The Mole, the Mob, and the Meatball

Infobox VG
title = Sam & Max: The Mole, the Mob and the Meatball


caption = The GameTap title card for "The Mole, The Mob and the Meatball"
developer = Telltale Games
publisher = Telltale Games
GameTap
distributor =
designer = Brendan Q. Ferguson
David Grossman
Steve Purcell
Jeff Lester
engine =
version =
released = Vgrelease|USA|January 25 2007 (GameTap)
February 8 2007 (Online)
genre = Adventure
modes = Single player
ratings = ESRB: Teen
platforms = Microsoft Windows
media = Download
requirements = 800 MHz processor, 256 MB of RAM, 3D card with 32MB of RAM.
input = Keyboard, mouse

"The Mole, the Mob and the Meatball" is the third episode of season one of the Sam & Max computer game series.

ynopsis

The commissioner is looking into an underground operation at Ted E. Bear's Mafia-Free Playland and Casino, but the mole he sent in has suddenly gone quiet. To find the mole, Sam & Max must infiltrate the operation and become members of the Toy Mafia themselves.

Ted E. Bear's Mafia-Free Playland and Casino

Sam & Max travel to Ted E. Bear's Mafia-Free Playland and Casino to begin their investigation of the missing "mole". On arrival they notice this casino is anything but "mafia-free". After exploring the casino, they notice a door in the back guarded by one of Ted E. Bear's minions which requires a password for entry. This becomes the first challenge of the game.

Gaining entry to the casino's back room

Sam & Max speak to Bosco who presents them with his latest invention from Bosco Technology... an organic listening device he wants to sell for $10 million. They successfully cheat a cheater at cards (Leonard Steakcharmer) for, coincidentally, 10 million casino chips which they use to buy it. The 'Organic Listening Device', turns out to be a war-hardened Beetle, who can repeat anything he hears. Using the beetle, Sam & Max discover the password to enter the back room. Once inside, Sam & Max are greeted by Ted E. Bear mafia member, Chuckles and are "offered" a position in the Toy Mafia contingent on the completion of three tasks...

Task 1: Display teddy bear in Bosco's Inconvenience

Sam & Max must display a teddy bear given to them by Chuckles in Bosco's Inconvenience. Sam receives a teddy bear magnet when he wins a game of Whack Da Ratz in the casino. He and Max return to Bosco's store to find the card dealer, Cuddly Bear, hanging outside the store to ensure Sam & Max display the teddy bear on the sale table. Sam & Max enter and distract Bosco by pointing out the mafia member standing outside the window. While he is distracted, Sam attaches the magnet to Bosco's new B-TADS 2 security camera, which boots out products that are not part of his inventory. The system kicks in and throws the camera out the door, allowing Sam to put the teddy bear on the sale table.

Task 2: Fake court witness' death (Sybil Pandemik)

Sam & Max are instructed by Chuckles to rub out court witness Sybil Pandemik in order to sway a jury in the Mafia's favor. On returning to Sybil's office, Sam takes Sybil's coffee cup and fills it with ketchup at Bosco's. He then lays it back on the table and proceeds to shoot it causing ketchup to fly onto Sybil and making her pass out, appearing as if they killed her. Afterwards, Max eats the camera being used to spy on them so that the Mafia doesn't see Sybil wake up.

Task 3: Recover Ted E. Bear's Original Meatball Sandwich

Finally, Sam and Max must recover Ted E. Bear's original Meatball Sandwich, which has been stolen. The two return to their office, where they find Leonard Steakcharmer making a deal with Jimmy Two Teeth in an attempt to fence off the sandwich. When Sam and Max confront him, Leonard holds them at gunpoint, but Max points out that Leonard is using a harmless cap gun and proceeds to take his weapon and tie him up. After a series of "Yo Momma" jokes, Leonard gives in and admits he hid the sandwich in the "One Armed Bandit" slot machine and took the arm so no one could get it. Sam takes the arm and the two return to the casino, where they reattach it to the machine and regain the sandwich.

Acceptance into Mafia

After completing the necessary tasks, Sam and Max are accepted into the Toy Mafia, only to discover that the infamous Ted E. Bear is actually the mole they are there to rescue, who has changed sides. The two make a hasty getaway in the Desoto, but are pursued by the members of the Toy Mafia, sans the mole. After running the hit men off the road, Sam and Max return to the casino to stop their leader.

Destroying factory

When they return, the two discover that the Mafia is producing hypnotic teddy bears for an unknown purpose. The mole quickly becomes aware of their presence and attempts to hypnotize them, though both of them are immune. However, the two act as if they are hypnotized in order to catch the mole off guard. As a test to make sure the hypnosis works, the mole orders Sam to shoot Max. Sam fakes the shooting using Leonard's cap gun, giving off the illusion that he has killed Max. When the mole is not looking, Sam replaces the voice box in one of the teddy bears with that of the One Armed Bandit, and uses it to hypnotize the mole into believing he is on fire. Sam then uses the mole to jam up the teddy bear producing machine and cause it, and the factory, to explode. After they destroy the factory, the camera shows one Secret Agent Chuckles, who is evidently part of an organization which planned this for some higher purpose. Ominously, Chuckles tells them they need to switch to Plan B.

Trivia

*The poker player you meet, Leonard Steakcharmer, has the same character model as Boris from "Telltale Texas Hold'Em", another game made by Telltale Games. In fact, Sam and Max tell him "you look more like a Boris Krinkle". Conversely, Boris Krinkle from "Telltale Texas Hold'Em" has been told he looks like a Leonard Steakcharmer.
*When Sam starts playing "Whack Da Ratz" for the first time, the music that starts playing is a remix of the "Wak A Rat" mini-game music from "Sam & Max Hit the Road".
*Don Ted E. Bear is a spoof on Marlon Brando's character in "The Godfather".
*Also, the password to see Chuckles, "Leave the gun, take the cannolis" is a line from "The Godfather".
*The phrase that Sam asks Bosco "Do you have any hats in the shape of a cow udder" is a reference to another Telltale game, "", where at the fair, the owner of one of the games wears a cow udder shaped hat.

External links

* [http://www.telltalegames.com/samandmax Telltale's "Sam & Max" website]
* [http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/samandmaxepisode3themole "Sam & Max Episode 3: The Mob, The Mole and The Meatball" Reviews] at Metacritic
* [http://www.gamefaqs.com/computer/doswin/game/937737.html "Sam & Max Episode 3: The Mob, THe Mole and The Meatball" Walkthroughs]
*moby game|id=/sam-max-episode-3-the-mole-the-mob-and-the-meatball