Maniac Mansion
This solution is the most complete. All the possibilities of the game are covered. The game can be played in different ways depending on the characters you choose at the beginning, but overall, the actions to perform are similar.
First of all, regardless of which characters you choose, you will need to select Dave. He will perform almost all actions except those requiring the abilities of the other characters. When the second character you chose needs to intervene, I will refer to him as "Character 2," and the third as "Character 3."
You can finish the game with just 2 characters. It is the second character who will perform the specific actions needed to complete the game. These actions are explained at the end of this solution.
The Complete Solution
Dave: Walk to the Front Door; it is locked. Pull the Doormat and pick up the Key. Use it on the front door, open it, and enter. Open the first door in the Hall and go inside the room; you are in the Kitchen...
Move towards the Refrigerator and immediately turn around! You need to have good timing; exit the kitchen before Edna catches you, then go back in. If you really can’t manage, move on, after a while, Edna will leave and you can enter the kitchen peacefully.
Dr. Fred comes to see his prisoner, Sandy.
Pick up the Flashlight, the Chainsaw against the wall, then open the fridge. Take the Pepsi can, the Salad, the Ketchup, the Old Batteries, (and the Cheese if you want to change the cutscene where Ed enters the kitchen - you shouldn’t be there at that moment). Enter the room on the right, take the Rotten Ham and the Old Roast, then in the next room, take the Fruit Juice, the Glass Jar, the Temptations, and the Cans. Drop the Revealer (at the top of the shelf). The silver door is locked.
Ed the Weird comes into the kitchen to get Cheese for his Hamster.
Character 2: Place him in front of the Mailbox. When you hear the Doorbell, and when the animation of Ed leaving his room triggers, take the Package.
Ed the Weird leaves his room and comes to get his Package.
Dave: Go back to the Hall on the left. There, enter the room farthest to the right. Open the door still on the right, then enter. The light is off; use the "what's this" command to find the Lamp to the left and turn it on. Go to the right and open the secret panel at the bottom right of the shelves. Take the Tape. Go back to the Hall and climb the stairs. Enter the room on the left, take the Solvent, the Brush, and the Plastic Fruits. Exit, open the armored door (use your code table). Enter the first room. No light. Look for the Desk Lamp and turn it on. Open the Desk Drawer and take the Manuscript. Exit, climb the stairs, and go left.
You encounter the Green Tentacle. Don’t worry, it’s the friendly one! It won’t let you pass; there are two methods to make it move away: give it the Salad, the Cheese, the Rotten Ham, the Old Roast, and then the Jar of Water (filled with water from the Kitchen Tap). The second method is for those who want to keep their pockets full: give it only the Plastic Fruits and then the Fruit Juice. Climb the stairs again and enter the first room on the left. Pick up the 1 Franc coin on the floor and climb the left ladder. You are now in the Green Tentacle’s room! Take the Disk and the Yellow Key. Go back to the previous Hall and enter the fourth door from the left. Use the Strong-Matic Machine to build muscle. Enter the Bathroom on the right and take the Sponge.
Go back to the armored door, at the top of the first stairs, and enter the room on the right. Take the Old Disk, use the Tape in the Tape Recorder, and put the Disk you found upstairs in the Phonograph. Turn on the Tape Recorder and then the Phonograph and wait for the vase on the piano to break. Turn off the Tape Recorder and the Phonograph, then take the Tape and the Disk. Turn on the TV and then exit. Go back down the stairs and enter the room on the right. Open the Cabinet Door, then put the Tape in the Tape Recorder. Turn it on and wait for the windows and chandelier to break. Turn off the Tape Recorder, take the Tape, and pick up the Rusty Key near the broken chandelier. This key is used to open the Dungeon door when you are captured.
Go outside, cover the Front Door, then give Character 2 the Tape, the Key (for the front door), the Sponge, and the Rusty Key.
Character 2: Give the Package to Dave.
Dave: Open the Package, and stamps will peel off. Go to the left, pull the Bush, and open the Grate (you can now as you are muscular). Go back to the Hall and position yourself in front of the Door without a handle.
Character 2: Enter the Hall and position yourself in front of the right Gargoyle. Push it.
Dave: Enter the now accessible room. Look for the Switch and turn it on. Go all the way to the left and take the Silver Key hanging on the wall. The left door is locked; it is the Dungeon door. So you can open it with the Rusty Key. If a character is captured, free him through this door.
Exit this room and return to the Kitchen. Go to the farthest room on the right and unlock the door with the Silver Key. Go through the door; you are in front of the Pool. Fill the Glass Jar with pool water and position yourself in front of the ladder.
Character 2: Exit the mansion, enter through the gate opened by Dave. Walk continuously to the right until you reach the Revealer Pool and use the Sponge on it. Continue moving right until you reach the Water Valve and open it.
The alarm goes off, and Dr. Fred sends his Purple Tentacle to the Machine Room.
Dave: Go down into the Pool by the ladder and quickly take the Radio and the Glowing Key, then climb the ladder. Do not touch the Red Button!
Character 2: Close the Water Valve.
Dave: Open the Gate, go through it, and then open the Garage Door (using your strength). You can see Ed the Weird’s Reaction Car! Open the Trunk with the Yellow Key and take the Tools. Take the Shower Handle from the shelf.
Return to the mansion, in the upper floor Corridor, and go back to the fourth door from the left. You are again in the Strong-Matic Machine room; enter the Bathroom. Pull the Curtain, use the Shower Handle on the Tap, and then turn it on. Turn off the Tap, and you will get a code: 2275 or 5235. Go back to the previous room near the door leading to the Corridor. Wait there.
Character 2: Go outside and use the Doorbell at the Front Door.
Ed the Weird leaves his room and takes a look outside.
Dave: Wait a little after Ed has left his room, then return to the Corridor and enter the room just to your left (the third from the left). You are in Ed the Weird’s Bedroom! Quickly grab the Hamster and then the Magnetic Card. Open the Piggy Bank and take the 3 one Franc coins.
Exit and go to the farthest room to the right! Use the Solvent on the Paint Stain. A door appears. Open it and enter the new room. Another dark room! Turn on the Lamp (it is on the left side of the room towards the top). Open the Radio, and you get Batteries. Use them in the Flashlight instead of using the Old Batteries that wear out too quickly.
Character 2: Unlock the Front Door with the Key. Go back to the Hall, and position yourself in front of the Door without a handle.
Character 3: Wake up! Enter the mansion, then push the right Gargoyle.
Character 2: Enter the secret room.
Character 3: Enter the Kitchen or the room on the right to avoid being caught in the Hall.
Character 2: Turn on the Switch, go all the way to the left. Open the Fuse Box and turn off the Circuit Breaker.
The alarm goes off again, and Dr. Fred sends his Purple Tentacle to the Machine Room.
Dave: The light has gone out. Quickly, turn on the Flashlight, use the Tools on the Electrical Cables. After repairing them, turn off the Flashlight to save the batteries.
Character 2: Quickly, turn the Circuit Breaker back on before the Purple Tentacle catches you. If you are quick, it won’t even come.
To enter Edna’s Room, there are three solutions: the first always works; make one of your characters a prisoner by Edna, then in the meantime, with another character, enter her room; the second can only be executed if you are playing with Bernard or Jeff (see the end of the solution for how to do it); and the last allows you to access the Safe very quickly. It requires a lot of timing; you need to enter the Room and then quickly click on the top of the Ladder continuously. The character will pass in front of Edna without her catching them.
Character 2: Go to the upper Corridor and enter the second room from the left; Edna will capture you.
Edna takes Character 2 to the Dungeon.
Dave: Go downstairs, enter Edna’s Room, take the Small Key from the bedside table on the right, and then climb the ladder. At the top, turn on the Lamp and pull the Portrait.
As you come down the ladder, Edna will also capture you.
Edna takes Dave to the Dungeon.
Character 2: Unlock the Dungeon Door.
Dave: Go back to the room with the Carnivorous Plant. Use the Pepsi, then place the Glass Jar of Water on top of it. The plant will start growing! Climb on top of it, and then use 2 one Franc coins in the Slot of the Control Panel. Next, press the Right Button twice. Use the Giant Telescope and note the code that appears: 4186, 1230, or 1029.
Character 2: Unlock the Dungeon Door, return to the upper Corridor, and enter Edna's Room again, where you will be captured once more.
Edna takes Character 2 back to the Dungeon.
Dave: Go back to Edna's Room and climb the ladder. At the top, open the Safe and enter the combination found using the Telescope. Take the Sealed Envelope and descend; you will be captured by Edna.
Edna takes Dave to the Dungeon.
Character 2: Open the Dungeon door with the Rusty Key.
Dave: Return to the Kitchen, turn on the Faucet, and fill your Glass Jar with water. Turn off the Faucet, open the Microwave, and place the Glass Jar and the Sealed Envelope inside. Close the microwave and turn it on. Once the "cooking" is finished, open it again and take the Glass Jar (wait a bit as it will be hot) and the Envelope. Open the Envelope to get a Token. Return to the Carnivorous Plant room and use the Envelope on the Typewriter. Then place the Stamps on the Envelope.
Dr. Fred is playing the "Meteor Mess" Arcade Game.
Go to the Arcade Room (if you saw Dr. Fred enter, otherwise wait), go to the "Meteor Mess" Arcade Game, and use the Token in the Slot. You will get a code, Dr. Fred's High Score: 7572, 3301, 5858, or 8640. This code opens the "Secret Lab" door.
You can try other Arcade Machines by opening the Case of the one you just used with the Small Key to retrieve the Token.
If you enter the "Secret Lab" door, the Purple Tentacle will capture you. Depending on the second character you chose, the actions to eliminate the Purple Tentacle will differ. Refer to the end of the solution for what to do based on the chosen character.
After teaming up with someone to eliminate the Purple Tentacle:
Dave: Enter the Dungeon (through the door without a handle). Unlock the two Padlocks with the Glowing Key. Open the outer door and then the inner door with the Arcade Game code. Enter the "Secret Lab."
Your ally will eliminate the Purple Tentacle. If you are playing with Wendy, you must give the Contract to the Purple Tentacle.
Go through the right door, then quickly go right, open the Closet, and use the Radiation Suit.
Dr. Fred activates the mansion's self-destruct command.
Slide the Magnetic Card through the right slot, pass through the Meteor Room door, and pull the Switch.
Dr. Fred is freed from the Meteor's control, but the Meteor now controls the mansion's entire electronic system.
If you are playing with Wendy, give the Contract to the Meteor. Otherwise, take the Meteor, open the right door, place the Meteor in the Reaction Car's Trunk. Close the Trunk, then use the Yellow Key on the Reaction Car.
The Meteor takes off from Earth and escapes into space.
THE END
Specific Character Features
- Dave: The main character of the game. He cannot perform any special actions. If he dies before the end of the game, the ending will be different.
- Syd and Razor: Enter the room with the Piano. Use the Cassette in the Tape Recorder, then turn it on. Use the Piano, then turn off the Tape Recorder. Take back the Cassette. Enter the Green Tentacle’s Room and give it the Cassette. The Cassette turns into a Demo Tape. Take it and place it in the Stamped Envelope (you can listen to it first using the Mondo Stereo). Go outside, open the Mailbox, and place the Stamped Envelope inside. Close the Mailbox and pull the Flag. Now switch characters and wait for the Doorbell to ring. When it does, open the Mailbox and take the Contract. Give the Contract to Dave. Dave must now go to the Green Tentacle’s Room and give it the Contract.
- Michael: Go to Ed the Weird's Room and give him the Package. Go outside and pick up the Film near the right bush. Enter the room upstairs where Dave first met the Green Tentacle. Close the door, turn on the Red Light. Use the Revealer Sponge, then the Film in the Basin. You get Photos. Enter Ed's Room. Quickly give him the Package, then the Photos.
- Wendy: Enter the Carnivorous Plant room, use the Manuscript in the Typewriter, then place it in the Stamped Envelope. Go outside, open the Mailbox, and place the Stamped Envelope inside. Close the Mailbox and pull the Flag. Now switch characters and wait for the Doorbell to ring. When it does, open the Mailbox and take the Contract. Give the Contract to Dave. After entering the "Secret Lab," Dave must now give the Contract to the Purple Tentacle and then to the Meteor instead of placing it in the Reaction Car.
- Bernard: Enter the room to the right of the Hall. Open the Old Radio and take the Bulb. Enter the room below the Green Tentacle’s Room. Read the Wanted Notice to get the Radio code: 1977, 9111, or 3412. Use the Bulb on the Socket, then turn on the Radio. Dial the code, and the Anti-Meteor Police will ally with you.
Bernard can also use the Tools. You can use them to repair the Phone in the second room to the right of the Hall. Repair the Broken Phone with the Tools. Use the Phone, dial the Shower code, and with another male character, you can enter Edna's Room for a brief moment without her imprisoning you in the Dungeon. - Jeff: He cannot perform any special actions to finish the game but can use the Tools. You can use them to repair the Phone in the second room to the right of the Hall. Repair the Broken Phone with the Tools. Use the Phone, dial the Shower code, and with another male character, you can enter Edna's Room for a brief moment without her imprisoning you in the Dungeon.
How to Kill a Character
- Place one character in front of the Pool ladder and another in front of the Basement Water Valve. Once the latter opens the Water Valve, send the other character into the Pool. Then, close the Water Valve, and the character will drown!
- Go to the Kitchen, enter the room completely on the right, and take the Glass Jar. Fill it with Pool water. Return to the kitchen and open the Microwave. Place the Glass Jar of Water inside and turn it on. After the beep, open the Microwave... radioactive steam!
- Only with Razor or Syd: while Ed the Weird is out of his Room (you can use the doorbell to make him leave), take the Hamster, then go to the Kitchen. Open the Microwave, put the Hamster inside, close the Microwave, turn it on, reopen it, and then take the shredded Hamster. Return to Ed the Weird’s room and give him the Shredded Hamster.
- Go to the Green Tentacle’s Room, take the Disk. Go to the room with the Piano and place the Disk in the Phonograph and the Cassette in the Tape Recorder. Turn on the Tape Recorder, then the Phonograph, and when the recording is done, turn them off. Take back the Disk and the Cassette, then return to the Green Tentacle’s Room. Give the Cassette to the Green Tentacle. The Green Tentacle seems to dislike that noise!
- When a character dies, you can read what’s written on their Grave with another character outside the mansion.
How to Lose
- Kill all characters as described earlier!
- Enter an incorrect code on the Code Tablet of the Armored Door!
- With Bernard, enter the Hall, go upstairs, and read the WARNING on the Armored Door. If you wait without doing anything, Bernard will attempt to tamper with the Code Tablet and blow up the mansion!
- Turn off the circuit breaker in the Machine Room or the Water Valve in the basement and wait. The alarm will trigger, and the mansion will self-destruct!
- At the end of the game, after taking the Meteor, launch the Reaction Car without placing the Meteor inside!
Different Game Ending
To get a different ending, just before opening the "Secret Lab" door, Dave must give the Glowing Key, Yellow Key, and Magnetic Card to Character 2 or Character 3. Then, kill Dave using one of the previous methods (you have plenty of choices!). Character 2 or Character 3 will then have to perform all the actions in place of Dave.
And there you go! Have fun!
