The following interview with Sam & Max Season One lead designer Dave Grossman was published on 1up.com just before The Mole, The Mob, and The Meatball was released in January of 2007. You can read the original here.

So, "The Mole, The Mob, and The Meatball." Eh?

Yep. You'll find one of each of those things in this episode. And so will Sam and Max. The mob is easy to locate, the other two are a little trickier.

What can you tell us about Episode 3's story? A few teasers?

Sam and Max investigate Ted E. Bear's Mafia-Free Playland and Casino, hunting for a missing mole. They go undercover and try to join the notorious Toy Mafia. They're called upon to do some pretty despicable things, which normally wouldn't be a problem, except that they're supposed to do them to people they like.


We understand that players will be playing poker in this episode. How in-depth will this part of the game be? Any plans to have a side mode where players can jump right into the poker whenever they want?

The poker part is quite simple, more along the lines of a puzzle than a mini-game. As you might expect from other Sam & Max games, actual poker skills are irrelevant: it's mostly about how to cheat. If players do feel the urge to play real poker, there's always Telltale Texas Hold 'Em...


Is the poker at all similar to Telltale's Texas Hold'em game?

Not really, because at this casino we play the pinnacle of all poker games: Indian Head Poker. You may have done this when you were a kid -- each player gets a card that they stick to their forehead, facing out, so you can't see your own card, but you can see everyone else's. (I've even tried a seven-card stud version of this, where you can see four of your own cards and the other three are on your head, but we decided to keep things simpler for the game so as to avoid driving players crazy.)


Will each episode going forward have a themed main location of sorts, ala the television studio and poker table?

Typically, yes, at least for Season One. For this episode your main tourist destination is the Mafia-Free Playland and Casino, though you also do a fair bit back in Sam & Max's own neighborhood.


Will we see any new characters in this episode?

Several! Be careful around them, though. Most of them are dangerous people.


What's the number one thing you think Episode 3 does better than the first two?

I'm particularly happy with the way all of the principal characters are hooked into the story in this one. Also, episode 3 has what I think is the best song so far.