1893: A World's Fair Mystery

Moby ID: 20633
Windows Specs

Description official descriptions

1893: A World's Fair Mystery is a historical mystery text-based adventure game using very detailed factual information regarding the famous 1893 World's Fair. Chicago historian Peter Nepstad was the one-person creator and researcher of the game. You play a detective who is looking into a diamond theft but eventually come upon kidnapping and murder as well which seem to be linked to a grander plot. There are 500 historical photographs used throughout the game, and numerous locations throughout the fair which will take many hours to discover and explore. If you get stuck, there are a visitor's guide to the fair, a map of the grounds and in-game hints if you can find them.

Groups +

Screenshots

Credits (Windows version)

5 People (4 developers, 1 thanks)

Developer
Writer
Developer TADS
Problem Solver
Beta Tester

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 84% (based on 6 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.1 out of 5 (based on 6 ratings with 0 reviews)

Be the first to review this game!

Trivia

Release history

Prior to the retail release, there was a text-version (1.4) uploaded to the IF Archive and announced on rec.arts.int-fiction on 14th July 2002. An updated version (1.5) was available ten days later and on 17th October, a 2.0 preview release with graphics and music was shipped. Version 2.1 (28th October) fixed some bugs and starting from 2.4 (30th November), two PDF manuals were included with the game. Pictures on the history of the game can be viewed here.

Sales

As of May 2010, the author announced that sales of the game (after slightly over seven years) have exceeded 4,000 -- small fry for video games generally, but still an enormous figure for sales of text adventure games, a genre considered to be commercially defunct since the disappointing returns following the last big push by Infocom Implementor Michael Berlyn's Cascade Mountain Publishing circa 1998-99.

Awards

  • XYZZY Award
    • 2002 - Best Setting

Additional information contributed by Pseudo_Intellectual and Wizo.

Analytics

MobyPro Early Access

Upgrade to MobyPro to view research rankings!

Related Games

Planet Coaster: World's Fair Pack
Released 2018 on Windows, Macintosh, PlayStation 4...
Planet Coaster: Vintage & World's Fair Bundle
Released 2021 on Xbox Series, PlayStation 5, Xbox One
Fair Strike
Released 2003 on Windows
Bubble Fair
Released 1991 on Acorn 32-bit
County Fair
Released 2009 on Windows, Macintosh
Monster Fair
Released 2004 on Windows, Macintosh
Pet Fair
Released 2011 on Android, iPad, iPhone
Ravenwood Fair
Released 2010 on Browser
County Fair
Released 1981 on Apple II

Related Sites +

Identifiers +

  • MobyGames ID: 20633
  • [ Please login / register to view all identifiers ]

Contribute

Are you familiar with this game? Help document and preserve this entry in video game history! If your contribution is approved, you will earn points and be credited as a contributor.

Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Scaryfun.

Macintosh added by Kabushi.

Additional contributors: Jeanne, Sciere, Patrick Bregger.

Game added January 6, 2006. Last modified June 18, 2023.