All Deaths in Leisure Suit Larry 1 (1987)

Like every Sierra game of the era, Leisure Suit Larry kills you often and without warning, usually with a joke. Here is every death and game-ending mistake in the original 1987 version, where to find it and how to avoid it.

Every screenshot below comes from my own playthrough. Save before you try any of these.

Most deaths end the same way: the Sierra adventure team drags Larry to an underground workshop and drops him into the "bit bucket" to be recycled into future games.

"Where Adventurers Are Made, Not Born!"

Out on the street

Death #1: Crossing the street

Where: Any street in Lost Wages. How: Walk into the road. A car flattens Larry before he reaches the other side, and the narrator has a word of advice. Avoid it: Stay on the sidewalk and use taxis.

"The traffic here is really a killer!"

Death #2: The dark alley

Where: The alley to the left of Lefty's. How: Walk into it. A mugger is waiting in the dark, and he hits hard. Avoid it: Never go left from Lefty's.

The mugger at work

"Larry, when are you gonna learn to stay out of those dark alleys!!"

In the taxi

Game over: Stiffing the cabbie

Where: Any taxi ride. How: Get out without paying. The driver jumps out, gives Larry a beating, and swears he'll never drive him again. Without taxis, Larry can't reach the rest of Lost Wages, so the game is effectively over. Avoid it: Always pay the fare.

"Waddaya tryin' to do, peahead!"

"You'll not ride with me again!"

Death #3: Drinking and driving

Where: Inside a taxi. How: Take a cab while carrying the wine from the Quiki-Mart. The driver spots the bottle, grabs it and guzzles it down, then starts swerving all over the road. Nobody reaches the destination. Avoid it: Give the wine to the wino outside the Quiki-Mart before you call a taxi.

"Hey! What's that you got? Wine?"

"Hang on, Larry. He's swerving all over the road!"

"Friends don't let cabbies drive drunk!"

At Lefty's

Death #4: Flushing the toilet

Where: Lefty's restroom. How: Flush. The toilet overflows, Larry jiggles the handle in a panic, and the water keeps rising until the whole room is full. Avoid it: Use it, don't flush it.

"Realizing your mistake, you quickly jiggle the handle..."

"Your life passes before your eyes."

The restroom, completely flooded

Death #5: Unprotected

Where: The room upstairs at Lefty's. How: Go ahead without a condom. The game even gives you the points, but Larry doesn't get far: by the time he steps out onto the street, it's clear he caught something, and the narrator delivers the verdict. Avoid it: Buy protection at the Quiki-Mart first (Part 2).

"A little more than you bargained for!"

"While life may be possible, it is no longer worth living."

At the Quiki-Mart

Death #6: Shoplifting

Where: The Quiki-Mart. How: Walk out with something you haven't paid for. The clerk does not take kindly to shoplifting, and he keeps a shotgun under the counter. Avoid it: Pay before you leave.

"His shotgun makes a permanent impression on you."

Game-ending mistakes

These don't kill Larry, but they end the game just the same.

Game over: Tied to the bed

Where: The honeymoon suite. How: Get tied up by Fawn without the wino's pocket knife. Larry has no way to get free. Avoid it: Get the knife at the Quiki-Mart before the wedding.

Tied up, and without a knife there is no way out

Game over: Indecent exposure

Where: Outside Lefty's. How: Leave the room upstairs with the condom still on. A cop is waiting on the sidewalk, and he isn't amused. Avoid it: remove condom before leaving.

"Caught you, pervert!"

"Next time... you should at least zip your fly."

Game over: The pills

Where: Wherever Larry is when he takes them. How: Swallow the pills yourself instead of giving them to Faith. Larry downs the whole bottle, loses all judgement, and his next decision involves a dog. He spends the rest of his life in prison. Avoid it: The pills are for Faith only.

The worst idea Larry has all night

Game over: Dawn

Where: Anywhere. How: Run out of time. The game starts at 10 PM, and if Larry is still a virgin at sunrise, he gives up on life entirely. Avoid it: Don't waste time, and complete Part 5 before dawn. After that the clock stops mattering.

Rather than wait all night for this one, I used the game's hidden debug mode to jump straight to the dawn scene: press Alt+D, type tp, press Enter and then type 19.

The sun comes up on Lost Wages, and Larry is still a virgin

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