Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel

The Good
While all of the Nancy Drew games have some things in common, a few stand out as more fun than others. Haunted Carousel is one of those that I consider more fun.

Graphics, as always, are crisp and pleasant to look at with good realism as usual. It was nice to see different looking characters as well as to hear different music during the rolling credits. The interface is identical to several of the previous ND games and very easy to understand and use.

What makes this stand out as "better" are the mini-games and puzzles. Naturally in an amusement park there is an Arcade, and in that Arcade are three very cute games. My favorite was their version of Pong (see the screenshots), called "Barnacle Blast" in the game. You'll also get to play a version of a beanbag toss game (called "Squid Toss"). When you miss, the squid makes the funniest splat sound when it hits the floor. The last arcade is a simplistic tile game which I found easy.

Another delightful puzzle involves deciphering stenography! Yes, shorthand! Luckily Nancy's friends will help by sending her a tutorial that teaches her all of the basics. As a secretary by profession, I actually used shorthand on a daily basis back in my early working days, but I had forgotten most of it. I found that tutorial to be fantastic - accurate and easy - a perfect refresher for me. Great nostalgia!

Otherwise, there are the normal number of combination locks, broken electrical connections and inventory based puzzles, all of which were integrated into the plot well. The story moves along in a fairly linear fashion. Just refer to Nancy's "To Do" list if you need a push in the right direction.

Nancy's normal friends can be called on the phone with the addition of a few more - including the Hardy Boys! Everything takes place during the day so those of you who disliked "setting the clock" in previous games will be pleased to know there is none of that.

The Bad
Amazingly, I can't think of a single thing that I didn't like about Haunted Carousel. The ending did seem to come faster than I thought it should. And there could have been more people to meet, but that's what I've said about all of the Nancy Drew games.

It is interesting to note that the selection of Junior or Senior Detective makes no difference in the gameplay at all, so they could have left it out completely.

The Bottom Line
This is my 9th Nancy Drew game - and I plan to play the other 3 as soon as I can get my hands on them. As an adult (actually closer to being a "senior"), I am a great fan of the series and am proof that these games are not just for children!

In Haunted Carousel, I had more fun than I've had in ages! Why? Because of the arcade mini-games within the game. Their rendition of Pong was nothing short of delightful.

Even if you've disliked some of the other Nancy Drews, play this one! I'll bet you'll think it's fun too.