Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

From Sega Retro

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  • Mega Drive
  • Master System

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Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
System(s): Sega Mega Drive, Sega Master System
Publisher:
Sega Master System
Parker Brothers
Sega Mega Drive
Electronic Arts
Developer:
Licensor: Brøderbund Software
Developer(s) of original games: Brøderbund Software
Genre: Educational

















Number of players: 1
Official in-game languages:
Sega Master System
  • English
  • Português
  • Sega Mega Drive
  • English
  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • Italiano
  • Español
  • Português
  • Release Date RRP Code
    Sega Master System
    US
    $39.9539.95[2] 4350
    Sega Master System
    BR
    023450
    Tectoy: Todas as Idades
    Sega Mega Drive
    US
    $59.9559.95[3] 716101
    Sega Mega Drive
    EU
    E035SMXI
    Sega Mega Drive
    UK
    £39.9939.99[5] E035SMXI
    Sega Mega Drive
    AU
    Sega Mega Drive
    BR
    046690
    Tectoy: Todas as Idades
    Non-Sega versions

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    Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is a 1985 computer educational game by Broderbund ported to the Sega Mega Drive and Sega Master System in 1992 and 1988, respectively. The success of the original computer game led to a number of remakes and sequels, including Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego?, also ported to the Mega Drive.

    Players take control of an Interpol investigator and attempt to track down a group of criminals called VILE, led by infamous thief Carmen Sandiego.

    Gameplay

    Master System

    Players can walk around the city with the D-Pad. Button 1 is the action button: it is used to select options in the screen or enter selected building. Button 2 is the "speeding up" button. It speed ups players movements speed, dialogues and etc.

    Players can move up or down in the cities with the D-Pad. Pressing up while on the upper side of the screen makes players jump, while pressing down while on the bottom side of the screen ducks.

    The game is more or less a trivia game with very limited action sequences. Every case begins with a case file which explains the location of the theft and the name of the stolen precious object. Player is then transported to the location of the crime.

    Players must visit various buildings in the city and interview people to gather clues about the criminal and his/her next location. Clues about the next location varies from the monerary unit to some famous landmark or the colors of the nation's flag. By using these clues, players must return to airport (rightmost part of the screen) and select the next location. If wrong location is selected, people in the city will give non-sensical answers or deny knowledge about the case. If this happens, players must return to the original city and select another location. This will cost the player valuable time.

    Player must also gather clues about the criminal's identity. Criminal's gender is usually given at the beginning of the case. Remaining clues, such as hair color, hobby, distinguishing feature or preferred vehicle are randomly received by interviewing people in a city. Once players have sufficient information about the suspect, they can use the phone booth (leftmost part of the city) and call the Interpol crime computer. By entering the clues, players can issue an arrest warrant. Generally entering three to four clues is enough to get an accurate warrant.

    If players are on the right track, they might be occasionally attacked by a VILE henchman who will attempt to incapacitate the player by throwing a knife. Players can evade by using above controls.

    Once the city in which the criminal is hiding with the loot reached, people in the city will give ominous warnings to the player rather than clues. Once the suspect is located, he/she will attack the player with a gun. Bullets can be evaded using the controls. After dodging the bullets for a while, local police will arrive and arrest the criminal. If players have the warrant for the correct person, suspect will be arrested and the case will be over. If there is no warrant or players issued the warrant for the wrong person, suspect will be released and case will fail.

    Players can be promoted to a higher rank after solving enough cases. Ranks act as difficulty levels. In higher difficulties, clues will be more cryptic and VILE henchmen, suspects will be harder to evade.

    Production credits

    Mega Drive version

    • SEGA Programming: Kevin P. Pickell
    • SEGA Art: Jackie Ritchie, Tony Lee, Steve Livaja
    • SEGA Sounds: David Galloway, Alistair Hirst
    • Development Producer: Stan Chow
    SEGA Code (C) Copyright 1992 Electronic Arts Canada Inc.
    Thursday, July 16, 1992 7:02:15 PM
    Source:
    In-game credits
    Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego MD credits.png
    [6]


    Master System version

    • SEGA Programming: Kevin P. Pickell
    • Original game design by: Gene Portwood and Lauren Elliott, Broderbund Software, Inc.
    • SEGA SYSTEM program by: Bob Halliday, Chase Sebor, Gary Piatt
    • Video graphics by: Joanne Cord and Debbie Graziano
    • Additional video graphics by: Richard Blewett, Parker Brothers
    • Translation design by: Sam Kjellman, Parker Brothers
    • Package design by: Karen Schmidt, Parker Brothers
    • Copy edited by: Susan Nash, Parker Brothers
    Source:
    US manual
    Witwics sms us manual.pdf
    [7]


    Magazine articles

    Main article: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?/Magazine articles.

    Promotional material

    Logo-pdf.svg
    Master System print advert in Sega Challenge: The Team Sega Newsletter (US) #4: "Fall 1988" (1988-xx-xx)
    Logo-pdf.svg

    Physical scans

    Mega Drive version

    Sega Retro Average 
    Publication Score Source
    {{{{{icon}}}|L}} Division by zero.
    Based on
    0 review
    Sega Retro Average 
    Publication Version Score
    Consoles + (FR)
    65
    [8]
    Mean Machines: The Essential Sega Guide (UK)
    56
    [9]
    Game Mania (UK)
    85
    [10]
    GamePro (US) NTSC-U
    73
    [3]
    Hobby Consolas (ES)
    85
    [11]
    Joypad (FR) PAL
    61
    [12]
    Joystick (FR) PAL
    76
    [13]
    Sega Mega Drive Advanced Gaming (UK) PAL
    85
    [14]
    MegaTech (UK) PAL
    65
    [15]
    Player One (FR)
    80
    [16]
    Play Time (DE)
    68
    [17]
    Sega Pro (UK) PAL
    59
    [18]
    Sega Pro (UK) PAL
    59
    [19]
    Sega Force (UK) PAL
    82
    [20]
    Video Games (DE) PAL
    42
    [21]
    Sega Mega Drive
    69
    Based on
    15 reviews

    Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

    Mega Drive, US (Almanac bundle)
    WitWiCS MD US Almanac Bundle Box Top.jpg
    WitWiCS MD US Almanac Bundle Back.jpgWitWiCS MD US Almanac Bundle Side.jpgWitWiCS MD US front.jpgWitWiCS MD US Almanac Bundle Side2.jpg
    WitWiCS MD US Almanac Bundle Box Bottom.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD US-EU Cart.jpg
    Cart
    WitWiCS MD US Manual.jpg
    Manual
    WitWiCS MD US Box.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD EU-US Almanac.jpg
    Almanac
    Mega Drive, EU (Almanac bundle)
    WitWiCS MD EU Almanac bundle Back.jpgWitWiCS MD EU Almanac bundle Side.jpgWitWiCS MD EU bundle front.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD US-EU Cart.jpg
    Cart
    WitWiCS MD EU Manual Front.jpg
    Manual
    WitWiCS MD EU Manual Back.jpg
    Manual Back
    WitWiCS MD EU bundle cover.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD EU-US Almanac.jpg
    Almanac
    WitWiCS MD EU Almanac bundle Contents.JPG
    Contents
    Mega Drive, EU (UK/FR/DE/ES Release)
    WitWiCS MD EU Box.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD US-EU Cart.jpg
    Cart
    WitWiCS MD EU Manual Front.jpg
    Manual
    WitWiCS MD EU Manual Back.jpg
    Manual Back
    Mega Drive, EU (SE/IT/NE Release)
    WitWiCS MD EU Alt Cover SID Version.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD US-EU Cart.jpg
    Cart
    WitWiCS MD EU Manual Front.jpg
    Manual
    WitWiCS MD EU Manual Back.jpg
    Manual Back
    Mega Drive, AU

    Mega Drive, BR
    WitWiCS MD BR back.jpgWitWiCS MD BR Spine.jpgWitWiCS MD BR front.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS MD BR Cart.jpg
    Cart

    Master System version

    Master System, US
    WitWiCS SMS US Box.jpg
    Cover
    WitWiCS SMS US Cart.jpg
    Cart
    Witwics sms us manual.pdf
    Manual
    Witwics sms us almanac.pdf
    Almanac
    Master System, BR
    WitWiCS SMS BR Box.jpg
    Cover
    Witwics sms br cart.jpg
    Cart
    Witwics sms br manual.pdf
    Manual
    Witwics sms br almanac.pdf
    Almanac

    Technical information

    Main article: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?/Technical information.

    References

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    NEC Retro has more information related to Carmen Sandiego o Oe! Sekaihen


    Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?

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    Carmen Sandiego games for Sega systems
    Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? (1988) | Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? (1992)