Carmen Sandiego Geography Learning System | 
| From: Encore Software
Category: Software
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $3.20
You Save: $16.75 (84%)
New (6) from $3.20
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 670
Format: Cd-rom
Platforms: Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows Xp, Mac Os X
ESRB: Early Childhood
Media: CD-ROM
Batteries Included: No
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.7 x 5.3 x 2.2
MPN: 100722
Model: 10580
UPC: 705381105800
EAN: 0705381105800
ASIN: B000EXS46K
Release Date: April 11, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Travel the world with Carmen Sandiego in this fun learning game | | • | Visit dozens of historic world landmarks; travel through all 50 states | | • | Experience unique customs of far-away places; meet unusual people | | • | Use decision making and logic in each challenging mission | | • | Bonus DVD with exciting educational video content |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Carmen Sandiego Geography 2007 lets you travel the world, encounter exotic sights and sounds, meet unusual people -- and arrest them! Carmen Sandiego's international crime ring is filching world treasures ordinary thieves wouldn't dare tackle. We're counting on you, Gumshoe. So when you think you've got the goods on the bad guys, submit your evidence, make a case, and go to court. But beware! Your evidence must be airtight or your suspect will go free! Subjects include:
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 Good value, and irresistible game for young detectives August 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Our third grader is hooked on the World game, despite being occasionally challenged by it, and enjoyed the DVD enough to request more than one viewing of it. So although we haven't even tried out the USA game yet, I think we got our money's worth, if not more.
We're using an older computer with XP, and had no installation problems. The "Where in the World" game runs just fine for us; if we have problems with the USA version I'll come back to make a note here, but so far this purchase has been great.
The storyline in the game has just enough mystery and suspense, plus the thrill of gathering clues and eventually discovering hidden secrets, to be perfect fun for this age group, which the manufacturer lists as 8-12.
At the younger end of the spectrum, where we are, the child may not be systematic or patient enough to find all the clues in the most efficient order. This can lead to retracing steps, or otherwise becoming frustrated enough to give up, at least temporarily. At such times, a bit of parental oversight or assistance can get past the tricky parts; after that, the child is eager to get control over the mouse and keyboard again, and to continue the hunt.
The game has a lot of educational content built in, but I'm not sure whether a typical kid will really pay attention to all of it. There is a lookup feature -- necessary to type in clues, and thus determine the next stop on the detectives' itinerary -- which taps into a pretty detailed geographic database. But so far, we haven't found game action that actually requires studying the information very closely.
Just the same, our child is definitely learning to make at least a few connections and associations, and is perhaps soaking up a lot more than that. In each scene, in settings around the globe, the characters discuss a few specifics about the place and the people there, and in searching for clues, the player hears still more.
In any case, the storyline, action and characters are compelling for kids. There is no real violence and no other causes for parental concern that I can see. So we're quite pleased overall.
The main reason I held off from giving it five stars is simply because the game does not enforce any kind of true, serious geographic learning in order to solve the individual mysteries. Intermediate steps during each mystery may be geographically-related, but the final solutions are generally based on some kind of logical or mathematical challenge -- the kind of thing one could get from a book of brainteasers or the like.
Unlike other purely educational games (Reader Rabbit, etc.), there doesn't seem to be any method of "leveling" in which the game is easier, or harder, depending on the child's progress. So as for the 8 to 12 year age range? I think that's just a broad marketing guess by the company. As far as I can tell, the game will provide pretty much the same action no matter how well the child plays it.
That being said, it sure is fun for our kid! So I think it's a fine choice, and recommend it for any child who likes mysteries and action.
 carmen sandiego wonderful February 16, 2008
The children love it and are learning amazing facts from the game. You can't go wrong with this one.
Good, but locks up frequently. March 9, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Fun game, relives childhood nicely, which is what I wanted, but I have a brand new laptop, and I don't think it was built for the new windows.
 Only one disc of the three was worth the price March 1, 2007
1 out of 5 found this review helpful
Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego is great. The other two discs kinda sucked.
Carmen Sandiego Geography Learning System January 1, 2007
24 out of 24 found this review helpful
This box set contains two CD-ROMS, Where in the World and Where in the U.S.A. is Carmen Sandiego. It also contains one 30 minute DVD of the Stolen Smile segment of the Carmen Sandiego television series. I had no problems loading both CD-ROMS on my PC. I am running Windows XP.
Where in the World is a "treasure hunt" style game that requires you to travel the globe looking for the necessary clues to solve 8 interconnecting missions. Along the way you learn many interesting things about the countries you visit and will even learn some common language phrases. The truly studious can learn about the countries in more depth within the game's database. The game is very fun and can be enjoyed by the young and old alike. The box says that it is designed for ages 8-12 but realize that solving the missions requires the player to listen intentally, methodically search the countries, and solve logic puzzles. My 7 year old loves visiting different countries and learning about them but does not have the reasoning skills to complete the game. For him to enjoy it, I must gently guide him through the game. My 11 and 14 year old neighbors, found the game challenging but solveable. Once you solve a mission you can not go back and brouse the countries you visited.
In Where in the U.S.A. you travel the United States capturing Carmen's V.I.L.E. agents. Each mission is short and requires you to know certain facts about the states (guessing is part of the learning) and interpret the analogies the locals give to describe the crook. The game requires a good bit of reasoning but the average 9 or 10 year old could probably play it solo. My 7 year old enjoys visiting and learning about the states but can't solve the missions without my assistance. There are many ways to learn without solving a mission. You can read about the states in the game's database, answer trivia questions or be given a guided tour. I didn't find this game to be as much fun as In the World but the ability to visit and learn about a state at your own pace makes it a great choice.
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