One of my favorite all-time video games is the 1987 adventure puzzler Maniac Mansion. I devoured hour-upon-hour of that game on my Commodore 64. The wit and the puzzles made it fun and challenging.

That game’s creator, Ron Gilbert, also made the first two Monkey Island games for Lucasfilm. Gilbert is back with a new company (Double Fine) and a much anticipated new game.

The Cave is a side-scrolling adventure that appears to be a mixture of Little Big Planet and The Goonies. The game features seven playable characters, each with its own unique skills. All the humor and charm of Maniac Mansion looks to be there. It also features three-player co-op play, a feature I’m sure to take advantage of with my two kids.

The Cave is expected for download on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows, in early 2013.