The best adventure games, according to hackers
24 adventure games were recommended on Hacker News between November 2025 and November 2026. We rank them by how many separate people recommend each one, and 6 earn the Hacker Approved badge.
Top picks
The three most recommended adventure games with the badge. Each figure is 5 people. RecommendsCriticizes One comment
Fond childhood and Amiga memories
Recommended for its immersive world, music and replayability, and many remember it fondly from childhood. Critics note the dark visuals, aged graphics and repetitive mini-games.
Nostalgia for a childhood favorite
Pioneering 1993 puzzle adventure that people still recommend for its atmosphere, music and sense of another world. Critics find it dated, thin and limited in actions by modern standards.
Among the best point-and-click games
Recommended for its rich, atmospheric island worlds, humor and classic point-and-click play; critics say the writing is weak and the puzzles too easy.
All 24 adventure games, ranked
Select a column heading to sort. Approval share is recommenders out of everyone who gave an opinion; the tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs. Months counts the months, out of 13, in which someone recommended it.
| Rank | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sid Meier's Pirates! | 61 | 11 | 85% | 5 | — | Approved |
| 2 | Grim Fandango | 41 | 8 | 84% | 3 | 20 yrs3 owners | — |
| 3 | Myst | 31 | 7 | 82% | 10 | — | Approved |
| 4 | Monkey Island | 29 | 3 | 91% | 9 | — | Approved |
| 5 | Doki Doki Literature Club | 25 | 6 | 81% | 3 | — | — |
| 6 | Thimbleweed Park | 20 | 13 | 61% | 3 | — | — |
| 7 | SOMA | 19 | 2 | 90% | 8 | — | Approved |
| Tied 8 | Riven | 11 | 1 | 92% | 6 | — | Approved |
| Tied 8 | The Secret of Monkey Island | 11 | 3 | 79% | 5 | — | Approved |
| Tied 10 | ELIZA by Zachtronics | 9 | 4 | 69% | 5 | — | — |
| Tied 10 | Leisure Suit Larry | 9 | 0 | 100% | 5 | — | — |
| Tied 10 | Return to Monkey Island | 9 | 12 | 43% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 13 | Day of the Tentacle | 8 | 2 | 80% | 4 | — | — |
| Tied 13 | Tunic | 8 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 13 | Voice Driven Murder Mystery | 8 | 2 | 80% | 1 | — | — |
| 16 | The Drifter | 7 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| 17 | Maniac Mansion | 6 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | King's Quest V | 5 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge | 5 | 2 | 71% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | Space Quest | 5 | 3 | 63% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | Quest for Glory | 5 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | Gemini Rue | 5 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | Yoda Stories | 5 | 0 | 100% | 1 | — | — |
| Tied 18 | Full Throttle (LucasArts) | 5 | 0 | 100% | 1 | — | — |
How we rank
Rank is the number of separate people who recommend a product in a Hacker News comment over the past year. Someone who praises the same adventure game in five threads counts once.
The badge goes to adventure games that at least 10 people recommend, with recommenders outnumbering critics at least 2 to 1, recommended in at least 4 of the 13 months.
Rankings are never for sale. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. It never changes the order.