test of time with such confidence, and whether your interest stems from its genre-defining significance or its reputation as an unforgettable game, you won't be disappointed by time spent on Monkey Island. Anyone who disagrees probably fights like a cow.
Read Full Review >PALGN
This is the superlative iteration of an undisputed masterpiece. The core game is so funny, charming and entertaining that any minor flaws in its presentation barely register.
Read Full Review >Gamervision
A dream come true for many gamers of the 1990s, this is a remake done right, with the care and attention this property deserves. In fact, if other adventure games get the same treatment, I would likely re-buy all of them just to experience the new graphics and sounds.
Read Full Review >Vandal Online
The Secret of Monkey Island Special Edition is one of the most recommended buys of this summer, provided one hasn't played the classic game before.
Read Full Review >RPG Fan
What it comes down to is that The Secret of Monkey Island is one of the great games in the adventure genre: like Maniac Mansion, King's Quest, or Sam and Max Hit the Road. With LucasArts providing this remake for a mere ten dollars, there is no excuse for any gamer not to have this in their library.
Read Full Review >IGN
The Secret of Monkey Island has a special place in the museum of videogames for its quick wit, its personality, and the way it surprises us at every turn.
Read Full Review >Worth Playing
For $10, The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is a fantastic remake of a classic game.
Read Full Review >Gamer Limit
For 10 dollars, The Secret of Monkey Island: SE is a steal. The game pays homage to series enthusiasts, as well as making it accessible to an entire new generation of gamers.
Read Full Review >Meristation
A great adventure game, with humour, logical and illogical puzzles, and a charismatic bunch of characters. The remake is great, and the classic game is still a solid game. At a good price point, it's the ideal game for Monkey Island and point and click adventure lovers.
Read Full Review >Game Revolution
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition comes highly recommended, whether or not you are a series aficionado like myself, or just a noob pirate.
Read Full Review >Official Xbox Magazine UK
Finer than a hundred pieces of eight. [Sept 2009, p.90]
GameSpot
If you've got opposable thumbs, a sense of humor, and a brain that you're not afraid to use, this puzzle-filled adventure is one well worth taking.
Read Full Review >GamePro
But the moral of the story here is, well-written scripts and addictive story modes never spell a bad time. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition is impressive, hilarious and downright worth your money.
Read Full Review >Giant Bomb
There are definitely moments where you can feel its age, and there's the distinct possibility that you remember The Secret of Monkey Island being funnier than it is, but this Special Edition is still a terrific way for both fans of the old point-and-click adventure games to revisit a classic, and for newcomers to get acquainted with it.
Read Full Review >Cheat Code Central
The game only lasts about 5-6 hours, and many will find what's on offer exceedingly dull. Still, point-and-click fans and puzzle-adventure buffs should really enjoy it.
Read Full Review >What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this game is 9.4 (out of 10) based on 36 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
Fuzzy Man gave it a9:
Not a bad remake all things considered. The new style may dissapoint old fans, but I find it to be much better that the original. The gameplay is still fresh after all of these years, and the humour is LOL worthy. Only down point is that it barely has any replayability. But still it's an old classic and even if you don't like the new art style you can always press the SELECT button to change to old school mode where the game is seen in it's original glory. Go buy it, i doubt you'll be sorry.
Rich P gave it an8:
It is a great game but only a good remake...the new graphics and voice overs are cool but the graphics seems to be limited by the engine (i.e. they improved the sprites and backgrounds, but not the animation framerate? no 3D graphics?), and sometimes I prefer how the voices sound in my head. Playing the original in ScummVM is about the same experience, a little better or worse depending on your preferences and appetite for nostalgia.
Daniel R gave it a10:
This game will always hold a special place in my heart. It is, without a doubt one of the greatest adventure games of all time. Exceedingly witty, funny, and always cognizant of what it is, a game of puns and slapstick humor. Hopefully we see the sequel come our way, and soon!
Ray W gave it a10:
For a game that is almost 20 years old, this remake still holds the same charm and magic as it did when it was being booted up in Amiga's and PC's the World over. This game, single handedly, redefined the point and click/adventure game genre, with witty dialogue, charming characters, and an off the wall storyline about Zombie pirates and Giant Monkey Heads. I cannot recomend this game enough. Now, when can we see Le Chuck's Revenge Special Edition, eh Lucas?
Alex S gave it a10:
Having not played the orignal; for over 15 years, this just as much fun as the first time round.
Steve S gave it a10:
One of the greatest games of all time, remastered to bring it into modern times. A complete success.
Jeremy H gave it an8:
Great remake, the only flaw is very bad controls. Why did they put such a horrible controls to such a great high quality remake?
