The ClueFinders: Mystery Mansion Arcade

The ClueFinders: Mystery Mansion Arcade is a personal computer game in The Learning Company's ClueFinders series, where the ClueFinders are trapped by their enemies from other ClueFinders games. It was designed to be a bonus disc to be included with all the ClueFinders games (except for The ClueFinders Reading Adventures, which used to be included as a bonus disc itself titled The Mystery of the Missing Amulet, and which now seems to be removed from the series). Unlike most ClueFinders games, Mystery Mansion Arcade does not seem to be educational, with the exception of Leslie's game.

Summary

The game starts with the ClueFinders proceeding to walk towards a creepy house on a hill, with the dialogue explaining that the ClueFinders received an email from who they thought was Joni's Uncle Horace, stating that he was trapped in the house and needed to be rescued. However, it is revealed that it's actually a trap, and the four ClueFinders are separated. It is then shown to the user that four past ClueFinders enemies (Fletcher Limburger from The ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures: The Mystery of Mathra, Alistair Loveless from The ClueFinders 4th Grade Adventures: Puzzle of the Pyramid, Pericles Lear from The ClueFinders: The Incredible Toy Store Adventure!, and Miss Rose from The ClueFinders 6th Grade Adventures: The Empire of the Plant People) have joined forces with a mysterious new ally and created the trap to get revenge on the ClueFinders.

Gameplay

Unlike the other games the activities are not as educational as the previous games (except Leslie's game).

Owen's Radical Pizza Race

In Limburger's trap, Owen has to skate on giant pizzas, avoid obstacles and get through 2 levels (3 parts per level). The player controls Owen by using the mouse or left and right arrow keys. They earn points and have to jump over large pizza toppings and collect fish that look like sardines. To earn extra points and increase the score, the level must be finished before the time runs out.

Leslie's Bookerang Library

Contained in Loveless's trap, Leslie must the find word that matches the category shown below. Like Owen's game there are two levels with three parts. To find the word, the player uses the directional keys (arrow keys) to guide Leslie around the screen.

This is the only educational part of the game, having the player control Leslie to the book that corresponds with the theme, such as geography and colors.

Santiago's Pinball Predicament

Pericles sets up a pinball game for Santiago. The goal is to get him though 2 levels and get as many batteries as possible.

Joni's Last-Chance Labyrinth

Miss Rose has stuck Joni in a large four-level maze. In this game, all the ClueFinders come to Joni's aid to get through. The items collected during the other three games can be used as projectiles to attack enemies and overcome obstacles.

The game's conclusion

Seeing that ClueFinders have outsmarted the villains again, their leader sends the villains into their own traps as punishment for failing and reveals herself to be Carmen Sandiego, a non-ClueFinders character currently owned by the same company. Before anybody can do anything, Carmen escapes and leaves the ClueFinders confused over what she was trying to accomplish; namely, whether she was trying to trap either the ClueFinders or the villains. Santiago then utters the all-too-familiar phrase of, "Where in the world did she go?".