Play Order (Release = Chronological)Recommended
0 / 6 playedRelease order. The story runs in the same sequence, so play oldest to newest.
- 1 The Secret of Monkey Island Guybrush arrives in the Caribbean to become a pirate. The 2009 Special Edition adds voices and redrawn art.
- 2 Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge The hunt for Big Whoop. The 2010 Special Edition is a faithful substitute.
- 3 The Curse of Monkey Island Elaine cursed into a gold statue; LeChuck returns in demon form. First game without Gilbert.
- 4 Escape from Monkey Island Guybrush and Elaine return from honeymoon to an election scam and the Ultimate Insult talisman.
- 5 Tales of Monkey Island Five Telltale episodes about a pox Guybrush sets loose while fighting LeChuck.
- 6 Return to Monkey Island Gilbert and Grossman return. Latest released entry.
About Monkey Island
Monkey Island follows Guybrush Threepwood, a hapless would-be pirate chasing Elaine Marley and repeated run-ins with the undead pirate LeChuck. The first two games came from Ron Gilbert's team at LucasArts; later entries came from LucasArts without him, from Telltale Games, and from Gilbert's own Terrible Toybox.
This play order follows release order, which is also story order. Puzzles and jokes build on earlier games, so skipping ahead spoils payoffs. New players should start with The Secret of Monkey Island, ideally the 2009 Special Edition with redrawn art and voice acting.
Good to know
The Special Editions of the first two games (2009, 2010) retell the same stories with new art and voices and work as substitutes. Tales of Monkey Island (2009) is five episodes released July to December 2009. Return to Monkey Island (September 19, 2022) frames itself around the ending of LeChuck's Revenge but takes place after the whole series. The 2023 Sea of Thieves crossover (The Legend of Monkey Island) is a tribute inside another game, not a core entry. No new Monkey Island game has been announced.
