Key & Compass presents:
The Last Laugh
by David A. Cornelson

The Last Laugh is a Z-machine interactive fiction game written with Inform 6 and is © 2000 by David A. Cornelson. This game was a participant in the DragonComp event. It also appears to be an alternate ending and sequel to Dragon! by Adam Thornton.

You play as a notoriously handsome hero who's very good at killing dragons, especially the ones from New Jersey. You were just swallowed by a balding, pot-bellied dragon, but luckily, your trusty cigar case is in your back pocket. Who will have the last laugh: the dragon or you?

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1.000414 of the game.

Walkthrough
Extras
- Characters, Endings, Inventory
Thank You to my Patreon supporters
External links:
- This game at IFDB, IFWiki, and ifwizz.
- Tweet about this walkthrough on Twitter.

Walkthrough

Inside Dragon

> x me. take case. x case. open case.

> take all from case. x torch. x cigar.

> put case in pocket. x cigar.

> light torch.

Inside Dragon (esophagus)

> u.

Inside Dragon (between esophagus and pharynx)

> i. x toothpick. take it. pick molar.

Your Office

The dragon calls you 'Thob'; this is probably a mangled version of the author's then-nickname Jarb.

> x desk. (There's a tape measure, but you can't do anything with it. Yet.)

> x dragon. xyzzy.

After three turns in the office, a girl runs in and you notice the tape measure for real.

> take measure. x it.

> measure dragon.

It seems the dragon's length is patented; a Microsoft dragon takes your nemesis away.

*** You have won ***

Extras

Characters

The dragon is your adversary. Either you will get the last laugh or it will.
Weetabix is your daughter. "Weetabix" is an alias that one of the author's daughters used.
A Microsoft dragon arrives at the end of the game to defend a patent.

Endings

You have died if you enter the dragon's stomach.
You have won when you measure the dragon with the tape measure.

Inventory

a cigar case. Described in the intro and in your initial description as in your back pocket. Take it to actually put it into your inventory.
a small torch. It's inside the cigar case. Light it so you can see properly when inside the dragon.
a cigar. It's inside the cigar case. You can ignore it.
an aluminum toothpick. It's in your torch, in a notch in the torch, actually. Use the toothpick to pick the dragon's molar.
a tape measure. It's in your office, but it's not available until the girl points it out.

Thank You to my Patreon supporters

This walkthrough is provided free of charge since the work it's based on has less than fifteen locations. Please consider it a thank you for your support!

I create larger walkthroughs too! Please visit my Patreon account if you're interested in helping me create more interactive fiction walkthroughs. I appreciate all the help I can get! Thanks again.