One recommended way to play difficult or cryptic retro games is, instead of looking to YouTube playthroughs or GameFAQs when stuck, looking for help and hints only in the (digitised) pages of contemporary magazines.
More challenging, but more immersive to the era and arguably more fun.
#retrogaming
For adventure games the Universal Hint System is great for spoiler-free progressive hints that point you toward answers without immediately spoiling things.