Cheap Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel (Software) (Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98, Windows XP) Price

Like all of the Nancy Drew mysteries from Her Interactive, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel is a first-person role playing game that lets players explore its richly imagined amusement park setting while solving the spate of mysterious incidents that have shut down the park. Featuring well-drawn characters, some tough but satisfying puzzles, arcade games, and plenty of thrills, this game is sure to satisfy.

Though the game design and artwork have the winsome flavor of the original Nancy Drew novel series, the tools the teen sleuth has to work with are utterly modern. A cell phone keeps players in touch with faithful friends like George, Bess and even the Hardy Boys. Nancy's laptop lets you pick up helpful e-mails that assist in analyzing clues.

The game informs as it entertains. As players unravel the mystery they also learn a few basics about electrical repair, carousel design history, the uses of a lathe, and decoding old stenographic documents. In this way, The Haunted Carousel seamlessly and safely allows girls to truly inhabit the role of Nancy--to be resourceful, clever, persistent and, of course, more than a little snoopy. Player confidence is only enhanced by the game's structure, which poses some tough challenges but also makes sure you have the tools to solve them, and provides lots of encouragement along the way.

Captain's Cove is not without its dangers, however. Carelessness could plunge Nancy into a dangerous accident, which leads to getting her banned from the amusement park property. Fortunately, the game is very forgiving, allowing you to choose a "Second Chance" option that lets you revisit--and revise--any critical mistakes.

Beautifully designed, true to its subject matter, and with a genuinely interesting mystery at its heart, Nancy Drew: The Haunted Carousel is a game that will have girls hungering for more.--Alyx Dellamonica