# Maniac Mansion - Wikipedia Article (Game Overview Section)

## Game Mechanics
- Player uses point-and-click interface with 15 action commands (Walk To, Unlock, etc.)
- Choose 2 of 6 characters to accompany protagonist Dave Miller: Bernard, Jeff, Michael, Razor, Syd, Wendy
- Each character has unique abilities (Syd/Razor play musical instruments, Bernard repairs appliances)
- Game has multiple endings based on character choices and combinations
- Features cutscenes for story advancement

## Setting
- Mansion of the Edison family: Dr. Fred (mad scientist), Nurse Edna (wife), Weird Ed (son)
- Two large tentacles live there: purple and green
- Sentient meteor crashed 20 years ago and brainwashed the Edisons
- Dave's girlfriend Sandy was kidnapped by Dr. Fred for experiments

## Key Game Mechanics
- Mansion inhabitants are hostile (except green tentacle) and throw players to dungeon if seen
- Characters can be killed; game ends when all die
- Five possible endings based on characters chosen, who survives, and accomplishments

## Development Notes (relevant to puzzle design)
- Designed as paper-and-pencil game first, with mansion floor plan as game board
- Used cellulose acetate strips to map out puzzle combinations by tracking items that work together with certain characters
- Non-linear puzzle design made it hard to prevent no-win scenarios
- Ron Gilbert wanted to avoid "sadistic" game design where everyday logic doesn't apply

## Character Skills
- Each character contributes different skills and resources
- Different paths must be taken based on group composition
- Game was completed with any combination of characters but requires different approaches