in:Games, Computer games, Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego?
This article is about the 1996 computer game. You may be looking for 1986 game.
Where in the U.S.A is Carmen Sandiego? is a point-and-click puzzle adventure game, and is a remastering of the game of the same name in 1986.
Contents
- 1 Plot
- 2 Development
- 3 Gameplay
- 3.1 The Chase
- 3.2 The Warrant and the Arrest
- 4 Characters
- 4.1 The Good Guides
- 4.2 V.I.L.E.
- 5 Locations
- 6 Reception
- 7 Trivia
- 8 External links
Plot[]
Development[]
Gameplay[]
The Chase[]
Like the 1996 version of Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, the image of the locations take up most of the screen, with the game options only taking up the bottom third of the screen. Each location had an elaborately painted backdrop that could be scrolled around a full three hundred and sixty degrees. Each location provided clues in the form of several bystanders and scraps of paper lying on the ground. The scraps of paper exclusively provided clues about the suspect's appearance.
The bystanders, on the other hand, could either be asked where the suspect went, in which case they would provide a geography clue, or what the suspect looks like, in which case they would make a casual comment about one of the suspect's physical attributes, i.e. "His hair reminds me of Dracula’s cape." or "Horizontally speaking, he’s hardly there." Although speech balloons were still used on them, bystanders spoke their dialogue aloud as well. The text of notes and of bystanders' dialogue could be dragged into an "electronic notepad" in the bottom right corner of the screen for reference.
The Warrant and the Arrest[]
Like in the World counterpart, the player is not given dossiers describing the members of V.I.L.E. and that all the clues given about the suspect are physical traits, enabling the player to identify the crook on sight. This means that the player will have to compile a full warrant rather than one of just enough traits to distinguish which crook is responsible. In the final destination, the crook is seen walking around the location with several innocent bystanders, meaning the user will have to use the warrant to identify which person is the criminal. The crook's name is only given after the arrest, in which a newspaper (USA Someday) appears with a headline declaring the criminal has been captured. If the person arrested does not match the warrant, they will be found innocent and released just as they would if the warrant were inaccurate or not issued. Eight of the thirty-nine crooks captured over the course of the game each provided a single line of verse. These eight verses, once pieced together, created a poem that read as follows:
- Dear RoboCrook,
- Soon we’ll pull of the perfect theft, A scheme of great design.
- The greatest treasure in the states, Will very soon be mine.
- When we convene for our exchange, Don’t get caught by surprise,
- Be sure you don’t forget that I’m, A mistress of disguise.
- I’ve made myself look shorter, And that’s harder than it sounds.
- I’ve transformed by slender size, By putting on some pounds.
- Around my waist an apron’s tied; My slipper hide no socks.
- Beneath my red bandana, Is a wig of golden locks.
- Signed, Carmen Sandiego
Upon reaching the final destination of Washington D.C. the Chief will call the player to inform them that the culprit is Carmen Sandiego. However, the poem reveals that she is in disguise and her appearance will not match the warrant. So the player must use the clues to figure out the disguise and arrest Carmen. But after the player exposes her, Carmen tears off her disguise and takes off with RoboCrook on a gigantic driller into the ground. The Good Guides give chase and discover that Carmen has stolen the Declaration of Independence. They continue and find her secret hideout, where she is about to add the document to her collection. The Good Guides quickly knock out RoboCrook and detain Carmen in a capsule, retrieving the document. Afterwards, the player is later inducted at the ACME Detective Hall of Fame on the World Wiz Database and retired. If the player does anything that causes this mission to fail at this point, Carmen will escape and break three of her criminal henchmen out from ACME prison, immediately producing three more cases for the user to solve before getting back on Carmen's trail.
Characters[]
The ACME Good Guides from World return to reprise their roles, providing information about the state the player is currently in and verifying warrants.
The Good Guides[]
- Ann Tickwittee
- Dee Plomassy
- Herman Nootix
- Ivan Idea
- Kim Yoonity
- Renee Santz
- Rock Solid
The ICK brothers and Carmine also return to indicate if the player has chosen the right state to search for crooks. RoboCrook joins the group of V.I.L.E. lackeys to indicate to the player that they are in the right state where the crook is to be arrested.
V.I.L.E.[]
The following members of V.I.L.E. are criminals that the player must catch for each of the cases and each of their crimes:
Suspect | Pun | Gender | Hair Color | Height | Weight | Wearing | Bystander Greeting | Captured by |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ann Arky | Anarchy | Female | Grey | Medium | Heavy | Glasess | Nice to see you. | Ivan Idea |
Barnie Cull | Barnacle | Male | Brown | Short | Average | Hat | Well, howdy! | Ivan Idea |
Beau Zoe | Bozo | Male | Black | Tall | Heavy | Hat | Pleased to meet you. | Renee Santz |
Bee Smirch | Besmirch | Female | Red | Medium | Average | Glasses | How are you? | Dee Plomassy |
Ben E. Ficiary | Beneficiary | Male | Red | Short | Thin | Hat | Pleased to meet you. | Kim Yoonity |
Belle Igerent | Belligerent | Female | Red | Medium | Thin | Hat | Hi, how are you? | Dee Plomassy |
Billy Flop | Belly flop | Male | Black | Tall | Thin | Camera | Hey, how's it going? | Ivan Idea |
Bob Sled | Bobsled | Male | Black | Tall | Thin | Watch | Pleased to make your acquaintance. | Rock Solid |
Boone Doggle | Boondoggle | Male | Brown | Tall | Thin | Hat | Hi there. Nice to see a new face. | Herman Nootix |
Buck Aneer | Buccaneer | Male | Blond | Medium | Heavy | Hat | Salutations. | Dee Plomassy |
Buzz Ward | Buzzword | Male | Blond | Tall | Heavy | Glasses | Hey! | Ivan Idea |
Carrie Kature | Caricature | Female | Black | Short | Thin | Glasses | How ya doing? | Kim Yoonity |
Cassie Nova | Casanova | Female | Brown | Short | Thin | Watch | Nice to meet you. | Kim Yoonity |
Charlie Horse | Charley horse | Male | Red | Short | Heavy | Glasses | Howdy partner. Good to be here with y'all! | Rock Solid |
Clement See | Clemency | Male | Blond | Short | Average | Glasses | How can I help you? | Ann Tickwittee |
Cliff Hanger | Cliffhanger | Male | Blond | Tall | Heavy | Camera | Hey, there. | Herman Nootix |
Cora Spondent | Correspondent | Female | Black | Short | Average | Hat | Howdy! | Ivan Idea |
Dan Gerous | Dangerous | Male | Red | Medium | Thin | Camera | Hello. | Dee Plomassy |
Deb O’Nare | Debonair | Female | Black | Tall | Thin | Glasses | Pleasure to make your acquaintance. | Rock Solid |
Dee Linquent | Delinquent | Female | Blond | Short | Average | Watch | Hi ya! | Ann Tickwittee |
Diane Toshop | Dying to shop | Female | Red | Medium | Thin | Camera | How ya doin'? | Ann Tickwittee |
Emma Welcher | I'm a welcher | Female | Grey | Short | Heavy | Glasses | Well, hello there. | Rock Solid |
Gil Tee | Guilty | Male | Grey | Short | Heavy | Camera | How ya doin'? | Kim Yoonity |
Hope Less | Hopeless | Female | Blond | Tall | Average | Glasses | Greetings! | Herman Nootix |
Ivana B. Rich | I wanna be rich | Female | Blond | Medium | Heavy | Watch | Glad to make your acquaintance. | Ann Tickwittee |
Joy Ryder | Joy rider | Female | Grey | Medium | Average | Hat | Greetings. | Dee Plomassy |
Kat Astrophic | Catastrophic | Female | Brown | Short | Heavy | Watch | How are things? | Kim Yoonity |
Kay Os | Chaos | Female | Red | Tall | Thin | Glasses | Hi there. | Ivan Idea |
Les Ismore | Less is more | Male | Grey | Medium | Average | Glasses | Good to see you. | Ann Tickwittee |
Lilly Livered | Lily-livered | Female | Blond | Tall | Heavy | Hat | Nice to make your acquaintance. | Renee Santz |
Luke N. Ferloot | Looking for loot | Male | Brown | Tall | Average | Camera | Howdy. | Renee Santz |
Mandy Lifeboats | Man the lifeboats | Female | Grey | Tall | Average | Hat | I'm pleased to make your acquaintance. | Renee Santz |
Noah Clue | No clue | Male | Red | Short | Heavy | Hat | Nice to see a fellow traveller. | Rock Solid |
Paul Lution | Pollution | Male | Blond | Medium | Thin | Watch | Welcome to this neck of the woods. | Dee Plomassy |
Perry Syte | Parasite | Male | Blond | Tall | Average | Glasses | Good to see you here. | Herman Nootix |
Rhonda Voo | Rendezvous | Female | Blond | Tall | Heavy | Camera | My, what a pleasant surprise. | Herman Nootix |
Rob Burr | Robber | Male | Red | Medium | Heavy | Camera | Nice to see a friendly face. | Ann Tickwittee |
Robyn Steele | Rob and Steal | Female | Red | Tall | Thin | Watch | What's shaking? | Renee Santz |
Tim Tation | Temptation | Male | Red | Short | Average | Watch | Nice to see you around these parts. | Rock Solid |
Locations[]
Locations visited in the game:
State | Region | Explorable Area | Tour Guide | Loot |
---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | East South Central | Montgomery | Dee Plomassy | Rocket City |
Alaska | West Coast | Sitka | Ivan Idea | Alaskan Oil Pipe Line |
Arizona | Mountain States | Sedona | Rock Solid | The O.K. Corral |
Arkansas | West South Central | North Little Rock | Renee Santz | The Dripstone Trail |
California | West Coast | Yosemite | Rock Solid | Hollywood's Walk of Fame |
Colorado | Mountain States | Aspen | Kim Yoonity | Pikes Peak |
Connecticut | New England | Mystic | Renee Santz | All the hour hands at The American Clock and Watch Museum |
Delaware | Mid-Atlantic Coast | New Castle | Kim Yoonity | Incorporation Certificates |
Florida | South Atlantic | Kennedy Space Center | Ivan Idea | The Countdown from the JFK Space Center |
Georgia | South Atlantic | Atlanta | Kim Yoonity | The recipe for Coca-Cola |
Hawaii | West Coast | Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historical Park | Ann Tickwittee | All the sand on Waikiki Beach |
Idaho | Mountain States | Snake River Plain | Rock Solid | America's first ski lift |
Illinois | East North Central | Chicago | Renee Santz | Chicago-style pizza recipe |
Indiana | East North Central | Indianapolis | Ivan Idea | The checkered flag for the Indy 500 |
Iowa | West North Central | Des Moines | Dee Plomassy | Field of Dreams |
Kansas | West North Central | Flint Hills | Rock Solid | Little House on the Prairie |
Kentucky | East South Central | Louisville | Kim Yoonity | Abraham Lincoln's Cabin |
Louisiana | West South Central | New Orleans | Herman Nootix | Louisiana Purchase receipt |
Maine | New England | Portland | Ivan Idea | All the lobster bibs |
Maryland | Mid-Atlantic Coast | Baltimore | Dee Plomassy | The Mason-Dixon Line |
Massachusetts | New England | Cambridge | Herman Nootix | Boston Red Sox's socks |
Michigan | East North Central | Greenfield Village | Ivan Idea | Hand crank from first Model T |
Minnesota | West North Central | Minneapolis/St. Paul | Renee Santz | The Mall of America |
Mississippi | East South Central | Natchez | Renee Santz | The Delta Queen |
Missouri | West North Central | St. Louis | Renee Santz | The Trail head for the Oregon Trail |
Montana | Mountain States | Glacier National Park | Rock Solid | Continental Divide |
Nebraska | West North Central | Omaha | Ivan Idea | Chimney Rock |
Nevada | Mountain States | Las Vegas | Kim Yoonity | Hoover Dam's drain plug |
New Hampshire | New England | Canterbury | Herman Nootix | The ballot boxes for the Presidential Primary |
New Jersey | Mid-Atlantic Coast | Cape May | Ivan Idea | Jersey Turnpike |
New Mexico | Mountain States | Taos | Ann Tickwittee | Bottomless Pit from Carlsbad Caverns |
New York | Mid-Atlantic Coast | Ellis Island | Kim Yoonity | Time Square electronic billboard |
North Carolina | South Atlantic | Chapel Hill | Herman Nootix | Wright Brothers’ runway at Kittyhawk |
North Dakota | West North Central | Bonanzaville | Herman Nootix | The entire town of Rugby |
Ohio | East North Central | Cleveland | Herman Nootix | Pro Football Hall of Fame |
Oklahoma | West South Central | Indian City, USA | Ann Tickwittee | John Wayne's boots from the Cowboy Hall of Fame |
Oregon | West Coast | Portland | Rock Solid | Crater Lake |
Pennsylvania | Mid-Atlantic Coast | Philadelphia | Ann Tickwittee | Valley Forge |
Rhode Island | New England | Newport | Renee Santz | Breakers Mansion |
South Carolina | South Atlantic | Charleston | Herman Nootix | Fort Summers’ flagpole |
South Dakota | West North Central | Mt. Rushmore | Ivan Idea | The Mitchell Corn Palace |
Tennessee | East South Central | Nashville | Renee Santz | Graceland gates |
Texas | West South Central | San Antonio | Ann Tickwittee | The Dallas Cowboys’ playbook |
Utah | Mountain States | Zion National Park | Rock Solid | Morman Tabernacle Choir's organ |
Vermont | New England | West Arlington | Kim Yoonity | Entire supply of maple syrup |
Virginia | South Atlantic | Williamsburg | Dee Plomassy | Monticello |
Washington | West Coast | Seattle | Kim Yoonity | The Space Needle |
Washington D.C. | Mid-Atlantic Coast | Washington D.C. | Dee Plomassy | Card Catalog from Library of Congress |
West Virginia | South Atlantic | Harper's Ferry | Dee Plomassy | Seneca Rocks |
Wisconsin | East North Central | Hayward | Rock Solid | The recipe for sharp cheddar cheese |
Wyoming | Mountain States | The Grand Tetons | Rock Solid | Schedule for Old Faithful |
Reception[]
Trivia[]
External links[]
Where in the U.S.A. Is Carmen Sandiego? (1996) on Wikipedia
Carmen Sandiego games | ||
---|---|---|
Video Games | Broderbund | World (1985) • U.S.A (1986) • Europe (1988) • Prodigy (1988) • Time (1989) • North Dakota (1989) • Japan (1989) • America's Past (1991) • Space (1993) • Junior Detective (1995) • World (1996) • U.S.A. (1996) • Time (1997) • Word Detective (1997) • Math Detective (1998) • Amtrak (1998) |
The Learning Company | ThinkQuick Challenge (1999) • Treasures of Knowledge (2001) • The Secret of the Stolen Drums (2004) • Gameloft (2008) • Mystère au Bout du Monde (2009) • Adventures in Math (2011) • Luggage (Unknown) • Facebook (2011) • Returns (2015) | |
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Trivia • Google Earth • Handheld • To Steal or Not To Steal | |
Board Games | Original Franchise | World (1992) • U.S.A. (1993) • Junior Detective (1994) • Space • (1995) Time (1996) • V.I.L.E. Files |
Reboot | World Card Game • ACME's Most Wanted • Capitals | |
Other | The ClueFinders: Mystery Mansion Arcade (cameo) • Music • Universe |