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Inspired directly by FemJesse’s article on "The Point-and-Click Revival", I couldn’t help but wonder for the millionth time how great it would be if all of the wonderful point-and-clickers of the 1990s were still available today. I would have a ball playing through Day of the Tentacle, Sam & Max, and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis again if I could get a hold of them (luckily, I have a working copy of Maniac Mansion that I play frequently, as should we all).

The LucasArts PC games of that era are often the first ones remembered, but they weren’t alone in making the point-and-click genre as popular as it was. In fact, they had some pretty steep competition in the late 80s and early 90s from Sierra On-Line, who launched a number of hit point-and-click adventure series. Among these is one of my favorite games of the genre, Gobliiins.

Released in 1992 and then again on CD in 1993, the three “i” letters in the title referred to the number of playable characters there were in the game. Players controlled three lovable and silly goblins, all of which had different skills that could be used throughout the game, ranging from zapping objects for unexpected (and sometimes detrimental) results to using various objects found in each room. The three goblins must combine their abilities and work together in this hilarious adventure.

The point of the game is to save the Goblin King (who, sadly, does not resemble David Bowie), who has gone a little insane. This is done by directing the goblins from level to level, using their special skills to make your way through. Each level is a single environment screen, often only a room that you need to get out of without getting hurt. This puzzle-solving element added a new dimension to the classic point-and-click formula. Each level was more challenging than the one before it, and getting out alive and unscathed took some clever thinking on the player’s part.

Although the game is fifteen years old, it’s become clear that there is still a place in the hearts of gamers for a well-made point-and-click adventure. What’s more, a puzzle game that has you using your wits to make your way through a seemingly endless series of rooms could be wildly popular (have I mentioned my Portal obsession?).

Unlike Portal, though, I wouldn’t put a Gobliiins remake on the 360. No, I think we all know that the perfect console for a revival of this genre is the Wii, and that’s exactly where it should go. The game could use a make-over (as much as the Wii’s graphical power will allow, anyway), and obviously, a remake would take full advantage of the Wii’s motion sensitive controls.

The remote would be used for, you know, pointing and clicking; it’s simple, but hey, if it works, it works. However, I think it would be interesting to implement the nunchuk attachment by using it to control each goblin’s special abilities. Maybe it can be used to zap objects, pick up a helpful item, or just punch anything that stands in the way. As with the original game, the way you use these powers can aid you on your quest or be very harmful, so you’ll need to be careful.

Even though the video game industry has exploded and expanded in many ways since simple point-and-clickers made their way into gamers’ homes and hearts years ago, who says that there’s no room for this genre to revive itself? It’s time for a comeback, and remaking a classic Sierra adventure would surely be a step in the right direction.

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