[Kazuki Fuse]

I am looking for adventure games that contain clowns. Yes, I realize it is a strange request, but I ask nonetheless. Evil clowns are better than good clowns, but I am looking for both. I am also interested in their foul brethren, the mimes. Harlequins, Jesters, etc., are also helpful. I have the following so far:

Sanitarium - Lots of evil clowns
Gabriel Knight 1 - The evil mime
Broken Sword 1 - Bomb toting clown and more
Grim Fandango - Sarcastic balloon art clown
Of Light and Darkness - Evil Jester Jack-in-the-box

That is all I can think of at the moment. Does anyone know of any more? I am also interested in clowns in other non-adventure games like Kiss: Psycho Circus, but understand if that is too off-topic.

Thanks for any information you can give me!!!

[tabacco]

The Kyrandia games spring to mind...

[BacardiJim]

Toonstruck
Inflatable clown in DOTT
Clown doll in Amber
Monkey Island 3
KQ6

(Hard to believe that the Lucasarts Love Patrol missed the pie-in-the-face clown in MI3! )

[djsouza]

I am looking for adventure games that contain clowns. Evil clowns are better than good clowns, but I am looking for both.

Why exactly are you looking for clowns in games?

Anyway, here are some I remember right now:
- Tony Tough and the Night of Roasted Moths
- Simon the Sorcerer 2 (sad clown )
- Alone in the Dark 2 & Jack in the Dark
(both have EVIL clowns IIRC! )

[mag]

Not sure if this counts, but there's a silly clown in Quest for Glory III. I think all the others I know of have already been mentioned.

Was there one in Sanitarium too? I know there was at the very least a clown head.

mag

[Kazuki Fuse]

Originally Posted by djsouza

Why exactly are you looking for clowns in games?

The reason is that I am interested in doing a treatise on the subject of clowns. I am planning on delineating their historical significance from their origins in the past to their modern day counterparts and their sociological and psychological impact on society and children in particular.

The main point of my discourse would center around their dualistic nature. How, on one hand, they beget laughter and fun, yet on the other, can be terribly frightening and evil, even going so far as to cause coulrophobia, an irrational fear of clowns. I am particularly interested in their role in media and entertainment, especially in interactive mediums like computer and video games.

I have asked this question here to see if there is enough data to postulate from in these games, or if I will need to broaden it to films, television, and such. It seems like adventures would allow for more meaningful usage of their imagery compared to the aforementioned Kiss: Psycho Circus for instance, because they allow more for symbolism and interpretation because of their story orientation. I could be wrong though. Sanitarium seems like a good start, but I need a lot more. I have been searching the net for screen-shots of games that contain clowns, but that is sort of a blind luck kind of thing. I figured it would be better just to ask people. Even if the games don't have enough data to work with, I can still use the imagery, so knowing the names of the games can help me find screenshots, or I can simply buy them.

Hopefully, some of the above sounded good, as it is basically a rough draft of my "sales pitch."

I won't lie though. This is really just an insidious plan to pass off playing games as legitimate "research" Hopefully I will succeed...

I also just happen to like evil clown imagery...

And thanks to everyone who has given me titles so far. I appreciate it!!!

I almost forgot about the clown in CMI too!!!

[mag]

That sounds like a pretty cool project. I'm sure there's a wealth of clown related stories for you to drawn on too. They do seem to be a rather popular character type in stories for some reason. Anyway, I would also suggest as you said before looking at non-adventure games as well. You ought to keep us updated on what you come up with. I know I for one would be very interested in reading it.

Still can't think of any more clown games, though.

mag

[fireside]

There was a clown in a Tex murphy game, maybe Under a Killing Moon. He was murdered and when you opened this one 50 gallon drum the clown mask came floating to the top. One of the puzzles was to construct a sort of clown ghost.
Great imagery with that mask, at least in my memory.

[djsouza]

Hey, there is a very funny Animaniacs cartoon where Wakko is very afraid of clowns, he gives the poor clown a bad time every time he shows up.
http://www.bcdb.com/bcdb/detailed.cgi?film=14799

Hopefullly you can find this cartoon on VHS or DVD.

The clown was based on Jerry Lewis, I think it was a reference to one of his movies that were never released: The Day the Clown Cried.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0068451/

Also, Jerry Lewis played an irritating clown who does not like children in the movie Family Jewels
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0059166/

Hope that helps!

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Not exactly an adventure game (not at all, actually ), but:



Very evil looking clown in Unreal Tournament 2003.

[Jake]

Yeah, what tabacco said. isnt the villan in the kyrandia games just a scary evil clown? I guess hes some sort of jester, but thats clownish enough.

[Ariel Type]

"Homey D. Clown" - main hero - rather angry clown;
"UFO's" - there is one drunk clown;
"Discworld 1" - well, not really a clown, but an evil jester there was.