Clue Jr. Spyglass Mystery

Copyright: KBkids.com

Many of the detective programs, including Carmen Sandiego Jr., are just too hard for younger children. If you have found that to be the case with your own kids, you may want to try Clue Jr. If, on the other hand, your kids can handle Carmen Sandiego Jr., this one is probably too easy for them.

The idea is simple. Choose one of fifteen mysteries to solve. Items have been stolen from the local museum, and you must figure out who the criminal is, and where the missing item is. In order to do this, you must travel through various rooms, looking for clues. The clues are pretty obvious, as they are usually sitting out in the open. Some are 'who clues' that help you find the criminal, and some are 'where clues' that tell you where the missing item is. Once you have collected all of the missing clues, the program tells you to visit the security guard to solve the crime. You must then decide which of the suspects committed the crime, and where the missing object is hidden.

Each room contains an arcade game. Several consist of clicking on objects as they jump onto the screen. There is also a concentration game and a Simon-type patterning game. The only problem is that the games never end. They simply keep getting harder and faster until you finally choose to exit. Young kids never knew when to stop

Although the clues change each time, giving this one almost unlimited replay value, you cannot sign in. Therefore, it is difficult to share this game between siblings unless they are rather cooperative.

A 'magnifying' glass comes with the program and plugs into your game port. It really is simply a pointing device, and doesn't do anything spectacular. You use it instead of the mouse. Some preschoolers may hit it against your screen accidentally. Most kids soon went back to simply using the mouse to solve the mysteries.

This is a fun program for younger elementary aged children. Kids with much computer experience will become bored with it quickly, however. This is a good starter program for kids just learning to use a mouse, and work their way through a computer program.

Bottom Line: A good program for beginners. More mature kids, or those with computer-savvy will bore easily.

Ratings: (based on KBkids.com's 4 star rating system)

Overall: 2 1/2

BrainGain: 2 1/2

FunFactor: 3

EasePlease: 3

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