The ACME Detective Agency Reopens for Business as Carmen Sandiego Returns

Carmen Sandiego is back. It’s time to round up the usual suspects and track down the whereabouts of Ruth Less, Justin Time, M. T. Pockets, and all the rest.

For those of us who were old enough to use a computer in 1985, these screenshots are probably a familiar sight:

That’s right, folks; Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? was released in 1985, which means Carmen and the entire franchise turned 30 this year. Which means you’re old.

The Carmen Sandiego games were pretty much the bee’s knees in the ’80s and ’90s, and young gamers traveled around the world, the USA, Europe, and America’s past–not to mention through time and space–in pursuit of Carmen. And we even managed to learn some stuff along the way. I mean, really, how many other computer games came packaged with a condensed paperback encyclopedia?

Now, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is bringing the character back to life and optimizing everything for mobile. Available on iOS devices, Carmen Sandiego Returns brings back a lot of familiar gameplay (hello, nostalgia!) and tosses in some new and exciting features:

• The Accelerometer: Using the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer, Carmen Sandiego Returns allows players to explore each city, see more of their location, and earn even more clues.
• Short-form and Long-form Gameplay: Players can choose how to use their time and experience by opting for both short and long games.
• Leaderboards: For each challenge, players can compete against friends using Game Center.