Carmen Sandiego in Japan

Carmen Sandiego is a master thief who leads the criminal organization V.I.L.E. This organization specializes in stealing Japan's treasures without a trace. Alarmed by this, the player has been tasked with hunting down V.I.L.E.'s henchmen and eventually Carmen Sandiego herself.

Carmen Sandiego in Japan is a game that tests the player's knowledge about Japanese geography. Missions begin with a treasure being stolen and the player arriving at that location. A time limit counts down while they search the area and interview witnesses to find which prefecture the thief flew to next. The player always has a limited selection of places to visit. This process is repeated until either the villain is found or time expires and they are able to get away.

Along with finding out where the thief has headed, the player must discover who the thief is, by best matching personal characteristics (gender, hair color, eye color, hobbies, notable features) to dossiers on Carmen's gang. There must be enough characteristics matched in order to obtain a warrant, which is essential to legally arrest the suspect once they have been found. Progress in arresting VILE members will expose other members, eventually leading up to Carmen Sandiego herself.