1980s
Leisure Suit Larry
1987 · Adventure · PC/DOS
Overview
Leisure Suit Larry is a classic 1980s adventure game developed by Al Lowe for PC/DOS.
Deep Dive
Leisure Suit Larry is a classic 1980s adventure game developed by Al Lowe for PC/DOS.
Developer Story
Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards was designed by Al Lowe at Sierra On-Line in 1987, based on an earlier text adventure called Softporn Adventure. Lowe updated the game with graphics and expanded the humour. An age verification quiz (questions about 1980s pop culture) was included to deter minors. The game became Sierra's most controversial and, for a period, best-selling title.
Did You Know?
- Larry Laffer was deliberately designed as pathetic and endearing rather than suave — a loser in a white leisure suit was funnier than a genuine lothario.
- The age verification quiz asked questions like "In what year was the Korean War?" — questions many adults couldn't answer either.
- Al Lowe was in his 40s when he designed the game, older than almost any other game designer working at the time.
- The series ran to eight official games, with Larry's romantic failures in increasingly exotic locations.
