History VideoGame / BenThereDanThat

''Ben There, Dan That'' is a point-and-click adventure that follows two intrepid explorers, the titular Ben and Dan, as they travel through various dimensions in a quest to return to their flat to watch ''Series/MagnumPI''. A combination of brain-teasing puzzles and some far-out thinking sees the dynamic duo quip, steal and murder their way through alternate reality versions of London. Humorous and surreal, the story begins with Dan dead, a firework and one of his orifices... after which they are kidnapped by aliens, and HilarityEnsues.

''Ben There, Dan That'' is a point-and-click adventure that follows two intrepid explorers, the titular Ben and Dan, as they travel through various dimensions in a quest to return to their flat to watch ''MagnumPI''. A combination of brain-teasing puzzles and some far-out thinking sees the dynamic duo quip, steal and murder their way through alternate reality versions of London. Humorous and surreal, the story begins with Dan dead, a firework and one of his orifices... after which they are kidnapped by aliens, and HilarityEnsues.

* GodwinsLawOfTimeTravel: Apparently, messing with the history of coathangers can ultimately lead to AdolfHitler conquering (and screwing up) the universe.

* [[spoiler:ResetButton: What happens at the end of the game, more or less.]]

* TooDumbToLive: The main characters. Not only do they frequently nearly get them selves killed but their stupidity gets every one else but them killed.

** The title is a line [[TheAdventuresOfTintin Thomson]] mangled in ''Tintin and the Picaros''.

* AllTheMyriadWays:
-->'''Ben''': ''"I don't need to dispose of this corpse. He's from another dimension and therefore doesn't exist."''

* {{Eagleland}}: One of the alternate Londons is part of a universe where America has turned the tables on Britain and annexed it as the 51st state. London has become a schlocky, tourist-trappy Americana version of itself. The "authentic British pub" has two things on tap: beer, and [[TakeThat that stuff Americans drink instead]].

* ShoutOut (Too many to classic adventure games to count, but especially to ''VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'', which the game owes a great deal to, and to ''MonkeyIsland''.)

* BreadEggsMilkSquick: A list of innocuous items required to complete the game. One of them, unfortunately, is someone's poop.
** At least you get to [[IncrediblyLamePun stool]] it.

* ShoutOut: This game is a continuation of the love letter to LucasArts' SCUMM games of the early nineties. From the annoying parrot to "I'm selling these fine leather jackets."

Both games are available on Steam for under five dollars. ''Ben There, Dan That!'' is freeware. ''Time, Gentlemen Please!'' is not freeware, but is pretty cheap to buy.

There is a sequel called ''Time, Gentlemen, Please!'' It expands upon the gaming hilarity and also becomes much more offensive in its own ways. After ruining the utopia they helped create at the end of the first game, Dan and Ben travel back in time to ensure that coat hangers are never invented.

* InMediaRes: I'll say. The first task you have to complete is reviving your inexplicably-dead friend in the middle of some jungle somewhere.

* RetGone

* DarkerAndEdgier: ...Sorta. It's still very silly, but there's more sexual jokes and swearing. And [[ThoseWackyNazis Nazis.]] Plus, for some reason the options menu has a "Racism" option which you cannot turn off.

** At least you get to [[AWorldWidePunomenon stool]] it.

Both games are available on Steam for under five dollars. ''Ben There, Dan That!'' is freeware, and can be downloaded from [[http://zombie-cow.com Zombie Cow Studios.]] ''Time, Gentlemen Please!'' is not freeware, but is pretty cheap to buy.

* NoodleIncident: What does them preventing coat hangers from being invented cause StupidJetpackHitler

-->Dan: Won't it burn or melt or anything?
-->Ben: No.
-->Dan: Thank heavens for [[spoiler: heat resistant wood]], now.

* Eagleland: One of the alternate Londons is part of a universe where America has turned the tables on Britain and annexed it as the 51st state. London has become a schlocky, tourist-trappy Americana version of itself. The "authentic British pub" has two things on tap: beer, and [[TakeThat that stuff Americans drink instead]].

* HaveIMentionedIamHeterosexualToday: This is my partner Dan. My ADVENTURING partner. That there is my ADVENTURING partner Dan.

* HeroicSociopath: At one point you have to club a priest with his own bible to continue. And that's just the beginning!

* [[spoiler:RetGone]]

* SideKick: Dan. The stable of options you have for interacting with things even includes by default the option to inflict Dan upon it, ala Max from ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam And Max Hit The Road]]''. This gets used once early on for a minor task, then lampshaded many times later on when Dan refuses to play ball.

* CrapsackWorld: The beginning of the game. [[spoiler: Dan and Ben, rulers of the world, order everyone to watch Magnum, PI. Everyone dies due to starvation and filth.]]

** If you talk to the electronic door lock in the first screen, you get a shout-out to {{Sneakers}} ("My voice is my passport. Verify me.")
** The title is a line [[TheAdventuresOfTintin Thomson]] mangled in Tintin and the Picaros.
* SideKick: Dan wants to become less of a Sidekick and more of a...[[{{BuffySpeak}} kick.]]

* TheNapoleon: Hitler's portrayal in this game.

[[quoteright:400:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/btdt_04_221.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:400:Ben and Dan's hand-drawn travels through the universe.]]

This point-and-click adventure follows two intrepid explorers, the titular Ben and Dan, as they travel through various dimensions in a quest to return to their flat to watch ''MagnumPI''. A combination of brain-teasing puzzles and some far-out thinking sees the dynamic duo quip, steal and murder their way through alternate reality versions of London. Humorous and surreal, the story begins with Dan dead, a firework and one of his orifices... after which they are kidnapped by aliens, and HilarityEnsues.

There is a sequel called [[BenThereDanThat Time, Gentlemen, Please!]] It expands upon the gaming hilarity and also becomes much more offensive in its own ways. After ruining the utopia they helped create at the end of the first game, Dan and Ben travel back in time to ensure that coat hangers are never invented.

* SideKick: Dan. The stable of options you have for interacting with things even includes by default the option to inflict Dan upon it, ala Max from ''[[Game/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam And Max Hit The Road]]''. This gets used once early on for a minor task, then lampshaded many times later on when Dan refuses to play ball.

* ShoutOut (Too many to classic adventure games to count, but especially to ''Game/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice'', which the game owes a great deal to, and to ''MonkeyIsland''.)