Features

• Explore fantasy worlds and engage your brain
• Three fantasy worlds: Undersea, Outer Space, and Dragon's Lair
• Nine different adventures with 54 I SPY riddles
• Designed for kids age 6-10
• For one player

Reviews (12)

I Spy will keep you busy for hours
I was looking for a non-violent computer game for my grandsons. I found this one and decided to check it out before I released it to them. I played, and played, and played. I really liked it.

I Spy Fantasy
My children are 6 and 8 and love this program! We are looking for another game for the next birthday. It has helped them cooperate and share. Wonderful!!

fun without violence
My 5 year old daughter plays this game again and again. I love that it is difficult enough to challenge her to think outside of the box. (Seeing the three on dice verses written out.)She is learning without having to play the usual educational games that are childish or annoying. This is also a game for me to play with her that doesn't require me to master a sword.

fun for all ages
I have bought more than 30 computer games for my 4 1/2 year old son over the last 3 years. I have to say that this one has the best graphics of all the games I have seen so far. My son has been into I Spy books ever since he was barely one year old (the board book version at first). I was afraid that this game might not live up to his expectations. However, it was that and much more. I get bored watching him play his other computer games sometimes, but I can actively participate in this one. I even installed it in my computer at the office so that I can play it when there is a lull at work. Excellent in terms of building their vocabulary as well.

Good, clean fun for all ages!
An excellent compromise between my son (age 7) and me. He sees it as a fun computer game, I see it as a rated-G brain-squeezing activity that we can do together. It's a great way to spend some time with your kids, doing something you'll both enjoy.

The graphics are beautiful and vivid. The game is very easy to maneuver through. It even increases in difficulty so you can keep playing again and again! All in all, it's good, clean fun for everyone. ... 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

• 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

Product Description

Includes:

Dora the Explorer: Lost City Adventure

Join Dora, Boots and her trusty Map on a journey through exotic locations to the Lost City, a mysterious, hidden place where all lost objects go. Along the way, you’ll meet Pirate Pig, Mami Bugga Bugga and Seor Tucan and help them regain their lost objects, too. Be on the lookout for hidden stars throughout the game and collect them in your very special star pouch!

Features:

• Multiple locations to visit with cool math-related games to play!
• 2 ways to playAdventure and Freeplay Modes
• Printable math activity sheets
• 3 adjustable difficulty levels to challenge each child
• All this and learn a little Spanish, too!

• Multiple locations with exciting games to play!
• Discovery clickables bring Dora’s environment to life!
• On-screen Sticker Book
• 2 ways to playAdventure and Freeplay Modes
• 3 adjustable difficulty levels
• All this and learn a little Spanish, too!

Features

• Lost City Adventure
• Backpack Adventure
• Animal Adventure

Features

• 3D baseball where you control your own Backyard sports team
• Play with 30 Backyard Kids and 10 kid versions of MLB pros
• Play on different Backyard fields with creative surroundings
• Full stats and customizable players; unlock 6 MLB Stars
• Action for a single game or an entire Backyard season

Reviews (10)

What are these other reviewers talking about? It ROCKS!
I just got this game over the weekend and I can't believe how much fun it is. I like it a lot more than Baseball 2003 because now it is all 3D. If those other people are having problems they should try buying a new computer.

Season Play is great too because now I can unlock some more pros. I just got Piazza over yesterday. I also unlocked a robot called Clanky after playing one of the practice games. He is an awesome pitcher!

Back to playing.

Worth the effort!
I must say that although we initially had problems getting this game to run properly on my son's computer (an 800 Mhz PIII w/ATI 7500 running Windows ME), once we downloaded the latest drivers (the ones from just two months ago didn't work!), the game ran great! My son is 8 years old and he loves it - he's already up to the "Pro" difficulty level and is just starting to play the Season mode. It's fun watching him put together a team based on the kid's stats - this game is definitely teaching him a lot about Baseball! Highly recommend to anyone with a young baseball fan in the family!

this is the best!!
i got this about a week ago and my brother and i can't get off of the computer. What all of the other people say is really untrue it so much better gameplay then the '03 version. it never gets boring!

P.S. IT IS SUPPOSED TO SKIP THE PARTS IF YOU PRESS THE SPACE BUTTON!!!!

Horrible Horrible Horrible!
I have really enjoyed the Backyard Baseball series. But this latest version is awful. It's very different from the older versions. I was looking forward to using the gameplay actions as in the previous versions, but its all different. And HARD! I'm past 50 and a long-time computer user and this is just too hard for me. So you can believe it will be hard for a child, even using the easiest setting. And one thing I dislike is; you cannot SAVE the game you are playing. The "3-D" effect is poor, too. All the personality effects of the familiar players in the previous versions are now bland and robotic in this installment. I am VERY disappointed. I'll be going back to Backyard Baseball 2003!!!!!!!!!!

Backyard Sports is now 3-D!
My eight-year-old daughter and I both really enjoy this new Backyard Sports title from Humongous. I wasn't sure that I would like the change from the 2-D animated style of their previous games, but they kept the wacky cartoony flavor in the 3-D models, and having the camera fly around the fields is pretty cool. The fields aren't ordinary baseball fields--the kids play in an Everglades swamp, in a southwestern desert, and on a midwestern farm complete with a tornado and crop circles. We both really enjoy the humor of this game. I especially like the color commentary by Abner Doubleplay. My daughter enjoys the crazy power-up pitches.

We have an older Nvidia Gforce 3 card and have had no problems. I have heard that some older video cards aren't supported by the latest DirectX from Microsoft. Maybe that is the problem some people are having. I've always found Atari's tech support helpful when I gave them a call, though I haven't had to in a while.

The only reason I'm not giving this five stars is that I wanted to play with my gamepad, and the button mapping is quite awkward. Unlike other games I have that say they support controllers, there doesn't seem to be any way to remap the buttons. So we just use the mouse and keyboard. (My daughter doesn't mind. I'm the one who plays console sports games, so I'm used to a gamepad.) ... Read more

Features

• Help Barbie get ready for fashion week in Paris
• Complete 10 exciting fashion assignments
• Advance through 3 different design studios
• Choose the styles, fabrics, and colors
• Select the stage, music, and special poses

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

Reviews (7)

GREATT!
This Is So Great! You Can Choose An Event Like Award Shows & More! Choose The Music I Love Music! & Watch A Video! And A Treated Before & After Shot!

Barbie Boutique is a great computer game
I highly recommend this computer game for girls who are interested in Barbie's and the dress up thing. My daughter (age 6) absolutely loves it - it doesn't get old to her. It is very easy for her to use and there are so many different variations she can do - it never gets boring. Highly recommended.

Barbie Beauty Boutique ~ Wonderful game!!
I have a four year old that wanted this computer game really bad. I was worried that it might be a little difficult for her because a lot of the other Barbie games are still a too old for her to understand. This game was perfect. It is easy to use but fun for everyone. She loves changing Barbie's make-up and clothes. She has played on it for hours now. I think it was worth the money!

Beautiful!
This is a terrific activity for girls 4 and up. It allows the girls to be creative as they design "new looks" for Barbie and her friends. From choosing hairstyles, to coloring it (even highlights) to makeup application, nails, clothes. The girls do it all and are very proud of their efforts. And the best part for parents is that they're doing it on the computer instead of making a mess with makeup etc. in the bathroom.

The girls will sit and play this alone or together for hours.

A must-have for girls who love dress up, make up and the likes.

Not That Much Fun
First off, I don't know what game the other reviews on this page are talking about, with the ice skating, Prince Stephan, castle, and maze references. The Barbie Beauty Boutique we bought had nothing like that.

My four daughters (ages 4, 6, 8, and almost 11) have been seeing this game advertised on TV, and all four of them wanted it so bad. I caved in and purchased the game for $30.00 at a store in town, even though we usually never spend that much on a PC game. We took it home, installed it, and all four girls played it, but really didn't like it much. It's just not that much fun. On the TV adds and on the box it sounds like there are a lot more outfits, jewelry, and hairstyles to choose from than there are in reality. The hairstyles especially disappointed us. You can either choose to style the hair in an "updo" or leave it down. We expected to be able to have choices like braids or pony tails, but there is nothing like that, the only hairstyle choices are "updo" styles. Most of the hairstyles looked fake and weird to me, my girls said they looked stupid. If you choose to leave the hair down you do get to decide how long the hair is, and whether to leave it strait or make it curly, but the curly hair looked as weird as the hairstyles. The accessory choices for the hair were mostly dorky looking, especially the butterflies and flowers. There were also not a lot of hair accessories to choose from, they just had a few things to choose from. I think the hair styling part is what my girls looked forward to the most so they were disappointed. I also have a problem with a lot of the clothing choices, a whole lot of midriff shirts and short skirts. The make up and nails part was alright, but nothing great.

The plus of the game is that it is easy for the kids to play so younger girls will be able to play with little to no help. (My 4 year old was fine with it, no problems at all.) However, the clothing choices and event choices are more geared to kids maybe 8 and up. My 4 and 6 year old girls didn't like as many of the clothing styles as the 8 and 10 year old did. If you are looking for a game that an older girl would like that is easy to play, this fits that bill. It would be a good game for girls who are older but haven't yet had much computer experience yet. (They learn quick though!)

All in all the game is not bad, but I do regret paying what we did for it. If I had it to do over again I would probably wait until the game was older and therefore not so expensive. If your kids want it, maybe you should see if they like the idea of the What's Her Face PC game instead. We have had that game for about a year, and it still gets played with. It's along the same lines as the Barbie Beauty Boutique, you get to choose hairstyles and clothing for your doll. There is a little more to it than the BBB, though, so I think it is more fun for the kids to play. With the What's Her Face game you get to choose your dolls face, which is fun, and then you get to choose dance moves and music for the ending scene. However, with some girls it's got to be Barbie, so that may make the BBB better in their eyes. ... 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

Amazon.com Product Description

A friend's frantic note sends teenage super-sleuth Nancy Drew on the trail of a mysterious pack of dogs, whose glowing eyes and mournful howls threaten to chase her and her friend away forever. Locals say the ghostly pack are risen from the grave to protect the secrets of their master, Mike Malone, who lies buried next to his beloved dogs. Long dead, Malone, a notorious gangster, once lived in the lakeside cabin recently purchased by Nancy's friend. Now it's up to players, as Nancy Drew, to dig up clues and find a flesh-and-blood answer to the haunting howls in the night.

To solve the case, Nancy ventures into the deep, dark woods that surround Moon Lake. Like a search dog hot on a scent, she hunts down clues. Along the way Nancy meets a variety of characters--all with something to hide--and searches through creepy old houses. Dodge danger, flush out secrets, and solve cryptic puzzles. Interview a cast of suspicious characters and adventure through more than 30 activities to sniff out the truth behind the Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake. ... 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

• 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!

Reviews (65)

Another awesome upgrade to the already great series!
I have seen and played many demos and have read tons of reviews on this product.

I have been a fan of this Junior Sports series since the very first original Backyard Baseball came out. I own 2 of the 3 baseball editions, both of the football versions, my brothers have both of the soccer editions, and we also have Backyard Basketball.

From what I've seen and read this is another great additon to any of your collections of these games. The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are stunning, there are EVEN MORE gamplay options than in BYB 2001, the MLB kids faces are very believable, the players ability to play is slightly exaggerated but hey, that's what makes it so fun.

Being a big fan and player of baseball I follow the majors like nothing else. For that reason I noticed the ratings (Running, Pitching, Fielding, and Hitting) on the players to be slightly off. But if that's the only problem, that's an extremely small sacrifice to make when buying this game.

This game is worth every penny you spend on it. I recommend this game for fans and non-fans of all ages.

The levels of difficulty are set very well for people that play it. I do wish though that they would add an extra "Major League" level of play for us older guys that are looking for some challenging opponents.

I haven't tried online play yet but I'm sure you would find some more challenging people to play against.

This series is getting better with every game and should soon become one of the top sports games on the market. I hope that soon they will expand their games and come out with Backyard Baseball Pennent Race Edition Expansion Pack that will include the new hot rookies in the majors. Who knows? Maybe it's not that far off from now.

In closing I want you to know that this game does not have the new backyard kid design. The new Backyard Hockey has new kids to chose from and absolutely stunning visual effects. I recommend that game also for the Backyard Series fans.

Oh yeah, one more thing, HAVE FUN!!!

Sincerely,
Ian Badeer
A True Backyard Series Fan

Baackyard basketball 2004
I think this game is really good. People say this is too easy but i am 11 and I play on hard mode and I lose sometimes It is deffinetly better then the first backyard basketball because the originial only had two pros and this has ten. This game has good pros and good pro selections but they could have had better people as well like Steve Francis, Baron Davis and Kobe Bryant. Some of the people in there have not very good attributes like Tim Duncan has no outside shot but in real life he is a good outside shooter and Pau Gasol has no outside shot but can make all of the three pointers he shoots. Making a shot is very easy from outside but inside shots are kinda difficult. This game has the same graphics and gameplay as Backyard Hockey which I like the gameplay but the graphics i don't like. I would reccomend this game for 5-12 year olds and if you want the ultimate team I would pick Tracy McGrady, Dirk Nowitzki and Tim Duncan as starters and reserves Yao Ming and Paul Peirce. Other than the bad graphics and the choosing of the pros and pro's attributes this is a very fun and good game.

forced to do setups
From the makers of putt-putt,freddi fish,spy fox and pajama sam comes backyard sports.It's fun but you buy it on software,that's where it gets **** instead of *****.Humongous FORCES you to do their setups BEFORe you can play your game.

The Best Baseball Game Ever!
This game is great and a little challanging! The menus are very simple. There are 2 modes that you can play on. A single game mode and season play mode. In single game mode, if you want certain players on your team you have to get them quickly because your opponent can get them before you do. A cool part of single game mode is that you can play tee-ball and watch a demo! On season mode you pick your players first so you have all the players that you want. Each player has four ratings, Batting, Running, Pitching and Fielding. There are three game levels. (Excluding tee-ball mode) A way that makes the game challanging is that there is pluses and minus'. Pluses make them stronger in a rating and minus' make them lower in a rating.If you want to play season mode I reccomend you first play some single games and watch some demos. Also you should start at easy level and work your way up to medium then hard. Heres a tip. Never get Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds! They get tired to easily and get lots of minus'. A very fun game!

Great game and to me fun to play!
This Backyard Soccer 2004 has my favorite players here.Like Brandi Chastain,Tiffity Milbrett,and Cobi Jones.This is a fun game to play,but the hard level still a piece of cake.You can make your color of your team,but the promblem is you have to choose from some choices instead of naming your team.That's my kinda suggestion.I won the game a hundred times already,but I love it and I keep on playing it!I think this is a 4 star rating for one reason why 4 stars,Way too easy! ... Read more

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

Features

• Cruise and explore the big city with the My Scene girls
• Plan for one of twelve events
• Take fun tell all quizzes to discover things about you and your friends
• Attend art shows, charity events and more
• For one or more players

Reviews (9)

My Scene computer game
This game is fun but after you play all twelve games then when you play again you do the same thing and buy the same stuff. Also, Chealsea and Barbie walk slower than the other people, but Madison is as fast as them. And when you see one of the other My Scene girls they just ask if Nolee called you or you ask them if they want to go somewhere and they say they can't, then they walk away and if your not Madison you can't follow them, they just walk off the part of the screen you can see and you can't catch up with them.
In the game, you have to buy the things you need for something your doing. To get money, you can decorate a store window, design clothes, or make music. I like the clothes and window games, but the music one is boring. And you can only play the games twice. You can also pick boyfriends for the My Scene girls. The boys are walking around. You can also talk to girls. To find out what clothes you should get, you need to read a magazine. You can also take quizzes and try on clothes after you've bought the clothes you need.

Slightly Disapointed
I look for a game since usually my volume wont work that will work and be simple if you have no volume like the sims. I cant end the game when I cant hear wher i haft to meet barbie or any of the crew. This game often freezes 2 and it's not just my computer Vivendi universety can do better.

The Reviews Here do not go to MY SCENE
I purchased My Scene because of the reviews listed under it. I purchased for a 5 year old. The reviews listed right now with this product are for other Barbie computer games. This game, My Scene, is probably lots of fun for any girl who can read pretty well and follow instructions. Very difficult for a 5 year old. My 11-year old niece enjoys it, but be careful reading the reviews (unless Amazon fixes the problem, as I did contact them.).

My Scene is super fun!
My 6 year old LOOOOVVEES playing this game. It's age appropriate for kids of all ages! I love playing it with her, so does her brother! I kind of wish the game was a little longer or if you played it more than once you had different options, like more variety, but it serves it's purpose. It was worth the buy and amazon had it at a great price!

A Very Impressive Game
I am 17 yrs. old and had put this game on my Christmas wishlist. I recieved the game on Christmas morning and have played it every day since. This game has some of the best graphics I have seen and is great for any young or old girl who is into fashion, music, and friends. You basically get to become one of the MyScene characters and help them get ready for many different events through fashion activities and money making jobs. I have been extremely satisfied with this game and recommend it to anyone between the ages of 8 and 100. ... 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

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

• Teaches essentials skills like arithmetic and logic
• 11 engaging activities and 3 unique adventures
• 3 levels of play automatically adjust to child¿s progress
• Starring popular characters and voices from hit TV show
• Automatic help allows for independent play; for ages 3 and up