Crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter have been a boon to the independent developer, and the 2014 season saw a comeback of many of the legends in the community. Unfortunately, keeping track of all the new crowdfunding campaigns is quite the task so, with that in mind, an overview of notable comebacks and campaigns seems in order.

Starting in October of 2013 Cyan Worlds, creators of the legendary Myst, launched a campaign to fund an entirely new project – Obduction.  While Obduction has nothing to do with Myst, Uru, or the D’ni, it will attempt to recreate the original Myst experience. Just what does it mean to be obducted?  And all three of the original Miller brothers will be contributing.

Then Rob Landeros, creator of the legendary 7th Guest (responsible for the sale of 30% of the CD-ROM drives at that time) started a campaign (unsuccessful) to fund 7th Guest III.

Pencil Test Studios, creators of the amazing Neverhood, successfully funded Armikrog, another clay-based adventure game.

More recently, Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick, who created Maniac Mansion (the very first point-and-click adventure game), completed their campaign to fund a new old-school PnC adventure game: Thimbleweed Park — not an “inspired by” or an “in homage to,” but a genuine vintage gaming experience.

Cinemaware has reloaded Rocket Ranger. This is not just a conversion, but a fully expanded remake of the 1980s classic.

Has anyone heard from Crowther and Woods?

The following is a quick list of all the Kickstarter campaigns for “classic” adventure games in 2014. Some are still active and not all will make it without your help.

For more details, check out our new monthly article, Crowdfunding Corner, which will keep track of all the crowdfunded adventure games out there. The first installment should be out in early January. Prepare to find more adventure games than you can afford, much less play.

Scraps – Story of a Dog – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1557682501/scraps-story-of-a-dog?ref=discovery
Dog Business – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kmarcarello/dog-businesstm?ref=discovery
Waking the Glares – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/526569896/waking-the-glares?ref=discovery
Johnny Rockerfingers III – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1504145860/johnny-rocketfingers-3-hand-drawn-point-and-click?ref=discovery
Viktor – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/154555351/viktor-a-steampunk-adventure-demo-included?ref=discovery
Ethereon – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1475340426/ethereon-virtual-reality-adventure?ref=discovery
Delaware St. John: Asylum of the Lost – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1065983707/delaware-st-john-asylum-of-the-lost-adventure-game-0?ref=discovery
Explore! – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/269888038/explore?ref=discovery
Contradiction – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/139513174/contradiction?ref=discovery
Adrift – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sk8rseth/adrift-a-curiosity-driven-tale?ref=discovery
The Book of Unwritten Tales 2 – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kingartgames/the-book-of-unwritten-tales-2?ref=discovery
Tiny Test Adventure 2 – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1696538202/tiny-text-adventure-2-interactive-fiction-game?ref=discovery
Shrug Island – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iggynore/shrug-island?ref=discovery
Dead Synchronicity – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fictiorama/dead-synchronicity-tct-a-dark-point-and-click-adve?ref=discovery
Last Life https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1717469366/last-life?ref=discovery
Technolust: True Cyberpunk – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/irisproductions/technolust-true-cyberpunk?ref=discovery
Loading Human – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/37135808/loading-human?ref=discovery
Keith the Magnificent – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/933608588/keith-the-magnificent?ref=discovery
Together: Amna and Saif – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/723103016/together-amna-and-saif?ref=discovery
Age of Cthulhu 8 – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1409961192/age-of-cthulhu-8-starfall-over-the-plateau-of-leng?ref=discovery
RedOPaw’s Big Crazy Stupid VR Adventure and American Pie – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/106674254/redofpaws-big-crazy-stupid-vr-adventure-and-americ?ref=discovery
Subject 13 – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1993213058/subject-13-by-paul-cuisset?ref=discovery
Epanalepsis – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ckunzelman/epanalepsis-an-adventure-across-3-characters-and-6?ref=discovery
Jenny LeClue – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mografi/jenny-leclue-a-handmade-adventure-game?ref=discovery
Unnecessary Sentience – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1495513399/unnecessary-sentience-a-point-and-click-adventure?ref=discovery
Bolt Riley – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/soundguy/bolt-riley-a-reggae-adventure-game-chapter-1?ref=discovery
A Rite from the Stars – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/risingoat/a-rite-from-the-stars-a-3d-graphic-adventure?ref=discovery
Duke Grabowski, Mighty Swashbuckler! – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/venture-moon/duke-grabowski-mighty-swashbuckler-point-and-click?ref=discovery
Kona – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studioparabole/kona-a-survival-adventure-game?ref=discovery
Loki’s Exile – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1894134280/lokis-exile-a-norse-noir-adventure-game?ref=discovery
Desolate – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elliotcollis/desolate?ref=discovery
Paradigm – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/857886953/paradigm-surreal-adventure-game?ref=discovery
The Interactive Adventures of Dog Mendoca and Pizzaboy – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/942343365/the-interactive-adventures-of-dog-mendonca-and-piz?ref=discovery
HM Spiffing – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/billygoat/hm-spiffing-a-comedy-3d-space-themed-adventure-gam?ref=discovery
Kelvin and the Infamous Machine – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blyts/kelvin-and-the-infamous-machine?ref=discovery
That Dragon, Cancer – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/godatplay/that-dragon-cancer?ref=discovery
Thimbleweed Park – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thimbleweedpark/thimbleweed-park-a-new-classic-point-and-click-adv?ref=discovery