Like movies, TV shows, and books, video games have the potential to be almost anything. That includes side-splittingly funny stories full of jokes or absurd situational comedy without a single word of dialog.
While some games are designed to make you laugh, others manage it in more imaginative ways like giving you all the ingredients for a good joke that you can throw together yourself. Here are some of the best.
13Sam & Max Hit the Road
Originally a comic series created by Steve Purcell, theSam & Maxseries got its big video game break in 1993 in the form of a LucasArts point-and-click adventure. Take on the role of the titular dog and rabbit “Freelance Police” duo as they investigate the case of a missing bigfoot.
Sam & Maxis heavy on dialog to deliver its laughs and thanks to its strong writing, the game still holds up to this day. Though some of the puzzles are tricky to solve, with the wonders of the internet you can easily overcome any hurdles that befuddle you (and these old adventure games were full of “use rubber chicken on zipline” moments).
12TheMonkey IslandGames
Speaking of rubber chickens and ziplines, LucasArts also brought the wonderfulMonkey Islandgames to life using the legendary SCUMM engine. Follow the adventures of Guybrush Threepwood on his journey to become a pirate, fall in love, and defeat series antagonist LeChuck.
Threepwood’s affable nature and innocent ineptitude will make you genuinely care about his fate, but it’s the downright silly comedic moments and one-liners that make these games feel like real page-turners (if video games had pages). WhileThe Secret of Monkey Islandis the first game in the series (and well worth playing), the series was brought thoroughly up to date with 2022’sReturn to Monkey Island.
11BroForce
BroForceis a very silly side-scrolling 2D platformer with a wicked sense of humor. The game has you taking on the role of famous “bros” from the TV and movie world as you take down bad guys, bosses, and most of the destructible terrain in the level while you’re at it.
The hilarity ofBroForcecomes from how over-the-top the action can be. Enemies die in an instant, but so do you. As you progress through each level you’ll unlock more playable bros, each with unique weapons and abilities. While the game will have you smirking in single-player, the best fun comes in the form of two-player couch co-op (friendly fire included).
10ThePortalGames
ThePortalgames have to be some of the most playable titles ever released. While much of the praise comes from the engaging puzzle design and the genuinely inventive ways players are tasked with using the portal gun, the game’s writing is also magic.
Too much of Portal’s humor is boiled down to “the cake is a lie” jokes, but the game has so much more to offer. You get constant commentary on everything you do from GLaDOS (among others), and neither game is so long that it outstays its welcome. They’re must-play games, whether you’re on PC or console.
9The Procession to Calvaryand Other Joe Richardson Games
The Procession to Calvaryand its prequel,Four Last Things, are point-and-click adventures constructed entirely out of classical art. These Renaissance-era paintings juxtapose beautifully with the game’s witty writing (which PC Gamer perfectlydescribedas “Monty Python-esque”).
Being a modern point-and-click title, the game isn’t overly abstract in its puzzle-solving. There’s little to slow you down and so much silly humor to take in and beautiful art to experience in a never-before-seen context. Developer Joe Richardson also released a follow-upDeath of the Reprobatein 2024.
8BothPsychonautsGames
From the wonderfully creative mind of Tim Schafer comesPsychonauts, a lovable 3D platformer that remains one of the most underrated franchises of all time. Step into the shoes of Raz as he attends Whispering Rock Psychic Summer Camp. Before long you’ll need to step into the minds of other camp-goers (and their mentors) in order to fix what’s broken.
Not only does the game tactfully deal with the subject of mental health, it does so while cracking jokes at every opportunity. Raz makes constant remarks, while even the most benign NPCs have witty comebacks. The second game, aptly namedPsychonauts 2, was released in 2021 and is just as good (and serves as a modern entry point).
7The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable(and its 2024Ultra Deluxere-release) is a meta video game played from a first-person perspective. Originally conceived as aHalf-Lifemod, the game lacks combat, and much of the gameplay boils down to pressing buttons in a manner suitably befitting of your boring office job. You make decisions and the story progresses, with the overarching theme being the illusion of player choice in video games.
The game relies on the wit of its narrator to deliver a steady stream of fourth-wall-breaking wit throughout. There are multiple endings to see and the narrator reacts differently to your actions, so it’s a game that’s worth experiencing multiple times to get the most out of it.
6Trombone Champ
While some of the games on this list have a lot more going on than a sense of humor, it really feels like the entire purpose ofTrombone Champis to make you laugh. It’sGuitar Herofor trombones, with the ultimate goal being to score as many points as possible.
It’s a game that will have you in stitches if you’re tickled by the absurdity of trombone covers. The game features a mixture of original tracks but is mostly comprised of music that has entered the public domain. Of course, there’s a healthy modding scene (on the PC version) that allows you to add a good variety of custom songs from virtually any source.
5MostJackbox Party PackGames
TheJackboxgames are party games that allow you and your guests to play using smartphones and tablets instead of controllers. There is a huge variety of these games available, most of them assembled intoParty Packcompilations. The best ones are built entirely around the concept of making everyone laugh.
For example, you might be tasked with coming up with preposterous (yet believable) lies as is the case inFibbagewhile in other games the whole point is to make your fellow players laugh based on a prompt as perQuiplash. Some games even require that you draw directly on your device, while others are designed specifically with mature audiences in mind.
4Hitman: World of Assassination
IO Interactive’s latest three-partHitmanseries started in 2016 and concluded withHitman: World of Assassination(previouslyHitman 3), bringing a decade’s worth of content together into a single package. This is animmersive simulationin which you must locate your target, find a way to take them out and make a clean getaway.
These games are designed to be replayed, and that’s partly down to a plentiful supply of absurdly creative deaths, set pieces, and easter eggs there are to discover. Make people slip to their deaths with bananas, strangle targets while dressed as a clown, or just make a nuisance of yourself in the VR version (as per the video above).
