In 1987, the first Sam & Max: Freelance Police comic was published, marking the beginning of 30+ years of the iconic duo's history. Created by Eisner Award recipient Steve Purcell, the series has moved from comic books to LucasArts' graphic adventure game Sam & Max Hit the Road to the television show The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police, before eventually being develop𝄹ed into a point-and-click adventuꦬre game by Telltale Games, a gaming company developed by many former LucasArts employees.

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Before filing for bankruptcy, Telltale was known for its unique graphic style and skill of d🍒eveloping comic book franchises into video games, so Sam & Max was the perfect fit for the company. Three seasons were developed, with each consisting of 5-6 game episodes that offered ✅2-3 hours of gameplay each. With 16 episodes overall, it makes sense to pick and praise the absolute best of the best, for long-time fans and potential newcomers to the series.

10 ꦓ Reality 2.0

Though it is a more retro invention, many developers have been able to 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:utilize the point-and-click genre in modern video games. The fifth episode of Sam & Max Save The World showcases 😼the possibilities of older genres in a refreshing way. "Reality 2.0" follows Sam & Max on their mission to destroy the Internet, a virtual reality world that has been hypnotizing the entire population.

The entirety of the episode is charmingly self-referential: the game is able to reuse models from previ🦄ous episodes to better utilize the small budget season one was given. Later on, it pays homage to text-based adventure games as their internet-opponent begins to break down. This episode features not only all the internet jokes one would expect but also excellent chiptune music and a comedic RPG-battle system.

9 ✅ The Penal Zone

A strong start to Sam & Max's third season The Devil's Playhouse, Telltale games began to experiment with their storytelling and narrative in the series🧜, going so far as to even include a Narrator. The series leans into the drama, having an extra dose of noir and ⛎grit, and "The Penal Zone" functions well as a setup to the season.

Max develops psychic powers one day after coming into contact with a "Toy of Power," allowing him to utilize a View-Master to see the future. What Max sees is the arrival of General Skun'ka'pe, an ape-like creature from another world who lands his ship on earth in the guise of "peace." The new mechanic of puzzle-solving through the psychic toys is engaging and allows us to finally play as Max.

8 Ice Station Santa ♋

A classic to revisit every Christmas season, season two's opening episode "Ice Station Santa" follows Sam & Max visiting the North Pole after receiving a killer robot from none other than Santa Claus.

Sam & Max learn from the elves that Santa seems to be possessed by an evil spirit, and only by collecting the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse action figures can they perform an exorcism to free Father Christmas of his demon. This certainly isn't the first time , but it is one of the more unique takes on St. Nick.

7 Ab🅷e Lincoln Must Die! 💞

"Abe Lincoln Must Die!" was the fourth episode of Sam & Max Save The World, and was offered for free by Telltale to garner interest in the series. Packed with as many political jokes that will fit into a two-hour game, this episode remains a stand-out of season one, largely thanks to the undeniably 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:catchy soundtrack.

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"The War Song," composed by the talented Jared Emerson-Johnson, is a massive musical number that plays when Max gets control of the Oval Office's War Room after becoming president. Yes, you read that right: Max becomes the president of the United States after defeating the Lincoln Memorial in an emergency election.

6 🌳 They Stole Max’s Brain!

If ever there was a dark reboot of Sam & Max, it may be similar to season 3's "They Stole Max's Brain!" Though it wouldn't be Sam & Max without a little parody and self-referencing. Dubbed "Noir Sam" by fans, Sam plays the heart-of-gold turned hard-boiled detective, vengeful and out for brains...Max's brain, specifically.

Skun'ka'pe has his goons steal Max's brain to help him harvest the Toys of Power with his immense psychic abilities. Monsieur Papierwaite, still alive after the decades since "The Tomb Of Sammun-Mak," has teamed up with him, though they both comically end up betraying one another. Excellent gameplay, surprising twists, and a beautiful soundtrack will keep you clicking furiously until the end of this one.

5 🌞 Beyond The Alley Of꧟ The Dolls

In this thrilling follow up to "They Stole Max's Brain!" Max is intact and the world is normal again...or not. The game begins with Hundreds of Sam Clones swarming the streets of New York, akin to a zombie invasion. Dubbed the "Samulacra," they were supposedly created in a frantic search to find the Toys of Power.

One of the best aspects of The Devil's Playhouse is how the episodes each play with certain tropes and genres, with one episode about an ancient Egyptian Tomb and another a zombie parody. Perhaps most satisfying is the "final battle," where Max is finally able to use all of his psychic toys to def𓄧eat Charlie Hotep, a Toy of Power turned evil.

4 The City🌳 That Dares Not Sleep ꧙

This thrilling conclusion to The Devil's Playhouse is also the last Sam & Max game Telltale made before moving on to other projects such as The Walking Dead. "The City That Dares Not Sleep" has it all: cameos from beloved characters, a Suicide Squad-esque team up, genu🦂i🅘ne poignant moments, and of course, plenty of jokes. With Max having turned into a Cthulu abomination, the team has to go inside Max in order to save him.

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The ending is genuinely tearjerking, focusing heavily on Sam's grief. Luckily, nothing can separate Sam & Max for long, a duo meant to be together forever.

3 What's New Beelzebub?

After having been through time and space and back, where could these two have ended up besides Hell itself? "What's New Beelzebub?" follows Sam & Max as they ride the subway to hell, which is coincidentally located right under their office building. After sabotaging some personalized hells for characters like Grandpa Stinky, they come face to face with Satan himself, which is not something one can say for every video game character.

Not only does this final episode tie up the entire season perfectly, but it also features the best ending sequence, with Sybil and Abe Lincoln getting married and almost every character in attendance. As for Hell? They'll probably be back someday.

2 Chariots Of The Dogs ൲

Perhaps the best comedic time travel story in a video game, Sam & Max learn that conspiracy theorist Bosco was right all along, and are abducted by a UFO while in search of him. What follows is pure time-travel shenanigans, where Sam &aꩵmp; Max travel around to meet their past and future selves.

Not only does the iconic Doctor Momma Bosco make her first appearance, but everyone's favorite talking machines, the C.O.P.S., also reappear, specifically in Sam & Max's childhood. The resolution of the mysterious T.H.E.M. alone is worth playing this game if the excellent soundtrack and jokes aren't enough.

1 The Tomb Of Sammun-Mak 🦄

In this episode, we learn that Sam & Max have identical great-grandfathers from the early 2oth century, Sameth & Maximus. By finding film reels of their adventures, Max can use another psychic power, Astral Projection, to jump into the films and act as Sameth and Maximus to recover the Devil's Toybox from Egypt. What makes this episode amazing is the unique method of storytelling and puzzle-solving that comes from the use of four film reels. The player must solve the puzzles out of order, jumping back and forth through the reels to progress the story in each one.

"The Tomb Of Sammun-Mak" is proof of Telltale's success in attempting to create an unforgettable Sam & Max experience, one distinct from LucasArts' Hit the Road. It's not just the best Sam & Max game: it may be one of the best point-and-click adventure games out there.

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