Carmen Sandiego Returns

Last updated
Carmen Sandiego Returns
Carmen Sandiego Returns Logo.jpg
Game Logo
Developer(s) The Learning Company
Publisher(s) Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Series Carmen Sandiego
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, [1]
iOS [2]
Release
  • Microsoft Windows
  • May 14, 2015
  • iOS
  • November 18, 2015
Genre(s) Puzzle, adventure [3]
Mode(s) Single-player

Carmen Sandiego Returns is a 2015 social studies [4] puzzle adventure video game, part of the Carmen Sandiego franchise. [5] [6] [7] [8] It is developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, and uses Intel RealSense Technology in order to enhance the immersive nature of player interaction. [9] [10] [11] The educational game aims to teach players about world geography and culture to its 10–14 year old target market. [12]

Contents

A different game was released on the iOS platform under the same name. This game marks the franchise's debut onto the smartphone market, [13] and has a target market of people aged 9–11. [14] [15]

Gameplay

Players have to travel across the globe, uncovering clues to work out where crooks are hiding. In each location, the player hunts for clues using their naked eye, an x-ray, and ultraviolet light, similar to a hidden object game. Players undertake a street racing minigame when chasing down the crook. Each case has a time limit, with hours being used whenever the player goes to a new country. They can use coins to speed up this travel time. The game comes with an encyclopedia to help players who cannot decrypt a clue.

Intel RealSense Technology allows players to use gesture control to do things like pick up clues and fly a plane. The use of puns, which is a staple of the series, is continued here, with names of crooks including "Hal Apenyo" and "Bea Carefull".

The free version of the game contains Pack 1: Museum Heist! (5 missions), while Pack 1: Museum Heist! (5 missions) and Pack 2: Monumental Emergencies! (10 missions) can be purchased together. [11] [16] [17]

In the iOS version, each level sees the player start a case, travel the world, collect clues, fill out a warrant, and finally chase the crook. [18] [19] [20] Players can track their progress on the leaderboard via the Apple Game Centre. [21] In this version, players have two travel options: normal, and express, the latter of which takes up in-game currency. In each location players search for clues via their fingers' manipulation of the touch pad, and as witnesses offer them information, they can start to build up their warrant. [22] [23]

Development

The first hint of the new game was made in January 2015 via a teaser trailer released on Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's YouTube channel entitled ACME Alert: Carmen Sandiego™ is back with a new game!. It said the game would be "available soon for free download on Amazon.com". [9] A few months later in March, Edutainment Weekly quoted Houghton Mifflin Harcourt communications director Jennifer Berlin as saying that there would be future developments regarding an iOS app. [1] [24] Further details were peppered throughout press releases leading up to the game's official launch date: Carmen Sandiego Returns was advertised as being a bilingual game in English/French, [11] and was noteworthy for offering the company "an opportunity to leverage legacy assets with a strong brand and fan base". [25] On May 14, the game became available on Amazon, while in November, the app version was released to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the original Carmen Sandiego game. [26] [27] EdSurge noted that "her re-emergence coincides with a resurgence in the popularity of educational games", which had been in decline since the turn of the millennium. [28]

Reception

Much of the discussion about Carmen Sandiego Returns was in a new release that hearkened back to the first games in the franchise's thirty-year history. The Telegraph praised the game's educational content and "stellar graphics", noting it "has all the things 90's kids loved about the original character". [26] According to GeekDad, the game "bring[s] the character back to life". [29] The Livingston Post wrote that the game "revives the story and play of the Carmen Sandiego brand". [30] MACNN said that "the voice acting is wonderful and the music and sounds have a cool edutainment circa '95 vibe". [31] AppAddict praised the game's ability to retain its old gameplay while using new technology to enhance the experience, writing "Carmen Sandiego Returns is an excellent, modern addition to this beloved franchise from my childhood". [32] AppleGazette had a very positive reaction to the game, after listing the game's nostalgic summary. [33] Slashgear noted that in an attempt to appeal to the next generation of gamers who may be unfamiliar with Carmen Sandiego, HMH decided to release the game onto the platform they prefer, iOS. [34]

There were some negative reactions to the gameplay. Apple N Apps gave it a 2 out of 5, writing that its nostalgia is ultimately outweighed by its simplicity, blandness, and shortness, concluding that despite a "promising pedigree" it had a "poor execution". [35] MakeUseOf disliked the price point for each set of three 15-minute cases, commenting that a more cost-effective way to experience the franchise would be to download the free DOS versions of the 80's games. [36] Meanwhile, TouchVision was generally ambivalent toward both the PC and iOS versions of the game. [37] TouchVision criticised the PC version for requiring the player to purchase Intel RealSense, and the app version for only having three short missions for free before the player has to pay for more. [38]

Related Research Articles

<i>Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> American animated television series

Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? is an American live action/animated television series based on the series of computer games. The show was produced by DIC Productions L.P. and originally aired from 1994 to 1999, on Saturday mornings during FOX's Fox Kids Network block. Reruns aired on the Qubo television network from June 9, 2012 to May 26, 2018.

<i>Carmen Sandiego</i> (video game series) American educational mystery video game series

Carmen Sandiego is a series of American educational mystery video games that spawned an edutainment franchise of the same name. The game released in 1985, Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, started off both the video game series and the franchise as a whole, which has continued up to the present day. Each game of the series has a particular theme and subject, where the player must use their knowledge to find Carmen Sandiego or any of her innumerable henchmen. This series was originally owned by Broderbund, but is now owned by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Since its initial release the series has won over 125 awards and accolades.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an American publisher of textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, and reference works. The company is based in the Boston Financial District. It was formerly known as Houghton Mifflin Company, but it changed its name following the 2007 acquisition of Harcourt Publishing. Prior to March 2010, it was a subsidiary of Education Media and Publishing Group Limited, an Irish-owned holding company registered in the Cayman Islands and formerly known as Riverdeep. In 2022, it was acquired by Veritas Capital, a New York-based private-equity firm.

<i>Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (game show) American childrens television game show

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is an American half-hour children's television game show based on the Carmen Sandiego computer game series created by Broderbund. The show was hosted by Greg Lee, who was joined by Lynne Thigpen, and the a cappella vocal group Rockapella, who served as the show's house band and comedy troupe. The series was videotaped in New York City at Chelsea Studios and Kaufman Astoria Studios and co-produced by WQED and WGBH-TV, and aired on PBS stations from September 30, 1991, to December 22, 1995, with reruns continuing to air until May 31, 1996. A total of 295 episodes over five seasons were recorded.

<i>Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? Treasures of Knowledge</i> 2001 video game

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? Treasures of Knowledge is a point-and-click adventure game in the Carmen Sandiego franchise, released in 2001. For its title, the game does not use the long-standing formula of the previous Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? titles. Instead, the game seems to be based on the structure of the newest version of Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, which The Learning Company retitled Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time.

<i>Carmen Sandiego</i> Media franchise

Carmen Sandiego is a media franchise based on a series of computer video games created by the American software company Broderbund. While the original 1985 Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? video game was classified as a "mystery exploration" series by creators and the media, the series would later be deemed edutainment when the games became unexpectedly popular in classrooms. The franchise centers around the fictional thieving villain of the same name, who is the ringleader of the criminal organization V.I.L.E.; the protagonists are agents of the ACME Detective Agency who try to thwart the crooks' plans to steal treasures from around the world, while the later ultimate goal is to capture Carmen Sandiego herself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Sandiego (character)</span> Fictional thief

Carmen Isabella Sandiego is a fictional character featured in a long-running edutainment video games series of the same name created by the American software company Broderbund. As an international lady thief, a criminal mastermind, and the elusive nemesis of the ACME Detective Agency, Carmen Sandiego is the principal character of the video game series and the head of ACME's rival organization, V.I.L.E. She is depicted as an extremely intelligent, stylish, fashionable woman whose signature look features a red, matching fedora and trenchcoat. Many of her crimes depicted in the games involve spectacular and often impossible cases of monument theft, which are used as a pretext to teach children geography via the simulated process of tracking down the character, the stolen monuments, and her accomplices all over the world with her side kicks Zack and Ivy.

<i>Carmen Sandiegos ThinkQuick Challenge</i> 1999 video game

Carmen Sandiego's ThinkQuick Challenge is a "game show-themed" edutainment computer game for kids ages 8–12. The title, which is a part of the Carmen Sandiego franchise, was released by The Learning Company on June 1, 1999. It can be played by up to 4 players, and runs on the Mohawk engine.

<i>Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (video game) 1989 computer and video game

Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? is a multiplatform video game where players have to travel through time to collect clues and the warrants necessary to capture Carmen Sandiego or her henchmen. The goal of this game is to track Carmen's villains through history and arrest them and ultimately arrest Carmen herself.

<i>Carmen Sandiegos Great Chase Through Time</i> 1997 edutainment point-and-click adventure video game

Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time is a 1997 edutainment point-and-click adventure game developed by Broderbund for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh devices. The game is a remake of the 1989 time-travel title Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?, making it the second Time video game in the Carmen Sandiego franchise. The game was strongly influenced by the short-lived PBS game show, Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?. The game was previewed at the 1997 Toy Fair in New York City. A demo version was included on the CD for Carmen Sandiego Word Detective and was available on the Carmen Sandiego website. After Broderbund was sold to The Learning Company, the game was re-released with the new title - Carmen Sandiego's Great Chase Through Time - but with minimal redesign.

<i>Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is a 1996 video game part of the Carmen Sandiego franchise. It was the third version of the game, after the 1985 original title of the same name and a 1992 Deluxe version of said game. The game's release coincided on the heels of the end of the PBS game show, and features QuickTime videos of Lynne Thigpen reprising her role as "The Chief". This was the last version of the game to follow the "classic" formula of the series, but much of the game, especially the "warrant" portion, was heavily redesigned. The Deluxe Edition released in 1998 added speech welcoming the player to each country and an "ACME Global Language Link-Up" satellite which quizzed the user on the local language. Players also received a spy watch and "an introduction to 12 foreign languages".

<i>Carmen Sandiego: Junior Detective</i> 1995 video game

Carmen Sandiego: Junior Detective is a 1995 education game in the Carmen Sandiego franchise developed by Broderbund. Although not a version of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? by name, it is essentially a simplified version of it for pre-readers. Allgame says the game "is geared for younger users, with only 14 cases to solve". The lead characters of the FOX animated series Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego?, Zack and Ivy, were included in the game, along with Stretch - "ACME's crime-tracking dog".

<i>Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (1985 video game) 1985 video game

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is an educational video game released by Broderbund on April 23, 1985. It is the first product in the Carmen Sandiego franchise. The game was distributed with The World Almanac and Book of Facts, published by Pharos Books. An enhanced version of the game was released in 1989, which did not have the almanac-based copy protection and instead used disk-based copy protection. A deluxe version was released in 1990, and featured additional animation and a reworked interface from the original version. Some of the bonus features included digitized photos from National Geographic, over 3200 clues, music from the Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings, 20 villains, 60 countries, and 16 maps. CD-ROM versions for DOS and Macintosh were released in 1992, and a Windows version was released in 1994.

<i>Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (1996 video game) 1996 video game

The remake version of Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego? was released in 1996 by Windows and Macintosh and features Lynne Thigpen playing "The Chief" from the World game show. The game's opening credits finds Carmen Sandiego arriving in her underground V.I.L.E. outpost in Washington, D.C., as she and RoboCrook plan to steal America's greatest treasure from each of the 50 states. Carmen later contacts each of her 39 V.I.L.E. operatives telling them to begin their missions.

<i>Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> (1986 video game) 1986 video game

Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego? is a video game that was released by Broderbund in 1986 and is part of the Carmen Sandiego series. The game is a sequel to 1985's Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?. A deluxe version with updated graphics and interface was released in 1992 and a remade version was released in 1996. The goal of the game is to track Carmen Sandiego's henchmen across the United States, arrest them, and ultimately arrest Carmen herself. The game received generally positive reviews but some critics compared it unfavorably with its predecessor game, which had a global perspective.

<i>Where in Space Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> Educational computer game

Where in Space Is Carmen Sandiego? is an educational video game by Broderbund and Electronic Arts.

<i>Where in Europe Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> 1988 video game

Where in Europe Is Carmen Sandiego? is a 1988 European geography-based educational computer game in the Carmen Sandiego detective mystery franchise. It was originally published by Broderbund in 1988 for Apple II, Commodore 64, and DOS, and ported to the Amiga and Macintosh in 1989. It is the third Carmen Sandiego title, after Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1985) and Where in the USA Is Carmen Sandiego? (1986). Under the guidance of The Acme Agency's chief, the player completes cases to catch Carmen's henchmen; they accomplish this by traveling to European cities to find clues relating to the crook's last known whereabouts, and by gaining enough character data to issue a warrant of arrest. Once the player has captured all 15 thieves, they can pursue Carmen herself.

<i>Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math</i> Video game series

Carmen Sandiego Adventures in Math is a series of five games released in 2011/2012 for the Wii, and is part of the Carmen Sandiego franchise. The style of the games are reminiscent of comic books. The 5-part series were the first English language console games from the Carmen Sandiego franchise since The Secret of the Stolen Drums. These "short, educational detective adventures" were only available as a download through the Nintendo Wii Shop. The games were developed by Gamelion Studios, and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. They could take up to 6 players, and required 600 Wii points. Maths topics included in the games include: Symmetry, Identifying angles, Graphing coordinates on a grid, Logic puzzles, Working with fractions, Solving equations, and Tangrams. The games are designed for elementary learners across grades 3–5.

<i>Where in North Dakota Is Carmen Sandiego?</i> 1989 video game

Where in North Dakota Is Carmen Sandiego? is a 1989 edutainment video game. It is the fourth game in the Carmen Sandiego video game series after World (1985), U.S.A. (1986), and Europe (1988). Having observed the popularity of the Carmen Sandiego franchise in the education of school children, educators were inspired to develop a North Dakota version to teach North Dakotans about their state's history and geography.

Where on Google Earth is Carmen Sandiego? is a series of three video games utilising Google Earth released as tie-ins to the animated series released in the same year. To develop the series, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt partnered with Google. The games utilize the Google Earth software, and runs as an add-on that can be played by clicking the icon of Carmen Sandiego. The game is played by Google's Chrome web browser on a PC, or with the Google Earth app on iOS and Android devices. It aims to be a reimagining of the original 1985 video game, using Google Earth.

References

  1. 1 2 "Ed-Tech-Industry Awards Set Participation Records - Market Brief". 2016-04-12. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
  2. ↑ Hayley Williams (21 December 2015). "App Deals: Carmen Sandiego Is Back, We're Just Not Sure Where".
  3. ↑ "Free Apps Daily: Carmen Sandiego Returns, SharpScan Pro, And More". AppleNApps.
  4. ↑ "Don't Miss Kids' Geography & ELA Game Carmen Sandiego Returns! | Balefire Labs". Archived from the original on 2016-01-18. Retrieved 2016-01-18.
  5. ↑ "Intel® RealSense™ App Showcase - Carmen Sandiego Returns". intel.com.
  6. ↑ "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Unveils Carmen Sandiego IOS App". 2015-11-24. Archived from the original on 2016-09-11.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ↑ "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Introduces Carmen Sandiego IOS App". 2015-11-28. Archived from the original on 2016-09-11.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  8. ↑ "Where's Carmen Sandiego? on an App ; Boston Publisher Brings Classic Public TV Character to Phones". 2015-11-20. Archived from the original on 2016-09-11.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. 1 2 "ACME Alert: Carmen Sandiego邃｢ is back with a new game!". YouTube.
  10. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego". Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Archived from the original on 2015-01-28. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  11. 1 2 3 "Windows® 8 Game". Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
  12. ↑ "Amazon.com: Carmen Sandiego Returns: Video Games". amazon.com.
  13. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego Returns hits iPhone and iPad today in the beloved series' mobile debut - GamesBeat - Games - by Dan Crawley". VentureBeat. 19 November 2015.
  14. ↑ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (19 November 2015). "Carmen Sandiego Returns: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Launches Character's First-Ever IOS App" (Press release).
  15. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego Returns: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Launches Character's First-Ever IOS App - Book Business". Book Business.
  16. ↑ "Amazon.com: Carmen Sandiego Returns: Video Games". amazon.com.
  17. ↑ "Amazon.com: Carmen Sandiego Returns: Video Games". amazon.com.
  18. ↑ "Google Translate".
  19. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego Returns beginner's guide iPhone / iPad".
  20. ↑ Carmen Sandiego Returns iOS Gameplay 1080p HD 60fps. 22 December 2015 – via YouTube.
  21. ↑ "'Carmen Sandiego' Returns with First-Ever iOS App". Animation World Network.
  22. ↑ "There's a New Carmen Sandiego App". Boston Magazine.
  23. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego turns up in the mobile world".
  24. ↑ "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's (HMHC) CEO Linda Zecher on Q1 2015 Results -- Earnings Call Transcript". nasdaq.com.
  25. ↑ SA Transcripts (7 May 2015). "Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's (HMHC) CEO Linda Zecher on Q1 2015 Results -- Earnings Call Transcript". seekingalpha.com.
  26. 1 2 "Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego Now?". The Huffington Post. 23 November 2015.
  27. ↑ "New iPhone Games Coming Tonight: 'Battle Copters', 'Chromatic Souls', 'Hop Hop Hop', 'Carmen Sandiego Returns' and More". TouchArcade.
  28. ↑ "Is the Educational Games Industry Falling Into the Same Trap It Did 20 Years Ago? - EdSurge News". EdSurge. February 7, 2016.
  29. ↑ Greene, Jamie (November 19, 2015). "The ACME Detective Agency Reopens for Business as Carmen Sandiego Returns".
  30. ↑ Wayne Johnson. "Book Biz: Carmen Sandiego is An App, Amazon Builds a Bookstore, Ordering Scholastic Books at School". The Livingston Post.
  31. ↑ "Hands On: Carmen Sandiego Returns 1.0 (iOS)". MacNN. Archived from the original on 2015-12-25.
  32. ↑ "I've Found Carmen Sandiego and She's Up To Her Old V.I.L.E. Tricks On The App Store - AppAddict.net". AppAddict.net.
  33. ↑ Noemi Tasarra-Twigg. "Paid iOS Apps Gone Free, December 21, 2015". Apple Gazette.
  34. ↑ "'Carmen Sandiego Returns' launches on iOS". SlashGear.
  35. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego Returns - A Triumphant Reappearance? - AppleNApps". AppleNApps.
  36. ↑ Dave Parrack. "Facebook Hides Your Exes, Carmen Sandiego Returns on Mobile... [Digest]". MakeUseOf.
  37. ↑ Carmen Sandiego is 30, flirty and thriving: Geek Bait. 24 November 2015 – via YouTube.
  38. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-01-24. Retrieved 2016-01-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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