By now, avid readers of this website undoubtedly know that I have an unhealthy obsession with the old LucasArts adventure games. At least, that’s what my doctors tell me. By extension, I’m a pretty avid fan of Telltale. Not only did they bring Sam & Max back to life, they did it with style. Well, it is that time of the year where all things gaming are revealed, and Telltale has delivered one hell of an announcement. They have somehow come across the rights to one of the biggest LucasArts properties, Monkey Island.

Their new episodic adventure series, Tales of Monkey Island, will pick up some time roughly in the Monkey Island 2 era and will again feature the pirate Guybrush Threepwood locked in battle with his foe, LeChuck. Guybrush accidentally unleashes an disease that rapidly spreads across the Caribbean. This is no normal weapon of mass destruction. This particular pox turns pirates into (dun dun dun) zombies. The Voodoo Lady sends Guybrush in search of a legendary sea sponge, the only way to stop the spread of this plague.

Tales of Monkey Island launches on July 7th for the PC, and will be comprised of five monthly episodes. All five will also be released on WiiWare at a later date. No word just yet on an XBLA release, but I’d expect it at some point in the future. Of course, if you aren’t interested in waiting for the console releases, you can preorder the entire season now and get a few goodies like a DVD slipcase designed by Steve Purcell and a free Telltale episode of your choice.

Just in case that wasn’t exciting enough for you, LucasArts will be releasing a special version of The Secret of Monkey Island for XBLA and PC later this year. This remake is in full, lovely high definition and features voice acting and a new hint system. No exact date yet, but I am really hoping that this leads to more HD remakes of the old LucasArts classics. I would pay a whole lot of Microsoft space bucks for an updated Day of the Tentacle.

Tales of Monkey Island
The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition