Carmen Sandiegois a nostalgic game series for many. The earliest games were released in the late 80s, and theeducationalfranchise has been a mainstay of classroom computers for decades.Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?and its spin-offs endeavored to teach kids about anything from global geography to the very specific geography of North Dakota.
It’s hard to find a definitive list of the installments in the series; many versions of the games were released, re-released, localized, and remade across different platforms. As a result, it can be difficult to work out which game is which. With a newCarmen Sandiegogamecoming out in 2025, here are some of the best titles about everyone’s favorite geography-based international crime lord to relive the magic. For a truly authentic nostalgia trip, attempt to resist the urge to Google the answers.
10Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? Treasures of Knowledge
New Developer, Strange New Direction
Treasures of Knowledgeis a departure from the typical structure of Carmen Sandiego games in that it is a clunky third person point and click game. Gone is the typical ACME investigation interface. Instead, the player interacts with the contents of an ACME agent’s tactical vest.
It’s certainly not the strongest installment in the series, not by a long shot. But it holds nostalgic value for those who grew up with it. It was uploaded to Steam in 2020 under the nameWhere in the World is Carmen SanDiego, but beware there are LOTS of issues with the Steam version. It doesn’t save progress, there is no menu to speak of and the voices don’t always sync up.
9Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?
The Spin-Off To The Original Game
Where in Time is Carmen Sandiegoadds another layer of complexity to the original game. Players must also pay attention to the era of history as well as the location, with the added ability to travel to different times in different countries. Just like the original,Where in Timegives the player a small selection of options, otherwise the game would be inscrutable.
The addition of a time element increases in relevancy as the game continues with multiple eras being available to travel to different eras in the same country. The controls are a little less intuitive thanWhere in the World is Carmen Sandiego.
8Where In Space Is Carmen Sandiego?
Galactic Spin-Off That Adds Multiple New Mechanics
Where in Space is Carmen Sandiegodrops the player in a spaceship and gives them a whole host of controls to help them track down the iconic thief that has now gone galactic. The distinctive art style of the series has been abandoned in favor of a more quirky sci-fi90s cartoonstyle which fits the new locations. As a result, it feels considerably less like a Carmen Sandiego game.
Players navigate star maps through longitude and latitude to intercept VILE frequencies and communications. There is also a database with a whole host of astronomical information to help players with a limited general knowledge of space. The witnesses are a range of different life forms.
7Where in Europe is Carmen Sandiego?
Chase Thieves Across European Cities
Where is Europe is Carmen Sandiegowas not only a localized version of the originalWhere in the World is Carmen Sandiegobut had added features. It was originally widely available on DOS, Mac,Amiga, Apple II, Commodore 64. The player receives a call from the chief upon signing in at ACME Headquarters and pursues a thief who has stolen a national treasure across Europe.
Where in Europehas a tipster function that allows players to get additional clues, and the chief will get in touch as the investigation continues to offer other information about the suspect. Unlike its other global counterparts, there is only one location in each city available to search and interview witnesses. Another addition to the original is the Crime Lab, which helps players to identify the next country based on the flag, currency, and language.
6Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego? Deluxe Edition
VILE On The Doorstep Of ACME Headquarters
By this time, the art style of the Carmen Sandiego games had started to have that iconic look that was so recognizable in the series going forward. Especially Carmen herself. The geographic trivia isn’t too obscure in this U.S.A. edition, even for non-Americans, and it holds the player’s hand a lot more than many of the earlier games.
This edition had additional witnesses that could be called and questioned. Although the chief is not yet the amazing Lynne Thigpen, there is a voiced and animated chief in the corner. He doesn’t have Thigpen’s charisma, but it is certainly nice to have a human voice check in occasionally.
Platforms: DOS, Microsoft Windows and Mac OS
Release Date: 1992
Much like the U.S.A. localized game which was released a year laterWhere in the World is Carmen Sandiego? Deluxefeatures digitized photos, updated information and graphics. The screenshots were taken from the identical 1994 Windows release that omitted the term “Deluxe” from the title. This is one example of the difficulty of tracking editions and versions of the Carmen Sandiego series.
The ACME office has increased their staff since the original 1985 game. Warren the Warrant Robot is just awful and makes a terrible first impression and the travel agent is quite chatty. The chief is a cheerful posh, animated British man straight out of a spy show for kids. They have also provided more training materials for their employees, which makes the game a nicer experience.
4Where In The World is Carmen Sandiego?
The Original And The Enhanced Edition
This game really established the franchise pattern of catching a thief that has stolen a national treasure and pursuing them across the globe. Players interviewed witnesses (who looked a bit like budget human Muppets) to find out where the thief was headed to next.
Players are also on the lookout for clues to the suspect’s appearance to run through the ACME database. When the player has eliminated all but one suspect, a warrant will be issued. The 8-bitsoundtrackof this version of the game is iconic and will fill anyone who played it as a kid with nostalgia.
3Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? v.3.0
Also known as Carmen Sandiego’s Great Chase Through Time
This time, Carmen has used the ACME Chronoskimmer totravel back in timewith her henchmen to steal treasures from history. Rather than the ACME investigation interface, the player has access to a conventional point and click inventory system. In fact, this game incorporates a lot of elements from its adventure point and click contemporaries, including dragging and manipulating objects to solve puzzles.
The visual design is delightfully vibrant, and Lynne Thigpen is amazing as the colorfully dressed ACME chief. In each case, the player is assigned an ACME agent to assist as a guide to the time period. Unlike previousWhere in Time is Carmen Sandiegogames, the focus is on finding the thief in one geographical location rather than trekking across the globe. This time they are hiding close by, the player must pick up pieces of a ripped-up note that indicates where the thief is hiding.
2Carmen Sandiego Word Detective
Easy Word Games With A Cyber Sleuth Twist
InWord DetectiveCarmen Sandiego has outdone herself. This time she has decided to make everyone on the planet illiterate. Inside the “Tower of Babble” Carmen has created the Babble-on which turns language into gibberish. She has kidnapped 12 ACME agents, and the player is Agent 13, tasked with rescuing the agents and stopping Carmen’s evil plan.
The gameplay involves a series of word puzzles that range in difficulty and the language skills they teach. Completing enough word games will decode a password. Decoding enough passwords allows the player to open a key container, which in turn allows them to free the agents. It’s a bit of a convoluted idea, but in practice, it works well.
1Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? Version 3.0
3.5 Is The Definitive Edition
Once again, there is some confusion about the release date of this game due to multiple versions and rereleases. But version 3 or 3.5 is widely considered to be the best in the franchise. The screenshots for this entry are from version 3.5 (1998). In this game we have all the key ingredients associated with the franchise. Lynne Thigpen is the chief, the art style has been well and truly established, and Carmen is suitably illusive.
The ACME investigation interface is well-designed and makes accessing information easy. Each VILE agent captured has a torn-off couplet from a poem that indicates Carmen Sandiego’s warrant information for the final case in which the player can capture her.
