Red Tentacle allows you to play the NES version of Maniac Mansion on your computer, without having to use a gamepad.

The NES port was a great version of the game, but let's be honest, it was pretty tedious to move the cursor around the screen using the D-pad, back and forth to the verbs, inventory items, and things in the environment.

"OK, so just play the PC version!" Well sure, but the PC version is not quite the same and doesn't have any music; I like the version made for the grey box. "Alright, well just load the NES version into an emulator!" Great! OK... click.. click.. hmm, the mouse doesn't work.. because the NES didn't have a mouse! You still need to use the arrow keys or a gamepad to push the cursor around.. painfully... slowly...

Red Tentacle is the solution! It's the best way to play the console version of Maniac Mansion. Red Tentacle gives you an actual point-n-click interface, and even provides verb & inventory keyboard shortcuts that will have you tearing through the mansion in record time. Got locked in the basement? Switch to another kid like a boss with a single keypress. Made a mistake? Load up an autosave, or restore a save from one of 12 save slots.

You must own a copy of the original game in order to play Maniac Mansion using Red Tentacle. Just dust off your old cartridge, make a personal backup on your computer in the form of an NES ROM, load it up in Red Tentacle, and head on into the mansion!

Here's one device that you can use to make a legal backup copy of your Maniac Mansion cartridge:

http://www.infiniteneslives.com/kazzo.php

This video shows how to use the device to create an NES ROM personal backup file:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeBMFMoH_B0

Q&A

Q: What are the system requirements?
A: Windows Vista or newer, OpenGL, DirectX 7 or newer, 32MB RAM, 20MB disk space

Q: Isn't this illegal?
A: No. Apparently some people just freak out whenever anyone mentions the word "ROM." It stands for "Read Only Memory." Notice there's nothing in there about stealing a game, the same way that a car is not a "bank robbery getaway device." It's up to you to make the right decisions, I'm not going to make them for you.

Q: Isn't this just an emulator?
A: It is an emulator, yes, but guess what? So is that copy of Sonic you bought on your phone. A lot of work went into making Maniac Mansion's gameplay work well in Red Tentacle on the PC. Load your legally owned copy of Maniac Mansion into an NES emulator, play for a bit, and come back and tell me that the gamepad interface isn't annoying to use.

Q: Why are you charging money for this, shouldn't it be free?
A: Sounds great. While we're at it, tell your boss that you don't think you should get paid for your work either. He'll be thrilled!

DISCLAIMER NOTICE

Red Tentacle is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with Nintendo, LucasArts, the owners of Maniac Mansion, or any of their subsidiaries or affiliates. Additionally, the owners of Red Tentacle will not be liable for any illegal uses of this software.

Red Tentacle screenshots