Reviews (436)

"Haunted Carousel" an entertaning ride.
In "The Haunted Carousel," teenage sleuth Nancy Drew is on her eighth case: investigating amusement park "hauntings" in Captains Cove, NJ. One of the park's famed carousel horses has been stolen, and the carousel has been mysteriously starting and stopping on its own. Also, the park's roller coaster stopped suddenly, causing a rider to injure his neck. With the park shut down, Nancy must interview the employees and explore the park to find clues.

"Haunted Carousel" has some nice improvements over past games: the addition of the "to do" list, journal, and cell phone (no more endless running back and forth to Nancy's hotel to call). If Nancy gets stuck, she can call her friends Bess and George and the Hardy Boys. The game has two levels, Junior and Senior Detective, and there are plenty of built-in tips and hints, including a park operating manual with an overview of most puzzle components. "Haunted Carousel" seemed to be one of the easier ND games.

"Haunted Carousel" really draws the player into the park's atmosphere, complete with hotel room service, arcade games, a ride on the carousel (and chance to grab the brass ring), and more. The storyline flowed smoothly, the puzzles were organic (programming an arcade game, switching roller coaster tracks, repairing the carousel's band organ, reading invisible ink), the voice work was above average and the characters had distinct personalities. Music was pronounced, including carnival music for the carousel and ominous creepy tunes for the haunted house.

Nancy must watch her step as always, since someone wants to stop her from finding out the truth behind the hauntings. Along the way she helps someone come to terms with the past, sniffs out an insurance fraud, and digs up long-lost truths and secrets about the park and its employees. This is a lovely adventure with a unique atmosphere that will delight young sleuths.

Not worth the price compared to others in series
First of all, I would like to point out that the editorial review above is not for Secrets Can Kill. It is for one of the other games in the series, and is therefore a better review than Secrets Can Kill deserves. It may be confusing to see the editorial review for the Tower mystery right under the title for Secrets Can Kill.
I love the Nancy Drew series, and I am a college-educated woman in my thirties. I have played four out of the first five games in the series (I have not played Stay Tuned for Danger). The other games have wonderful graphics and storylines. Talking to the other characters is enjoyable, and the puzzles are challenging enough for an adult when played on the senior detective level. I played Secrets Can Kill on the Master level (there are three levels for this game instead of two), and I found that my nine-year-old son was not challenged by the puzzles. Most of the puzzles are easily solved word puzzles that have clues as to the items to gather or hints about the character's secrets. However, most of the puzzles have nothing to do with the game play itself. There is one slide puzzle that allows you to find an inventory item; otherwise, the puzzles are just there for hints. As mentioned in other reviews, this game has cartoon-like characters rather than the 3D-type characters in the other games, and it really does make the game less interesting. The dialogue is uninteresting and the characters become hostile and barely speak to Nancy through most of the game. Overall, the game requires only a few answered puzzles to solve the mystery, and the ending is disappointing, to say the least. I gave this two stars instead of one, which was my first inclination, because I feel that it might be interesting for a child to play, especially if the child has not had very much experience with adventure games for the computer; however, a child would probably still at least want to play on the senior detective level. I recommend the other Nancy Drew games that I have played to players of any age for a nice, relaxing mystery, and I especially recommend the Haunted Mansion game. I cannot, however, recommend Secrets Can Kill.

Very interesting --- Another good mystery
I thought it was very good, only it was a little too complicated. I liked the usually good graphics (for Nancy Drew games) but I didn't particularly like the way you couldn't easily get around. Really well done ghost dogs, very scary. The mystery was a creepy one, and the villain was certainly unexpected. That's all I'll say. Anymore would spoil it.

My favorite ND game so far!
Treasure in the Royal Tower is one of the best computer games I ever played. This is a great starter Nancy Drew game for starting off because it's not too hard nor too easy. If you want a really easy game try the Haunted Carousel.
The story goes that you, as Nancy Drew, are snowed in at a ski resort in Wisconsin with an interesting history. In this game you learn about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette.
"So, what's the mystery?" you ask. I'm getting to that.
There is a tower shipped over from France and was put back together on Wickford Castle, the ski resort you are staying at. The library at Wickford has been vandalized, and it takes a lot more than barging through the front door to investigate. Later, you hear about Marie Antoinette having a crown worth millions and somehow you figure that the library and treasure are connected. Your job is to find out the story behind the treasure and library.
This game took me about four days to beat. It's quite challenging in parts, like the ski lift, but you can get through it. It's also a little frightening, like the banging noises, but not too frightening that you never want to play it again, like the Final Scene. All in all, Treasure in the Royal Tower is a great game and everyone should buy it.

Not the Best
I've played all of the Nancy Drew Games (except the Final Scene) and this one was pretty good. It was well-written, but I didn't think it was as interesting as some of the other games. I would reccomend the Haunted Carousel or Treasure in the Royal Tower instead. ... Read more

Features

• Play as Nancy Drew in this interactive mystery-adventure game
• 20+ hours of thrilling game play; interview suspects
• New puzzles tie directly to the storyline and give important clues
• Solve the mystery on your own or team up with family and friends
• 2 difficulty settings for both experienced and new detectives

Reviews (3)

COOL GAME
This game rocks! Like all the other games. Nancy Drew is a fictional character. The author of the books is really a guy. He used Carolyn Keene as a pen name. Which is a little weird, but who's gonna read a girl's mystery by a guy? So I guess had to use the pen name. Anyway It's a cool game!

~*Nancy drew: The serect of shadow ranch *~
This is a great game for 12 and up. You learn how to sattle& ride a horse, pick ripe veggies, talk to lots of people,serch every room and town. It is a great mystry and has great graphics. You will learn about petroglyphs,1900's fashion & moreIf you mess up (or die)in your game use the "second chance" and you will go right back to what you where doing a minunte before you messed up.It takes about 4 days to complet( if you don't use cheats) .If you don't like this one or want more nancy drew chose from any of there 10 titles

I cant wait for this game
This is goin to be the hippest game from the Nancy Drew line up yet. Ya no what im sayin. it looks very cool and hip all at the same time it will be worth (...). for real. Im not goin to give all the info away but this looks like the best Nancy Drew game yet.And One more thing does anybody no if Nancy Drew is a real person? ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

A curse has closed Captain's Cove Amusement Park! Someone has stolen one of the carved wooden horses from the park carousel, despite old tales that say bad luck will befall the park if the horses are ever separated. At first Nancy Drew believes the disappearance is tied to an unsolved jewel theft... but is the carousel hiding another secret, too?

Like all of the Nancy Drew mysteries from Her Interactive, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel is a first-person role playing game that lets players explore its richly imagined amusement park setting while solving the spate of mysterious incidents that have shut down the park. Featuring well-drawn characters, some tough but satisfying puzzles, arcade games, and plenty of thrills, this game is sure to satisfy.

Though the game design and artwork have the winsome flavor of the original Nancy Drew novel series, the tools the teen sleuth has to work with are utterly modern. A cell phone keeps players in touch with faithful friends like George, Bess and even the Hardy Boys. Nancy's laptop lets you pick up helpful e-mails that assist in analyzing clues.

The game informs as it entertains. As players unravel the mystery they also learn a few basics about electrical repair, carousel design history, the uses of a lathe, and decoding old stenographic documents. In this way, The Haunted Carousel seamlessly and safely allows girls to truly inhabit the role of Nancy--to be resourceful, clever, persistent and, of course, more than a little snoopy. Player confidence is only enhanced by the game's structure, which poses some tough challenges but also makes sure you have the tools to solve them, and provides lots of encouragement along the way.

Captain's Cove is not without its dangers, however. Carelessness could plunge Nancy into a dangerous accident, which leads to getting her banned from the amusement park property. Fortunately, the game is very forgiving, allowing you to choose a "Second Chance" option that lets you revisit--and revise--any critical mistakes.

Beautifully designed, true to its subject matter, and with a genuinely interesting mystery at its heart, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel is a game that will have girls hungering for more.--Alyx Dellamonica ... Read more

Reviews (436)

"Haunted Carousel" an entertaning ride.
In "The Haunted Carousel," teenage sleuth Nancy Drew is on her eighth case: investigating amusement park "hauntings" in Captains Cove, NJ. One of the park's famed carousel horses has been stolen, and the carousel has been mysteriously starting and stopping on its own. Also, the park's roller coaster stopped suddenly, causing a rider to injure his neck. With the park shut down, Nancy must interview the employees and explore the park to find clues.

"Haunted Carousel" has some nice improvements over past games: the addition of the "to do" list, journal, and cell phone (no more endless running back and forth to Nancy's hotel to call). If Nancy gets stuck, she can call her friends Bess and George and the Hardy Boys. The game has two levels, Junior and Senior Detective, and there are plenty of built-in tips and hints, including a park operating manual with an overview of most puzzle components. "Haunted Carousel" seemed to be one of the easier ND games.

"Haunted Carousel" really draws the player into the park's atmosphere, complete with hotel room service, arcade games, a ride on the carousel (and chance to grab the brass ring), and more. The storyline flowed smoothly, the puzzles were organic (programming an arcade game, switching roller coaster tracks, repairing the carousel's band organ, reading invisible ink), the voice work was above average and the characters had distinct personalities. Music was pronounced, including carnival music for the carousel and ominous creepy tunes for the haunted house.

Nancy must watch her step as always, since someone wants to stop her from finding out the truth behind the hauntings. Along the way she helps someone come to terms with the past, sniffs out an insurance fraud, and digs up long-lost truths and secrets about the park and its employees. This is a lovely adventure with a unique atmosphere that will delight young sleuths.

Not worth the price compared to others in series
First of all, I would like to point out that the editorial review above is not for Secrets Can Kill. It is for one of the other games in the series, and is therefore a better review than Secrets Can Kill deserves. It may be confusing to see the editorial review for the Tower mystery right under the title for Secrets Can Kill.
I love the Nancy Drew series, and I am a college-educated woman in my thirties. I have played four out of the first five games in the series (I have not played Stay Tuned for Danger). The other games have wonderful graphics and storylines. Talking to the other characters is enjoyable, and the puzzles are challenging enough for an adult when played on the senior detective level. I played Secrets Can Kill on the Master level (there are three levels for this game instead of two), and I found that my nine-year-old son was not challenged by the puzzles. Most of the puzzles are easily solved word puzzles that have clues as to the items to gather or hints about the character's secrets. However, most of the puzzles have nothing to do with the game play itself. There is one slide puzzle that allows you to find an inventory item; otherwise, the puzzles are just there for hints. As mentioned in other reviews, this game has cartoon-like characters rather than the 3D-type characters in the other games, and it really does make the game less interesting. The dialogue is uninteresting and the characters become hostile and barely speak to Nancy through most of the game. Overall, the game requires only a few answered puzzles to solve the mystery, and the ending is disappointing, to say the least. I gave this two stars instead of one, which was my first inclination, because I feel that it might be interesting for a child to play, especially if the child has not had very much experience with adventure games for the computer; however, a child would probably still at least want to play on the senior detective level. I recommend the other Nancy Drew games that I have played to players of any age for a nice, relaxing mystery, and I especially recommend the Haunted Mansion game. I cannot, however, recommend Secrets Can Kill.

Very interesting --- Another good mystery
I thought it was very good, only it was a little too complicated. I liked the usually good graphics (for Nancy Drew games) but I didn't particularly like the way you couldn't easily get around. Really well done ghost dogs, very scary. The mystery was a creepy one, and the villain was certainly unexpected. That's all I'll say. Anymore would spoil it.

My favorite ND game so far!
Treasure in the Royal Tower is one of the best computer games I ever played. This is a great starter Nancy Drew game for starting off because it's not too hard nor too easy. If you want a really easy game try the Haunted Carousel.
The story goes that you, as Nancy Drew, are snowed in at a ski resort in Wisconsin with an interesting history. In this game you learn about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette.
"So, what's the mystery?" you ask. I'm getting to that.
There is a tower shipped over from France and was put back together on Wickford Castle, the ski resort you are staying at. The library at Wickford has been vandalized, and it takes a lot more than barging through the front door to investigate. Later, you hear about Marie Antoinette having a crown worth millions and somehow you figure that the library and treasure are connected. Your job is to find out the story behind the treasure and library.
This game took me about four days to beat. It's quite challenging in parts, like the ski lift, but you can get through it. It's also a little frightening, like the banging noises, but not too frightening that you never want to play it again, like the Final Scene. All in all, Treasure in the Royal Tower is a great game and everyone should buy it.

Not the Best
I've played all of the Nancy Drew Games (except the Final Scene) and this one was pretty good. It was well-written, but I didn't think it was as interesting as some of the other games. I would reccomend the Haunted Carousel or Treasure in the Royal Tower instead. ... Read more

Features

• Over 25 hours of spellbinding game play
• Enhanced challenges with two difficulty settings
• Suspects move, sleep and interact according to game time schedules
• Forgiving ""Second Chance" option erases blunders and rookie mistakes
• Play alone or with friends and family

Features

• Save Bikini Bottom from the evil Plankton's most diabolical plot ever
• Play as SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks, Squidward, Mr. Crabs, or Gary
• 5 huge worlds to explore--each filled with mini-games, puzzles, and trivia
• Collect special hidden items to unlock bonus games
• Authentic voices from the cartoon

Reviews (10)

Fun 4 Kids
There are tons of mini games in this SpongeBob game (I think there are like 30 total). My favorite section is the Trivia which has questions on all of the Main Characters. I would reccomend this game for kids between the ages of 6-10.

Fun kids game, but short
My 5-year old LOVES Spongebob, and definitely enjoys the game. There are three (or four?) areas that have a series of challenges; you have to complete each before moving on to the next. Once you have completed them all, you can go back and play whichever games you like the most. I don't see this as a favorite among older kids (9 and up) -- it could get a bit boring. And younger kids need help with some of the challenges and the trivia games. But, if your expectations are reasonable, it's a cool little game.

Better than the first few.
As each Spongebob game is released, it is generally better than the last. This one is no exception. The game itself resides with less storage space than previous games. The load time between sequences is faster. The game is tad longer than employee of the month, which was a relatively long game. The graphics are of little issue, as they are replications of the cartoons, so they can change very little. As far as installation issues, i had none. People with installation issues should look at their systems first before assuming it is the game. So many situations are caused not by the game, but by the system it is on. Troubleshoot. In any case, this program never crashed for me. It ran beautifully and was great fun for myself and my 5 year old son to play. I would recommend this to any Spongebob fan.

VERY FUN GAME!!!
I BOUGHT THIS GAME A WEEK AGO AND I really enjoyed it
THERE IS FIVE PLACES TO GO(THE CHUM BUCKET KELP FOREST DOWNTOWN BIKINI BOTTOM FLYING DUTCHMAN"S GRAVEYARD AND MERMALAIR)
ALL OF THE PLACES HAS COOL MINIGAMES PUZZLES AND TRIVIA
PLUS IT HAS TONS OF VIDEO CLIPS
I RECOMMEND THIS GAME FOR TEN OR YOUNGER
IT KEPT ME PLAYING FOR HOURS :)
RATED E FOR EVERYONE
...

Changed my mind
Don't know why they will not let you enter a review without at least one star????
After reading the reviews I have changed my mind about buying the Battle For Bikini Bottom. I will take this off my wish list and look for something else for my 5 year old to play. Thanks reviewers. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Anyone who enjoyed the hilarity of Pixar's Finding Nemo movie will be tempted to pick up one of the two games that star everyone's favorite clownfish. Both games feature original voice work by the outstanding Nemo cast, including the pitch-perfect Albert Brooks, Willem Dafoe, and Ellen DeGeneres. Each game also has a selection of cut-scenes from the movies, shown when tasks are well done. The difference between the two games is that Nemo's Underwater World of Fun was created (says the box) for children four and over, and is by far the simpler of the two Nemo titles.

In Nemo's Underwater World of Fun, players have six mini-games to choose from, along with a section where kids can make music by clicking on members of the Tank Gang (Bubbles, Jacques, and the rest). In a section that resembles an ocean-bound Frogger, Nemo must swim with the turtles, avoiding obstacles and collecting items. Other activities include a shark-run shell game and a very difficult Pong-like segment called "Feeding Frenzy," where Nemo has to bounce kelp balls off obstacles and walls to reach Bruce's mouth.

Both Nemo games have two big drawbacks. First, computer owners with less than state-of-the-art machines will experience stutter and delay when the movie segments appear (which will disappoint kids, so be sure to check the system requirements carefully). Also, each game only offers about one hour of original gameplay (kids who repeat sections will, obviously, play longer).

Of the two games, Nemo's Underwater World of Fun is the weaker,mainly because it doesn't follow the ups and downs of the plot that made the movie so enjoyable. The age requisite, too, seems arbitrary: neither game teaches any particular educational skills (other than pattern matching and hand-eye coordination). For anyone over five, the other game, called simply Finding Nemo is a better choice. But both are loaded with the movie's charms, including an appearance by our favorite character, the sea turtle named Crush. Does everybody have their exit buddy? Okay, dude, you're ready to play.--Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (30)

The other version? Poor Quality Control Problem....
This is yet another pc game that could have been so good...The problem? Like the other 3 disney pc games we have, we had to go on-line to reconfigure our computer!!! It seems to be the SOUND that creates problems.

We bought the version for older kids, after reading the reviews here. Guess what? The voices for Nemo and others cannot be understood. It's as if someone put an old record on the wrong speed...high speed....everyone talks like the chipmunks! What we heard of the music and graphics however looked real good.

We're running these programs on windows XP and unable to get the program to work right out of the package, which is a real drag to an intelligent 5 year old and his mom! Bottom line, you probably have to go on line and get help to make the program work. OR you may have luck calling them...

With the exception of MULAN (has a great majonng game for kids...but you have to go on-line and learn HOW TO MAKE THE program work and reconfigure/disable a sound card or something like that....)We've sworn off of Disney pc games, at least for now....they're not worth the trouble.

Misleading, disappointing, irritating waste of time!
The Nemo's Underwater World of Fun game disk enclosed in with the movie DVD, was a big disappointment. My young kids were very excited then very upset. Until I read user reviews here on AMAZON, I thought I had a malfunctioning game rather than a DEMO disk on which only 2 of the 6 activities were accessible, rendering the prizes unwinable and the main games unplayable. And one of the 2 accessible activities, the Tank Gang music maker, seems buggy! Neither the disk, its sleeve, nor the read-me file indicated that it was only a demo, so my exercise in futility began: I installed and reinstalled it. I called the Disney phone number only to find the voice menu options to be misdirected, and at Disney Interactive on-line found no help nor mention of the demo version. FINE DISNEY, so you don't want to give away a free game, but why waste your ad dollars on such a stunt? Guess what, I've not been enticed into buying the real game, just irritated into a resolution to spend NO money on Disney computer games! (It's not your fault THQ (the game designer) we still love you.) I'm Sooooo glad that wonderful PIXAR's contract with Disney is ending!!!

My son likes it, I can't stand it
We bought this for our five-year-old, who loved the movie. Why is it that all Disney games turn into annoying (and cloying) lead-ins or promos for the movie? Why do we have to watch endless clips of it? The games seem kind of uneven (some way too hard, others too easy), and sometimes the software seems to get 'stuck' (we need to back out and repeat the objective to get it to work). I like THQ and their software in general, I've just noticed that anything Disney-related gets bogged down in their desire to "Plug the movie! Plug the products!" My son does like it when he plays it, but it's been used a LOT less than I had anticipated. Gets 3 stars for good graphic and audio quality, but I'd give the game itself a two.

terrible
I bought the finding nemo software for my daughter today and I sincerely regret it. It is one of the worst games I have ever purchased. The games dont work. You get nowhere. I would advise everyone considering this game to just save your money. My daughter was excited to get it until we installed it and tryed playing it only to find out it is a lemon.

Very cute
I just loved the movie, so naturally I bought the game. My sis and I have had these little, ummm...."problems" with games for kids 4+. We can't win them!! The older kid's games are easier. But that's what makes this game fun. I still can't win the "Surfin' With Crush" level though. "Nemo's Underwater World of Fun" actually has a story to it. Nemo wants to prove to his dad that he can move around just as well as any other fish. So Marlin sets up a "Super Swim Challenge" game, that will test Nemo's swimming skills. It goes from there in that you have to help Nemo win a certain number of "trophies" in each game in order to get up to level 5 in the Super Swim Challenge. After that, you can help Nemo prove to Marlin how good a swimmer he is. I love the games you can play. "Dory's Memory Match", "Surfin' With Crush", and "Tank Gang Sing-alongs" are just a few. Hope you have fun playing! I'm sure the kids will. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

mixed review
I got this game as a birthday present and I am 7 years old. I like grooming and feeding the horse. It is fun when you're trying to find Lucky, but when you have found Lucky I promise you that you will think that it is pretty annoying. This is because you keep the song in your head. I recommend that you don't buy this game because there aren't enough challenges. Once you figure out how to find Lucky there is still only one thing that will be hard for you-- using the slingshot.

Very entertaining game -- even if you don't like horses
I was a little hesitant buying this game since my 6 year old daughter used to be scared of horses, but she surprised me by asking for it. Anyway, she started playing it immediately when we got home and I had to drag her away from the computer a few hours later for dinner. We've had it a couple weeks now and even though she's made it to the end, she continues to go back and play more. She loves all the dress up and even the changing the look of the horse (she's really into horses now). And she loves riding around in the beautiful lands (I must say that the people who made this game did a pretty nice job making the areas in the game beautiful). But her favorite part of the game is talking to the people in differnet areas and figuring out all the puzzles. A great game!

DO NOT BUY THIS GAME
This game was very lacking. I was expecting much more out of it. After playing the SAME game and running on the SAME trails over and over again it gets a little boring. My 5 year old cousin liked it but she really had a hard time playing it. Yet my 8 year old cousin thought it was cool until about an hour after playing it. The person who desighed this game must of had a limeted amount of money or somthing because I was expecting ALOT more. It teaches MANY fales facts about horses. It alowes kids to change Barbie's cloths to a western out fit while having her ride in an english saddle and western bit? It should REALLY teach stuff about horses instead of teaching them about finding Lucky. I mean Barbie does not even get on the right side of the horse? She does NOT go into her 2 point and just can't ride. I would NOT get this game for any age group. I was VERY disapointed with it.

really incredibly a terrible game
i bought this game and i just have to say that i condemn the day i bought it. do not buy this idiotic game becuase it is really bad'

Too bad all the other reviews are for other Barbie Games!
All these reviews of this game (below) really upset me because they refer to an "alternate version", which turns out to be a totally different Barbie game than the item shown here.
Click on the hyperlinks to see for yourself. I haven't found a single one out of 28 reviews that describe this particular item.
I've found the same problem with Disney princess games as well.

Anyway, this game plays somewhat similar to the older Barbie Riding Club, riding the horse and solving puzzles, and is suitable for the younger children 4-7 because it is pretty easy. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Entertaining for the young viever
Our granddaughter asked to watch this nearly everyday. It is a pleasant way for a young child to learn a classic story.

She likes it!
Purchased this for my 5-year old. First try, it was a little difficult, after that she could do it by herself. Has been playing and continues to enjoy the different wands and the different colors and designs that the wands make on each scene. Make sure you try different wands at each scene to decorate. We didn't realize that on the first go around. I recommend for 5-10 year olds! Definitely.

Great Game
I have a five year old that loves this game. She can play with it for hours. She really enjoys it. Many diffent games, that she can do, even though she can't read yet. A must buy for all 4-6 year old girls!!

BEWARE: Great Game...But Watch Out For Copy Protection
My kids love this game, but as it usually happens, the disks get scratched. After unsuccessfully making a backup copy, I sent an email to Videndi's tech support. In a nutshell, sorry you are out of luck....Here is the email and thier response:

Your original question:
----------------------------------------
Customer Submitted Question On: 11/10/2003 6:45AM
Why can I not get a backup copy of "Barbie of Swan Lake" and "Barbie Botique" working. I have three girls using these disks and they end up scratched very quickly. I have tried making a backup of both numerous times, but the program quits after the intro screen. Any ideas on this?

The response to your question:
----------------------------------------
Solution Added On 11/10/2003 8:12AM
Sorry sir this program contain copy protection there is no way to make a backup copy sorry

same reviews three products
Barbie swan lake, My scene and Fashion Boutique all have the exact same customer reviews. Are these actually reviews of each product? I don't think so...what's up? ... Read more

Features

• Discover the village, forest and castle as you journey through the royal kingdom!
• Play fun games and solve puzzles! Gather apples in the orchard, spin wool for fabric, and more!
• Play 5 creative activities as you help Erika™ become queen!
• Decorate the castle for the ceremony! Add stained glass windows and banners for the perfect touch!
• Collect flags, flowers and more to unlock special surprises!

Features

• Intense superhero action/adventure gameplay
• Game based on the film¿s characters, settings, and events
• Collection of 10 fun-filled, highly replayable games and activities
• Live the film¿s action, adventure, and humor; play as film¿s characters
• Various difficulty levels keeps games fun for kids of all ages

Amazon.com Review

Step into the stylish shoes of teen supersleuth Nancy Drew to crack thecase of the haunted mansion. As Nancy, you'll hang your hat in San Francisco,where you've been invited to help a family friend renovate a historic Victorianhome. Some strange things have been happening in the old house--could it bespirits from the past, or just shifty characters on the make? Use yourmagnifying glass to search the place from top to bottom for clues. You'll findtrap doors, personal papers, keys, tools--all sorts of spots and items toexplore or hang onto for later use. You never know when you might need a paintscraper or crowbar to help you out of a bind. To fill in some of the gaps, talkto characters in the game, and choose your responses to their questions based onwhat you want to know.

Play Message in a Haunted Mansion in one of two modes: new or youngerplayers can sign in as junior detectives for more simplified play, while oldpros can log in as senior detectives for serious sleuthing. Once you're in, youmay never want to leave--the graphic detail of the Victorian-mansion setting isstellar. The Chinese-influenced décor is authentically and exquisitelyreproduced, and many elements can be highlighted to better focus on the level ofdetail. (Those interested in Victorian interiors will be especially pleased.)Also realistic are often-overlooked touches that add a true-to-life ring, suchas photos of family and friends on the wall, and sunglasses kept in the kitchendrawer. The sound effects further add to the sense of realism and heighten theair of suspense. You'll hear doors and cabinets creak open and shut, hauntingcries, and loose chandeliers swaying overhead.

This third installment in the popular Nancy Drew interactive series (a follow-up to Stay Tuned for Danger and Secrets Can Kill) is successful not just for its design and production, but forits thoughtful features that keep players hooked, even as things start to feelhopeless. When you're in a bind, you can call home or old friends Bess andGeorge for help. And if you make a game-ending decision, simply pick up rightwhere you left off before the terminal mistake by utilizing the Second Chancefeature. There's even a self-updating journal in Nancy's suitcase that recordsclues as you find them, to help you keep track of all the facts you unearth.And, of course, you can save your game after each session--no backtrackingthrough clues you've already found, or conversations you've already had.

Our only complaint: the game takes some time to install, which can be hardto stomach if you've played the previous Nancy Drew games and are as excited toplay the third as we were. But once you're in the game and can see the wealth ofwhat awaits, you'll realize that it's worth a lengthy installation. A niceimprovement over previous games is the inclusion of a tutorial to explaingameplay to new users. (Ages 10 and older) --Leah Ball ... Read more

Reviews (495)

Fun But Could Be A Lot Better
I read Nancy Drew religiously in my early teenage years and although I outgrew the books about ten years ago, I was still anxious to try these games when I heard of them. I have now played three of them (SCK and FIN are the other two) and The Final Scene is the only one of them that I would recommend to anyone. This one was fun, but it just isn't worth buying. It has some cool puzzles and clues to solve, but it just didn't take long enough. I finished it in about half of the 20 hours that the package promises and I played on senior level. And I'm not a genious or anything. I even failed a couple of classes in high school. The characters in the story were kind of flat and dull, too. And the game is just way too limited. From the title, I was expecting a big mansion with lots of rooms and secret passages to explore. Upstairs, you can only go in to one bedroom besides Nancy's and then the attic. Downstairs, you could only go into the front entrance area, the parlor, library, and dining room. Then there was the basement. There just wasn't enough places to explore. Another complaint I have about this game, along with the others I've played, is that, for the most part, the characters stay in the same places doing the same things. They leave at certain times so you can search the areas they're in, but other than that they're always in the same places doing the same things unless it's absolutely necessary that they be somewhere else. It would just add so much realism, not to mention length, to the games if you could go more places and if you had to search for someone when you wanted to talk with them instead of being able to just go right to them. It's not like the game designers have to put the characters in fifteen or twenty different places. Just having the characters in two or three places throughout the game would be enough. There should also be more interaction with the characters. It would also make the games a lot better if George, Bess, or Ned were actually in it instead of just being on the phone. Or maybe have Nancy's father or Hannah in it and Nancy could go home and discuss the case with them. Sure, this would make the designers' jobs harder, but if you're going to do something, do it right. Because I really do not feel like paying 20+ dollars for a game like this if it's only going to take me a few hours to play it. Because these games are really not that good after you've played them once. Most of the game is just searching for clues and talking with suspects and once you know where everything is and what everyone's going to say, the game is just not that fun. I'll play them a second time just to see if I missed anything the first time, but after that they're pretty much useless.

You'll Love It!
My sister started to get into the Nancy Drew series, so for Christmas, my Mom bought my sister Nancy Drew: Message In A Haunted Mansion. My sister started it, but she really has no enthusium for computer games. So it sat by our computer for a couple of months until curiousness got me. I didn't expect much and figured I'd be bored because I'm 15 and this looked a little juvenile to me. I was completley wrong. Right from the beginning, I was hooked. I would be on my computer for hours trying to solve case. I was completley intrigued. I was playing the game so much that my family had to tear me away from the computer just so they could check their mail. I loved the story line, the fun chinese history that tied in with it, I loved all the mystery, problem and puzzle solving, and spending hours working on the mystery. I would definetly recommend this game to everyone (even my 9 year old brother played it and loved it)who wants to spend countless hours on the computer trying to solve a fun, mystery filled, and exciting case. It's a great game, you'll love it!

Also recommend: Nancy Drew: Treasure In A Royal Tower. It's even better then Message In A Haunted Mansion!

BUY THIS GAME!
My kids say, "We have played every Nancy Drew game. This is by far our favorite one. It was challenging but not frustrating. It even had spooky moments! Graphics were awesome, never ending sluthing, and excellent ending climax. Overall PERFECT game!"

WE BOTH RECOMEND IT

Message in a Haunted Mansion
In this third game in the series, Nancy is in California visiting a friend at her huge mansion that she is renovating into a bed-and-breakfast. While Nancy is there, strange things and accidents are happening at the mansion. You can explore the whole house, in fact, it's the only place you're at during the whole game. But that doesn't make it any less fun. I loved this game!

Message in a Haunted Mansion review by Christina
I thought this game was pretty good. I thought the stuff about the seance, ghosts, and "spirit of Valdez" was kind of goofy, becuase I don't believe in the occult or anything. But other than that it was a good game, although easy to solve. ... Read more

Reviews (436)

"Haunted Carousel" an entertaning ride.
In "The Haunted Carousel," teenage sleuth Nancy Drew is on her eighth case: investigating amusement park "hauntings" in Captains Cove, NJ. One of the park's famed carousel horses has been stolen, and the carousel has been mysteriously starting and stopping on its own. Also, the park's roller coaster stopped suddenly, causing a rider to injure his neck. With the park shut down, Nancy must interview the employees and explore the park to find clues.

"Haunted Carousel" has some nice improvements over past games: the addition of the "to do" list, journal, and cell phone (no more endless running back and forth to Nancy's hotel to call). If Nancy gets stuck, she can call her friends Bess and George and the Hardy Boys. The game has two levels, Junior and Senior Detective, and there are plenty of built-in tips and hints, including a park operating manual with an overview of most puzzle components. "Haunted Carousel" seemed to be one of the easier ND games.

"Haunted Carousel" really draws the player into the park's atmosphere, complete with hotel room service, arcade games, a ride on the carousel (and chance to grab the brass ring), and more. The storyline flowed smoothly, the puzzles were organic (programming an arcade game, switching roller coaster tracks, repairing the carousel's band organ, reading invisible ink), the voice work was above average and the characters had distinct personalities. Music was pronounced, including carnival music for the carousel and ominous creepy tunes for the haunted house.

Nancy must watch her step as always, since someone wants to stop her from finding out the truth behind the hauntings. Along the way she helps someone come to terms with the past, sniffs out an insurance fraud, and digs up long-lost truths and secrets about the park and its employees. This is a lovely adventure with a unique atmosphere that will delight young sleuths.

Not worth the price compared to others in series
First of all, I would like to point out that the editorial review above is not for Secrets Can Kill. It is for one of the other games in the series, and is therefore a better review than Secrets Can Kill deserves. It may be confusing to see the editorial review for the Tower mystery right under the title for Secrets Can Kill.
I love the Nancy Drew series, and I am a college-educated woman in my thirties. I have played four out of the first five games in the series (I have not played Stay Tuned for Danger). The other games have wonderful graphics and storylines. Talking to the other characters is enjoyable, and the puzzles are challenging enough for an adult when played on the senior detective level. I played Secrets Can Kill on the Master level (there are three levels for this game instead of two), and I found that my nine-year-old son was not challenged by the puzzles. Most of the puzzles are easily solved word puzzles that have clues as to the items to gather or hints about the character's secrets. However, most of the puzzles have nothing to do with the game play itself. There is one slide puzzle that allows you to find an inventory item; otherwise, the puzzles are just there for hints. As mentioned in other reviews, this game has cartoon-like characters rather than the 3D-type characters in the other games, and it really does make the game less interesting. The dialogue is uninteresting and the characters become hostile and barely speak to Nancy through most of the game. Overall, the game requires only a few answered puzzles to solve the mystery, and the ending is disappointing, to say the least. I gave this two stars instead of one, which was my first inclination, because I feel that it might be interesting for a child to play, especially if the child has not had very much experience with adventure games for the computer; however, a child would probably still at least want to play on the senior detective level. I recommend the other Nancy Drew games that I have played to players of any age for a nice, relaxing mystery, and I especially recommend the Haunted Mansion game. I cannot, however, recommend Secrets Can Kill.

Very interesting --- Another good mystery
I thought it was very good, only it was a little too complicated. I liked the usually good graphics (for Nancy Drew games) but I didn't particularly like the way you couldn't easily get around. Really well done ghost dogs, very scary. The mystery was a creepy one, and the villain was certainly unexpected. That's all I'll say. Anymore would spoil it.

My favorite ND game so far!
Treasure in the Royal Tower is one of the best computer games I ever played. This is a great starter Nancy Drew game for starting off because it's not too hard nor too easy. If you want a really easy game try the Haunted Carousel.
The story goes that you, as Nancy Drew, are snowed in at a ski resort in Wisconsin with an interesting history. In this game you learn about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette.
"So, what's the mystery?" you ask. I'm getting to that.
There is a tower shipped over from France and was put back together on Wickford Castle, the ski resort you are staying at. The library at Wickford has been vandalized, and it takes a lot more than barging through the front door to investigate. Later, you hear about Marie Antoinette having a crown worth millions and somehow you figure that the library and treasure are connected. Your job is to find out the story behind the treasure and library.
This game took me about four days to beat. It's quite challenging in parts, like the ski lift, but you can get through it. It's also a little frightening, like the banging noises, but not too frightening that you never want to play it again, like the Final Scene. All in all, Treasure in the Royal Tower is a great game and everyone should buy it.

Not the Best
I've played all of the Nancy Drew Games (except the Final Scene) and this one was pretty good. It was well-written, but I didn't think it was as interesting as some of the other games. I would reccomend the Haunted Carousel or Treasure in the Royal Tower instead. ... Read more

Features

• First adventure-style Thomas and Friends computer game follows video & book format
• Chapter-based play lets kids play at their own pace
• Explore 11 locations around the Island of Sodor
• New storyline starring beloved Thomas and Friends characters
• Gameplay encourages critical thinking and fosters listening and memory skills

Reviews (8)

Don't use this if you have a Windows 98 computer!
This software crashes upon startup on my Windows 98 computer. Though not a computer expert, I think it has something to do with requiring video drivers that aren't compatible with Windows 98; that is, drivers only available for newer versions of Windows.

After spending four hours trying to get the compatible drivers onto my computer, my display was so destroyed that I had to restore back to a previous version of the operating system to make it work again.

The other Atari Thomas games have worked great on our Win98 computer, and today, most people have XP machines. But if you're in the Windows 98 minority, stay away from this game!

Saves the Day? Save your money, instead
As a recent release from Atari/Infogrammes, it seems like this series is steaming towards a the scrapheap. Other releases -- The Great Festival Adventure, Building the New Line, or the keyboard add-on Railway Adventures are all better than this, and progressively have gotten worse. While some attempt at making this series more "educational" is somewhat laudable, the actual options for game play and interactivity have gotten simpler and less interesting for my 3.5 year old son.

Thomas Wastes The Day
Hang your head in shame Atari, this game is terrible. Did they do any testing at all with the intended age group? My five year old is not interested in this game at all -- there's nothing compelling about it. My three year old liked the "chocolate factory" section for about 10 minutes, then never looked for this game again. If you're looking for Thomas, go for the "Festival Adventure" CD, that's definitely the best of the lot, with great graphics. Don't waste your time or money with this one.

The worst game we ever bought
I can't believe how disappointing this is. It is not intuative at all. There aren't enough instructions as you move through the story method. It seems like you're just sent on a wild goose chase. The games are too simple and not at all educational. The activities are for 2 yr olds. What's with the chocolate factory? They could at least ask the child to pick a certain colored sugar.
You'll kick yourself for buying this.

Not terrible, anyway...
I thought perhaps some of the other reviews were a little harsh. I bought this for my son who is 2 1/2 and it is a little over his head. Mostly I have to help him navigate his way through, though he has improved his mouse skills with the Harold the Helicopter game. I agree it is probably more for 4 year olds. Certainly this is not as educational as reader rabbit, but the graphics are terrific and it makes my son smile. Any avid Thomas fan will enjoy, though it may not be a necessity for others. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Arthur's Computer Adventure helps children (ages 3 to 7) to develop reading, math, vocabulary, and other important skills. Through following Arthur through his interactive world, get hooked on his favorite computer game. Arthur's Computer Adventure lets you play to learn important facts and skills. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Lasting entertainment
My two boys (currently 6 and 4) have enjoyed this game for 2 years now....and still do! It's the only good "deep dark sea" adventure I've found that captivates them. Plus, the other little games are good and educational too.

My daughter LOVES this game!
My 9 year-old son and my 3 year-old daughter both love this game. They play it together taking turns with different parts of it. My daughter still needs help in the store making change to buy the different clothes and some times will get frustrated when adding ingredients to make the recipes, but luckily her big brother helps her with this part. It isn't difficult, but you need to be able to count things out. The recipes ask for 3 eggs, etc so all you need to do is find the group of eggs (and there is exactly the amount the recipe asks for) and drag them into the mixing bowl. This game has several different things to do in it, both fun and educational. It is also set up like a story book so you go through different pages and click on certain objects and they do funny things. The kids LOVE that!

Quality Learning and Laughing With Grandchild
My Grandchild has this marvelous game. While visiting we spent several hours playing and interacting. I was impressed with the amount of information and most of all, the fun she enjoyed while using this computer game. The characters are cute and have enough naughtiness to entertain a child. There is positive reinforcement as each level is reached. Oh, how I wish that I had been able to have the wonderful tools to use when my own children were growing up. I must add.....How important it is to have the parent's interest and interaction, as well as the toys. So very important..! gramma Char

Top-quality game
We've looked at most of the popular software for our four-year old daughter. For the most part, the selection and quality has been disappointing. "Arthur's Computer Adventure" was a welcome departure from the poorly produced Macromedia Director numbers that other companies are selling out there. The entire product was enjoyable from start to finish. The best feature is the play while you read portion of the software that allows the kids to follow-along while the book is read, then interact with the many amusing clickable areas of the pages. Captivating, well-designed, and at the top of my recommended list. ... Read more

Features

• Unique cartoon-style learning adventuresfor kids ages 5 and up
• 27 fun and interesting locations to explore
• Story elements change each time kids play the game
• Adventure encourages critical thinking and creative problem-solving
• For 1 player

Reviews (25)

Game Play Good. Technically Poor.
Pajama Sam is back! I bought this after reading most of the reviews below. I have to say is that they are mostly all true. Technically this game is in beta but the game play is still good if you can close your eyes to the technical snafus. The voice sync is awful, the game runs slowly (this is inexcusable with at animated cartoon type game) and it takes a minimum of 160MB on the hard drive. If Humongous could make their early DOS games run well why can't Atari do the same with game on toady's faster computers? Sounds like they wanted to get this thing out for the Christmas season. The voice does sound different. Weather it's the same kid but older or a different kid is difficult to tell but they game does lose something because of it.

On the plus side the game is still fun to play. Pajama Sam is still the cleaver, mischievous kid as he's always been. Although I wish Atari didn't have a hand in this (their quality standards seem to be a lot lower that Humongous' standards) I'm glad we have another Pajama Sam game. Hopefully a patch will be issued for this game and that will bring this game back up to Humongous' standards for the technical issues.

kids in tears
I bought the new Pyjama Sam game without hesitation because the other Humungous games are GREAT. But this stinker was slow and froze our computer within five minutes. The game is unplayable. My son is crying and I am so angry that I spent $20.00 on this. It was his brithday present!!! And I can't return it since the box is opened. Don't buy this!!!

Technically poor
I, too, wish I had read the Amazon reviews before I purchased this for my son. The game is so-o-o-o slow, when Sam moves from scene to scene. The dialog is out of sync with the pictures. And the biggest drawback is that there is really only one game. The Shoe, Shirt and Socks are always in the same place and need the same things in order for Sam to retrieve them. The other games had variations to challenge our 4 year olds. I wish that I had never bought it.

Pajama Sam: LIfe Is Rough When You Lose Your Stuff
Every year my children and I await for the new Freddi Fish or Pajama Sam game to be released. Usually, it's a few years wait. I have to say that I am utterly disappointed in the latest release of Pajama Sam. Humongous has such a great following with their line of children's software. How did this product ever get passed the testing group? Perhaps a big company like Atari doesn't have one??? Hard to believe. (...) I hate to see this series end. I wished I had read the reviews before I bought this. It's so bad, Atari should have a recall.

It's Rough Cause I Lost My Stuff...er Money!
I'm disappointed with this fourth Pajama Sam. My six year old son and I loved the first three titles of Pajama Sam. So when he wanted the "It's Rough When You Lose Your Stuff" one, I said, "sure". There were no arguements from me, the previously satisfied customer.

He wanted me to hurry up with my shopping, so he could get home and start playing the CD. I helped him install the game, and we sat back to enjoy our favorite animated character.

The first thing I noticed was that Sam's voice sounded different. Also, his mouth did not match with the dialogue. It looked like a Japanese karate movie that had been redubbed with English words. How could the producers have missed that?

Secondly, the ESC keep did not work to help you zoom through the scenes on your way around the map to find the missing objects. (It does on the first three versions. Call me spoiled? But why do away with a great feature? Sam does a lot of running around). So, we waited as he walked from this path to that path...waited...waited and waited....

Thirdly, the game lags! I thought my new computer (purchased this year, mind you) was messing up. How could it lag? This is not a multiplayer game on the internet for crying out loud. It's as if the professional people turned this product over for elementary school children to produce. It's that far down quality wise from the first three.

I'm disappointed and disgusted. I wish I had read the earlier Amazon reviews, but I TRUSTED the quality of Humongous Entertainment and didn't dream of reading the feedback. I learned my lesson. No more buying of any software without listening to those who've already been suckered or thrilled.

Listen--if you want to buy quality fun games for your kids, go with Pajama Sam 1-3. Leave number 4 in the store. Believe me, it's Rough When You Lose Your Money.

Thanks.

PS. I did like one thing, the sock song. That's it...:( ... Read more

Features

• Intense superhero action/adventure gameplay
• Help save the world; game based on the movie's storyline
• Powers include super strength, speed, elasticity, and invisibility
• Live the film's action, adventure, and humor over 18 levels
• for one player

Amazon.com Review

Nancy Drew has always been a great heroine, but she seemed kind of, well... stuffy. No more: Nancy gets down to the dirty work of crime solving in the excellent and engaging Nancy Drew: Stay Tuned for Danger. As you might imagine, we see a lot of software, but Danger captivated us, holding us long enough to postpone other reviews while we searched for more clues!

In the game, Nancy's job is to investigate death threats coming to Rick Arlen, a hunky TV soap star. The plot is straightforward enough, and here's what the software really does well: ambiance. The first-person perspective puts you in the center of the crime scenes, and the inventive game design lets you pick up objects for investigation and keep notes on things you've found.

Occasionally, you come across another person, and it can often be surprising. In the style of Choose Your Own Adventure books, you're given various questions to ask, and what you choose alters the outcome of what you learn. The people seem a little stiff in conversation (and, to be honest, in the graphics), but in a strange way, it helps increase the creepiness factor--an uptight verbal response makes sense, considering they're being interviewed about a serious crime.

There's a real rush that comes from finding key elements and extracting just the right piece of information from an unwitting witness. Nancy Drew, first created as a female version of the Hardy Boys in 1929, has weathered fashion and tastes well through the work of HerInteractive. For girls too old for "kids' stuff" but who still want a game that's all theirs, Nancy Drew: Stay Tuned for Danger can help fulfill a teen or preteen's need for adventure. --Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Reviews (473)

The Hardest One Yet!
This mystery is the hardest Nancy Drew game I've encountered so far! It's only the 2nd one of all 5! The graphics are much better than the 1st but still doesn't compare against the others. The mystery had had me stumped! I had to go to the official site for help from people, who already finished it, a billion times! Still, a hard challenge is good right?
The story-Nancy Drew is called up again for yet another dangerous mystery by a famous soap opera star, Mattie Benson. Nancy gets to go around New York City! She stays in Mattie's apartment for the use of the phone, mail, and other clues. As she travels around from Mattie's apartment to the studio and other places, she bumps into new people such as Mattie, the friendly but very worried soap opera star, Rick, the extremely big headed soap opera heart throb, Lillian, the super mean director, Millie, the old nutty prop room lady, and Dwayne, the acting agent. As Nancy slowly tries to crack the case, she bumps into more trouble than she thought...

Nancy Drew- STFD, by HerInteractive
This game is one of my favorites. I've played this one at least 5 times and I still love it. This game was the third one I bought of the series. I now own all five of the games. This game had much better graphics than "Secrets Can Kill", in which the characters were more cartoon-like, and stopped mid-sentence and froze. This one had a much better plot and I enjoyed playing it much more than the first one. In this game, you would get to travel to three different locations in the city and explore, sneak and snoop, which made it all the more fun. I'm extremely happy that I purchased this game, and i hope that whoever decides to purchase Nancy Drew: Stay Tuned For Danger, has as much fun as I had!

Stay Tuned For Danger
This game was so much fun! In Nancy's second mystery, she is in New York visiting a family friend who is also a star on the famous TV show Light of Our Love. Her co-star is receiving threatening letters and you, as Nancy Drew, must figure out who the culprit is. I thought this game was so neat. I love the original music that this game has, as well as each other game in the series. It's catchy, neat, and sometimes creepy! I hope you like this game as much as I did.

:::STAY TUNED FOR FUN:::::
i just love this game!!! its graphics are good, the plot is good, everythings good! the story goes:

nancy drew is visiting a friend of her aunts, mattie jensen, in new york, and in the beggining it seems calm and peaceful, yet a bit creepy at times, but exiting as you meet the stars and see how a tv studio looks! but soon, fun turns to terrible danger! a lot of exiting stuff happens, and if you thought this game would be easy, well, you've got that wrong! all and all, a great game for anyone over eight(though i got one when i was like six or seven)! A+++++++

full of danger
This game is not the best in the series (my favorites are Danger on desepiton island and message in a haunted mansion) but it comes close. Its hard but fun and you cant stop in the middle. One of my favorite parts was the bomb part. I also like how there are so many people to talk to and so many places to explore. The prop room has lots of neat stuff. Buy this game!! ... Read more

Features

• Join Mermaid Barbie on an amazing underwater journey
• 3 exotic undersea worlds; 7 fun-filled games and activities
• Play musical instruments; help compose the Song of the Sea
• Decorate and invite undersea friends to a sea celebration
• Design a crown and necklace for Barbie to wear

Reviews (1)

Only suitable for the youngest Barbie fans
This game is very cute and has a variety of mazes, searching-type activities, and the crucial jewelry-decorating section that is necessary in any Barbie game that somehow overlooks fashion and makeup, but my 7-year-old completed the entire game inside 20 minutes, including installation time. It was far too easy, and I can't see her ever playing it again. Unless your child is under the age of 5, I wouldn't recommend this game, at least not until it ends up in the Bargain Closeout Bin at your local retailer. ... Read more