History VideoGame / TheClueFinders

''The [=ClueFinders=]'' is a series of {{Edutainment Game}}s from Creator/TheLearningCompany in which the eponymous {{Kid Hero}}es have exploits which more-or-less fit into the {{adventure}} show genre of TheNineties, collecting AlphabetSoupCans on {{Fetch Quest}}s since OnlySmartPeopleMayPass. The main characters are:

* Joni Savage: TheLeader Specifically, a FieryRedhead and a FearlessFool, although the latter died down when {{Chickification}} set in.
* Santiago Rivera: TheLancer, MrFixit and a WeekendInventor.
* Owen Lam: TheMcCoy SurferDude, who talks in a TotallyRadical way.
* Leslie Clark: [[TheSmartGuy The Smart Girl]] given to SesquipedalianLoquaciousness.
* [=LapTrap=]: RobotBuddy, DeadpanSnarker and CowardlyLion. Has the form of a floating laptop.
* Socrates: TeamPet, who only appears with any prominence in the ''4th Grade Adventures''. Amazingly, both an example of RememberTheNewGuy and ChuckCunninghamSyndrome.

The games are aimed at kids aged 8 to 12, with specific games for third-, fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders (having been a follow-up to ''VideoGame/ReaderRabbit'', another Learning Company series, which is aimed at kids aged up to 7). In addition, there are four other games devoted to mathematics, language arts, logic and miscellaneous subjects. The entries in the series are as follows:

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Laptrap's voice sounds an awful lot like Creator/BillyCrystal.

* ABirthdayNotABreak: Mild example but in ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'', Joni discovers her uncle has disappeared. This message is received in the middle of her birthday party.
* AgelessBirthdayEpisode: The book ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'' opens on Joni's birthday. No, we aren't told how old she's turning.

* BizarreTasteInFood: In the book ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'', Leslie expresses a desire for bubblegum-topped pizza, much to the disgust of Santiago and Owen.
* BlindWithoutEm: Joni is revealed to be this trope in ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'', due to having had her glasses off while swimming. Interestingly the scene isn't a [[TropeNamer "My glasses! I can't see without my glasses!"]] moment; rather it's more along the lines of "I couldn't see what happened. Anyone hurt?"
* BluffTheImpostor: In ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'', [=LapTrap=] gains an EvilTwin in the form of S.N.A.I.L.L. Late in the story, the [=ClueFinders=] find themselves having to [[SpotTheImpostor figure out which "LapTrap" is the real one]]. Joni and Leslie do this by deliberately getting the location of a Mongolian restaurant the team frequents wrong and giving the wrong kind of beast of burden as their transport to the titular island.

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: The [=ClueFinders=]. Case in point, in ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'', after the titular banshee shows up, the studio's equipment malfunctions, causing a fire. Joni leads Santiago and Leslie (Owen was otherwise occupied) ''towards'' the fire and the three of them work to put out all the fires.

* EvilTwin: S.N.A.I.L.L. is one for [=LapTrap=] in ''The Mystery of Microsneezia''. [[spoiler:He's cured by the end of the story though.]]

* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:S.N.A.I.L.L. in ''The Mystery of Microsneezia''.]]

* LeastCommonPizzaTopping: Santiago and Owen treat Leslie's choice of broccoli pizza this way in ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'', which is odd since they live in or near San Francisco, where broccoli pizza is a regional favorite.

* NiceGuy: The [=ClueFinders=] are this trope. In ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'', Owen performs a diving save to catch a stuntman thrown off by the appearance of the titular banshee and his three friends all rush to help put out the fires caused by the fallout, saving innumerable papers and pieces of equipment.
* NoodleIncident: Shortly before the events of ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'', the [=ClueFinders=] had solved a mystery involving the keys to the locks on the Panama Canal going missing.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness:
** In ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'', Leslie sits up abruptly in her chair, sending the books and newspapers in her lap tumbling to the ground. The dedicated bibliophile doesn't even notice because she's so excited about the article she's found.
** ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'' features Laptrap forgetting various details of the crew's adventures, not caring about the kids' safety [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and acting brave and enthusiastic about the current mission]]. [[spoiler: It's his EvilTwin.]]

* SpotTheImposter:
** In "The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee", Joni becomes suspicious of detective Perry Boston when she realizes that he's left-handed but claimed that he couldn't sign autographs with a broken ''right'' arm.
** ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'' features this scenario with 2 [=LapTraps=]; Joni and Leslie end up pulling a BluffTheImpostor.

* TechnoBabble: In ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'', Santiago and Joni both engage in this though Joni's is utter nonsense with no actual scientific terms at all. [[InvokedTrope She's doing it on purpose]] [[LaymansTerms to get Santiago to explain his new gadget in terms she can understand]]. Santiago isn't offended by this; in fact, he [[ActuallyPrettyFunny finds it hilarious]].

* WomenAreWiser:
** Minor case in ''The Mystery of Microsneezia'' where Owen and Santiago are thrown by the SpotTheImpostor situation with Laptrap and S.N.A.I.L. but Joni and Leslie quickly work out a plan without exchanging a word.
** ''The Mystery of the Backlot Banshee'' also features this with Joni who doesn't immediately buy the story that a local director was using the titular banshee to drum up publicity.

* [[index]]''VideoGame/TheClueFinders3rdGradeAdventuresTheMysteryOfMathra'' (1998)

* ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders6thGradeAdventuresTheEmpireOfThePlantPeople'' (1999)[[/index]]
* ''The [=ClueFinders=] Math Adventures Ages 9–12: Mystery in the Himalayas'' (1998) - When priceless treasures are stolen from [[TheShangriLa a small Himalayan village]], the [=ClueFinders=] come to investigate. Could the mysterious yeti be behind the thefts? In 1999, this game received an UpdatedRerelease with improved graphics and the storyline reworked. Most notably, the newer version cut a subplot in which [=LapTrap=] was zapped with the wisdom of the ancients.
* [[index]]''VideoGame/TheClueFindersReadingAdventuresAges912MysteryOfTheMissingAmulet'' (1999)[[/index]]
* ''The [=ClueFinders=] Search and Solve Adventures: The Phantom Amusement Park'' (2000) - The [=ClueFinders=] have spotted an S.O.S. signal coming from the local AmusementParkOfDoom. It turns out that Jacques Ramone, the curator of the art museum, is trapped on a ride, and that's not the only weird thing going on inside this supposedly abandoned park.

* ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders3rdGradeAdventuresTheMysteryOfMathra'' (1998)

* ''VideoGame/TheClueFinders6thGradeAdventuresTheEmpireOfThePlantPeople'' (1999)

* ''VideoGame/TheClueFindersReadingAdventuresAges912MysteryOfTheMissingAmulet'' (1999)

''The [=ClueFinders=]'' is a series of {{Edutainment Game}}s from The Learning Company in which the eponymous {{Kid Hero}}es have exploits which more-or-less fit into the {{adventure}} show genre of TheNineties, collecting AlphabetSoupCans on {{Fetch Quest}}s since OnlySmartPeopleMayPass. The main characters are:

* ''The [=ClueFinders=] Reading Adventures Ages 9–12: Mystery of the Missing Amulet'' (1999) - It's another normal day for the [=ClueFinders=] when they're zapped to an alien planet. There, a young princess enlists their help to find the Amulet of Life and save her planet from an evil sorceress. (Later removed from the series proper, and released as a bonus disc under the title ''The [=ClueFinders=]: Mystery Of The Missing Amulet''.)

* AlienSky: In ''Reading'', the first clue that the [=ClueFinders=] are on another planet is that there are three suns in the sky.

* AndIMustScream: [[spoiler: Malicia's fate is to be trapped inside the amulet, which the kids then bury.]]
* AttackReflector: [[spoiler:It's a good thing the group keeps [=LapTrap=] polished; in ''Reading'', his reflective underside is as good as a mirror at blocking magic.]]

* ConvectionSchmonvection: When she kidnaps them, Malicia keeps Leslie and Santiago imprisoned in a cage over a lava pit. They're just fine afterwards.

** In ''Reading'', the kids are told to [[spoiler: throw a magical amulet into a volcano, [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings for only then could it be destroyed.]]]]

* DoubleTake: About the [=LittleTraps=] in ''Reading'':
-->'''Owen''': They're like miniature versions of you, [=LapTrap=], only without the attitude.\\
'''[=LapTrap=]''': Yes, they're just like -- without the ''what''?!

* ElvesVersusDwarves: The Sorrens and Doldreks, respectively, in ''Reading''

* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: In ''Reading'', Malicia is never explicitly identified as a queen, but several of the sentences that describe life on Millennia mention "the Queen" and characterize her in fairly villainous terms, so they're ''probably'' talking about Malicia there.

* HerosMuse: A DeconstructedTrope in ''Reading''. [[spoiler:Owen is WrongGenreSavvy and looks to Princess Malveera this way for most of the game. Over the course of the game, Joni gradually realizes that there is something up with the Princess, but Owen refuses to see it until it's revealed that she was the BigBad all along.]]
* HoistByHisOwnPetard: [[spoiler:That amulet Malicia really wanted? Now she's stuck with it--or rather, [[AndIMustScream inside it. Forever.]]]]

* ImmortalitySeeker: [[spoiler:In ''Reading'', Malicia wants the Amulet of Life in order to achieve immortality.]]

%%* KnightOfCerebus: [[spoiler: Malicia]]

* OmnicidalManiac: Malicia in ''Reading''. As you might expect, she's completely bonkers.

* PlanetaryRomance: ''Reading Adventures'' takes place in this genre, with the setting being an alien planet oriented much more towards fantasy than sci-fi.
* {{Planetville}}: In ''Reading'', the planet of Millennia seems to consist of Malveera's castle, the Crystal Caverns, the Mystic Mountains, and Mount Valdrok. At least, those are the only places the [=ClueFinders=] ever visit, and it seems to be enough to free the entire planet from Malicia. And Malveera says Mount Valdrok is "at the other side of my kingdom" while otherwise [[PlanetaryNation talking about the planet as though she rules the whole thing]].

* PrincessClassic: In ''Reading'', the alien princess is both this and TheAloner, though she's holding up comparatively well. [[spoiler: For a reason: she's the villain in disguise, trying to take advantage of the MacguffinDeliveryService.]]

* SacrificialPlanet: In ''Mystery of the Missing Amulet'', the game's eponymous MacGuffin, the Amulet of Life, was responsible for completely reducing the planet Millenia into a dying wasteland. At the end of the game, the evil sorceress Malicia says that once she finishes off Millenia with the Amulet, she's going to drain life from the Cluefinders' home planet, Earth, next.

* XanatosSpeedChess:
** Malicia in ''Reading'' [[spoiler: tricked Joni and Owen into assembling the Amulet of Life for her, then when she tried to grab the completed amulet from them, got the wrong one, but she fortunately already had Leslie and Santiago imprisoned in her mountain so naturally, Joni and Owen would walk right on up and bring the amulet to her anyways to rescue their friends.]]
** The BigBad of ''Mystery Mansion Arcade'' also has this, where [[spoiler: the mysterious villain, none other than ''Franchise/CarmenSandiego'' who has organized it all traps the villains after they fail, and the kids even ask, "Wait, did she want to catch us, or ''them''?"]]

* ''The [=ClueFinders=] 3rd Grade Adventures: The Mystery of Mathra'' (1998) - Deep in a South American rainforest, animals have been disappearing, allegedly due to the return of a mythical flying beast called Mathra. When Joni's uncle, the famous naturalist Dr. Horace Pythagoras, disappears as well, the [=ClueFinders=] are on the case.
* ''The [=ClueFinders=] 4th Grade Adventures: Puzzle of the Pyramid'' (1998) - Spending their summer vacation in Egypt with an exctiable professor named [[AbsentMindedProfessor Botch]] and his colleague, [[DastardlyWhiplash Sir Alistair Loveless]], a ring attatches to Joni's finger during an excavation of the tomb of Peribsen. Unbeknownst to her, the ring was owned by the Egyptian god of Chaos, [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Set]]. Loveless, who has seeking the power of Set, [[KidnappedScientist kidnaps]] Professor Botch, leaving it up to the [=ClueFinders=] to rescue their professor and thwart Loveless' EvilPlan from unleashing Set and his power of chaos.
* ''The [=ClueFinders=] 5th Grade Adventures: The Secret of the Living Volcano'' (1999) - Investigating a BrandX version of TheBermudaTriangle in the South Pacific, the [=ClueFinders=] find themselves shipwrecked on a tiny volcanic island. This mysterious isle is inhabited by centuries of trapped castaways, who claim that they have been unable to escape because the island itself is alive.
* ''The [=ClueFinders=] 6th Grade Adventures: The Empire of the Plant People'' (1999) - While playing around in their own hometown, Joni and Santiago are suddenly swallowed up by the earth. Leslie and Owen journey underground to find a whole civilization of sentient plants... and they're preparing to go to war with the surface!

* AccidentalMisnaming: This conversation in ''3rd Grade'', with WhosOnFirst in the mix.
-->'''Joni:''' ''(in regards to collecting sneeze berries)'' Listen Bingo.
-->'''Bongo:''' Bongo!
-->'''Santiago:''' Bongo?
-->'''Bongo:''' Bingo!
* AdultsAreUseless:
** Nobody can solve the mysteries except for a gang of children.
** In ''4th Grade Adventures'', adults were befuddled by problems that the [=ClueFinders=] solve easily.
** [[spoiler:However, Fletcher Limburger seemed to be able to reach the Lost City ''long'' before the [=ClueFinders=] did, just not the way the Numerian people intended, as he likely flew over the walls.]]
** In ''5th Grade'', centuries of castaways were apparently unable to get past the Faces within the Face or the Fish within the Fish, but then the [=ClueFinders=] came along. You could argue that it's because the [=ClueFinders=] were the first castaways to have modern diving equipment, giving them access to both, but that still doesn't explain why no one on the surface cracked the Faces within the Face or none of the intelligent worms cracked the Fish within the Fish.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Despite that you are intended to solve the problems one by one to figure out which tiles equal which letter in one activity of ''Third Grade Adventures'', if you can deduce which tiles will equal a letter based upon another previously correct answer or existing letters (on earlier stages), the game will still allow you to uncover those despite that the given problem does not equal that. [[DevelopersForesight In fact, the in-game instruction will mention]] [[LoopholeAbuse it's still correct.]]
* AskAStupidQuestion:
-->'''Great [=CrypTile=] Thief:''' I'm the Great [=CrypTile=] Thief! I stole everybody's [=CrypTiles=] and buried them in my patch of dangerous trees.\\
'''Santiago:''' Why are you locked in the pillory?\\
'''Great [=CrypTile=] Thief:''' ''[very dryly]'' I got caught.

* BeneathTheEarth: ''6th Grade'''s setting, occupied by what amount to non-alien PlantAliens. Visitors beware--it's also a FisherKingdom of the "physical modification" type, slow-acting but thought to be permanent.

* BodyHorror: The {{Transflormation}}s from human to plant person in ''6th Grade Adventures''. When it happens to Joni, Leslie actually truly falters in her resolve to complete her mission.
* BrainFood: [[spoiler: The aliens in ''5th Grade'' are trying to collect specimens from Earth that they can cultivate and harvest them for their brains back on their homeworld because they're apparently an alien delicacy.]]

* CardCarryingVillain: Alistair Loveless boasts, "Soon, I will be the most powerful villain on Earth!"

* {{Cliffhanger}}: A few of the games end on a suspenseful note.
** As the Cluefinders are rowing away in ''3rd Grade Adventures'', [[spoiler:Limburger crawls out of the bottomless pit and vows revenge against the Cluefinders. As he’s walking away, the real Mathra emerges and stares ominously at something offscreen.]]
** When the Cluefinders and the professor are leaving Egypt in ''4th Grade'', they talk about hopefully never seeing Alistair ever again. [[spoiler:Cut to one of the back rows where Alistair (still transformed as a mummy) is sitting while wearing a disguise.]]
* ClingyMacguffin: The ring in ''4th Grade'' refuses to come off Joni’s finger when she first puts it on. [[spoiler:[[MacguffinDeliveryService Until Loveless steals it.]]]]

* CollectiveGroan: In the opening of ''3rd Grade'':
-->'''Fletcher Limburger''': Well... peanuts, anyone?... that's what folks are saying, and there's an old superstition about a monster and a lost city.\\
'''Santiago''': Superstition?!\\
'''Leslie''': Lost city?\\
'''Joni''': Monster?!\\
'''Owen''': ...peanuts?\\
'''All''': '''''OWEN!'''''
* ConspicuousTrenchcoat: At the end of ''4th Grade'', Socrates dresses this way on the flight home in order to disguise the fact that he's a dog and thereby avoid riding in the cargo hold. It works, so far as we can tell.

* ContinueYourMissionDammit: In ''6th Grade'', Owen and Leslie will talk about how you are taking awhile during one challenge. But it's a reading comprehension challenge... come on guys, really?

* DevelopersForesight:
** Check the map at the end of ''5th Grade Adventures''. "Sorry! But we are now, trapped, inside!"
** In ''3rd Grade'', going back to the room which houses the key half after you've obtained it will have a golden trinket resting in its place. Joni even has new dialogue if you put it in her backpack.
** Also in ''3rd Grade'', the Rings of Fire challenge has dialogue for you loophole-abusing. The game intends you to uncover tiles in a ''Battleship'' like way, but it will expect you to do it in a certain order (Based upon the math problems given to you). If you just play it like ''Battleship'' and fire at tiles that are "hits" based upon the ones you got correct before, the game will have dialogue for this.

* DivineAssistance: The Cluefinders receive a temporary power boost in 4th Grade Adventures by four of the Egyptian gods: Horus grants Owen flight, Bastet grants Leslie intelligence, Sobek grants Santiago strength, and Isis grants Joni bravery.

* TheDragAlong: [=LapTrap=]. He initially joins the Cluefinders in 3rd Grade Adventures to help them find Joni’s uncle. However, Horace decides to give [=LapTrap=] to the kids much to his dismay over the possible dangers he will encounter with them.

** ''3rd Grade'' features more minimalistic animation, bizarro episodes, three full-sized "Worlds" (as opposed to the third act being a rush where you do not have to gather any kind of resource.), and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking different theme music]].
** ''3rd'' and ''4th'' grade also feature multiple "One-time" challenges, even though ''3rd'' grade allowed you to backtrack and repeat them. The "one-time" challenges returned in ''Toy StLatore Adventure''.

* EnemyMine: In ''5th Grade'', the [=CrypTile=] stories you have to unscramble often have this theme. They describe how the castaways have come from all over the world and how they must overcome their difference and work together in order to escape.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Leslie and Owen both get these at the beginning of ''3rd Grade Adventures''. Owen is distracted from the group's mission by food, setting up his BigEater tendencies and Leslie remarks that she remembers reading about the lost city their pilot mentioned, setting up her position as TheSmartGuy.
* EverythingsBetterWithMonkeys: A whole kingdom of them in ''3rd Grade''.
* EvilDetectingDog: In ''4th Grade'', Socrates is growling at Loveless right in the opening cutscene.
* EvilIsNotAToy: [[spoiler: Loveless thought he could control chaos and make Set his slave. Instead, Set transports Loveless into a mummy for his foolishness.]] Worse, Professor Botch had previously warned Loveless about the possibility that he might not be able to "control Chaos."
* EvilLaugh: Parodied/subverted:
-->"I swallowed my mint."

* FacePalm: Santiago gets one at the end of ''5th Grade Adventures''.
* FateWorseThanDeath: Near the end of ''4th Grade Adventures'', [[spoiler:Loveless is turned into a mummy by Set. ''And he's still alive afterward.'']]

* {{Foreshadowing}}: In ''6th Grade'', [[spoiler: before you "officially" get the clue about the plant kingdom being polluted, the "Recipe for Disaster" activity has you feeding toxic chemicals to a plant guard. If you click on Leslie during this activity, she'll comment on how strange it is that these chemicals are down here.]]

* GaiasVengeance: ''6th Grade'''s plot comes about because of [[spoiler:waste dumped in the water supply.]]
* GenerationXerox: The apparent reason why the human residents of the island in ''5th Grade'' still act and dress like they're from the time periods when their ancestors wound up there.
* GentlemanThief: Crime has caught up with the one in ''5th Grade'''s game; he's in a stockade. He buried a lot of cryptiles in a patch of {{Man Eating Plant}}s, and given your need is willing to loan you the maps.

* GodsHandsAreTied: Of all the series to parody this no less... During the final act of ''4th Grade'', the Cluefinders encounter the Egyptian gods, Horus, Sobek, Isis, and Bastet, who provide the main characters with magical boons to help them [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeat Set]]. According to Horus, said gods would fight him themselves, but the passage leading to him is marked with a sign: "You must be under this height to defeat the forces of Chaos." (And the height is forty feet, no less!)

* HeroicSacrifice: Joni pulls a non-lethal one off in ''6th Grade Adventures'' when the leader of the plant people [[spoiler: Miss Rose]] demands a hostage to stay behind to ensure that the humans' mission to clean up the plants' water supply goes off without a hitch; she immediately volunteers, citing that Santiago's the best choice to investigate pollution sites and that Owen and Leslie knows their way around the underground. She remains calm and trusting in her friends even as she [[{{Transflormation}} turns into a plant person]].

* HerrDoktor: Dr. Fern in ''6th Grade''.
* HijackedByJesus: The ''4th Grade'' setting, though not as badly as in some other series. It helps that Set was fairly evil even in the old myths.

* HonestJohnsDealership: "Have I got a deal for you! You can pick any one of my beautiful jeeps, but only one can make it to Cairo!" Of course, he tells you in the next breath how to work it out by multiplying the number of gallons by the miles-per-gallon, so maybe it's a SubvertedTrope.

* IAmNotWeasel: The monkeys in ''3rd Grade'' refer to the Cluefinders as hairless chimpanzees. [[FridgeLogic Don't ask how a bunch of New World monkeys were able to acknowledge the existence of chimpanzees.]]

* InterfaceSpoiler: Owen's ContinueYourMissionDammit in ''6th Grade'' will come off as this, unless you saw a scene that could be missed by using the WarpWhistle earlier.
** In ''3rd Grade'', you can open up the map as soon as you start the game up and can see all three "worlds" in the game.
** The Mastermind's true identity in ''Mystery Mansion Arcade'' is spoiled by having [[spoiler:Carmen]] listed in the game's credits, something you could see before even completing the game.

** During the spelling catwalks challenge:
---> '''Owen''': Why is it that wherever we go, we always find large pits to cross?
** They also Lampshaded the use of {{Fetch Quest}}s in ''Search and Solve Adventures''.

** 6th grade features a lot of CG, only two "worlds", you control Leslie and Owen the entire game (instead of just at the end), the second world has only Santiago giving hints, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the backpack makes a completely different noise]].
** ''Search and Solve'' also only features two "worlds".

* LighterAndSofter:
** Interestingly, ''4th Grade Adventures'' is this even compared to ''3rd Grade Adventures'', and has much more of a sense of humor.
** ''Search and Solve'' compared to 5th, 6th, and Reading.

* LivingStatue: The Cluefinders encounter the Sphinx and the statue of Thoth in 4th Grade Adventures, both who move around and talk to the Cluefinders.
* LoopholeAbuse: Gameplay example, in ''3rd grade'' adventures, you had to solve the problems to figure out which tiles you had to hit in a ''Battleship'' style game. However, if you have a previously-existing right answer, you can simply hit adjacent tiles (Even if they are not the "correct" answer), and the game will accept this.
* LostWorld: In ''3rd Grade Adventures''.
* {{Mayincatec}}: The Numerians in ''3rd Grade''. Justified, since they're fictional.

* MouseWorld: In ''4th Grade Adventures'', the Nile kingdom is inhabited by mice who are "convinced that they are Ancient Egyptians." Thus, they're constructing a mouse-sized version of AncientEgypt.

* MythologyGag: Upon meeting the sarcastic sphinx, Leslie says, "It seems somewhat odd that we would encounter a character like this in an Ancient Egyptian pyramid." He then replies, "Who were you expecting? VideoGame/ReaderRabbit?"

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Sir Alistair Loveless III in ''4th Grade''. Also a PreppyName.

* NothingIsScarier: In ''5th Grade'', open the map during the third act. It becomes much ''much'' scarier as you see nothing, and all you get is Laptrap panicking that [[spoiler: they are trapped inside]].

* NotUsingTheZWord: Mathra is, for all intents and purposes, a dragon. While he has only four limbs, making him resemble a wyvern, he also exhibits all the major features of a Western dragon, right down to breathing fire. But in the game, he's only ever identified as a "monster" or, occasionally, a "beast".
* ObviouslyEvil: Even without the name, the above-mentioned Alistair Loveless might just as well be walking around under a neon sign reading "BAD GUY". Humorously enough, even [[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] observes in its article on the game that there's something [[{{Parody}} off]] about him. "In one scene, he [[EvilLaugh cackled manically]] for a long time in the typical villain fashion, before coughing and explaining that he swallowed his mint."

* PeopleJars: In ''5th Grade'', the [[spoiler: aliens keep humans and animals in a type of these before they eat their brains.]]

* RealAfterAll: [[spoiler: Mathra]] in the first game.

* RiddleOfTheSphinx: ''4th Grade''; can't have an Egyptian setting without one of these! Somewhat subverted in that the Sphinx talks like [[Creator/TheMarxBrothers Groucho Marx]], and knows you'll outwit him [[BreakingTheFourthWall because he's read the game script]].

* SchizoTech: One can't help but wonder how ''3rd Grade''' s "Numerians" built a computer a thousand years ago.

* SeldomSeenSpecies: In ''3rd Grade'', a tapir appears as one of the animals fleeing from Mathra in the "Do You Believe in Monsters?" song sequence.

* ShoutOut:
** [[{{Kaiju}} Mathra]] is an obvious reference to Film/{{Mothra}} of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'' fame. Though he's not a giant insect but a flying reptile, making him more reminiscent of Film/{{Rodan}}.
** There is a flower that quotes ''Theatre/MyFairLady''. She even speaks in a perfect cockney accent.
** ''3rd Grade Adventures'' has the [[Music/TheBeatles talking plant quartet with British accents]]. They call their swamp home "Liverpuddle". This section of the game has [[WesternAnimation/YellowSubmarine colorful animations and the design of the talking plant quartet]] as well. They are also the ones to introduce players to beetle bags.
** Also in ''3rd Grade'', the guardian of the Chamber of Illusions speaks almost exactly like Creator/RodSerling of ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959''. It even uses the phrases "picture if you will..." And quotes the show's opening.
** The three map mice in ''4th Grade Adventures'' are mice versions of Film/TheThreeStooges.
** ''4th Grade'' also has a RiddlingSphinx who talks like [[Creator/MarxBrothers Groucho Marx]].
** When asked about his roles for the games on Twitter, voice actor J.S. Gilbert (who voices Horus in ''4th Grade'' and other minor characters in ''3rd Grade'') said that the voices for the gods Horus and Sobek from ''4th Grade'' were inspired by [[Music/FrankSinatra Frank Sinatra]] and [[Creator/SammyDavisJr Sammy Davis Jr]] respectively.
** The talking cat in ''4th Grade'' is a parody of Creator/TallulahBankhead.
** The Civil War lady in ''5th Grade Adventures'' mentions that [[Film/GoneWithTheWind "tomorrow is another day"]] and how she adores [[Film/AStreetcarNamedDesire "the kindness of strangers."]]

* ThatsNoMoon: ''5th Grade'''s island is a bit unusual, to say the least. [[spoiler: It's a spaceship, and the aliens have been [[ToServeMan harvesting human brains.]]]]

* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: Joni's quite enamored with the Egyptian jewelry in the tomb they visit in ''4th Grade Adventures''... at least until the ring [[ClingyMacguffin won't come off]].
* ToothyBird: Horus in ''4th Grade''

* {{Transflormation}}: What happens to Joni while held captive in the "The Empire of the Plant People."

** The gate challenges in ''3rd Grade'''s Monkey Kingdom are very much like this especially on CHALLENGE difficulty. Oftentimes the appropriate addition, subtraction, multiplication and division tiles will all be visible and you just stand there throwing sneezeberries at them hoping that they're correct. Fortunately, however, if you get a correct letter, you can often figure out where the rest of the ones in the word are and hit them even when the numbers don't match up.
* {{Unobtainium}}: Cryptiles in ''5th Grade''.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: The games frequently end abruptly, but ''5th Grade'' in particular leaves the most loose ends.
** Was Lab-5 ever recovered from the seafloor?
** Did the tubeworms end up "inside" when Leslie hit the tsunami button, or did they simply fall off when [[spoiler: the spaceship shed its exterior]]?
** The mystery of how people from different times are together is [[AbortedArc never answered]], nor is the question of how all those people will adapt to modern civilization after being rescued.
** None of the cast seems to care that the [[spoiler:''brain-eating aliens'']] are [[KarmaHoudini still at large]].
* WhenHeSmiles: [[spoiler:Mathra at the end of ''3rd Grade''.]]

** ''3rd Grade'' features more minimalistic animation, bizarro episodes, three full-sized "Worlds" (as opposed to the third act being a rush.), and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking different theme music]].
** ''Math 9-12'' prior to its UpdatedRerelease.

** ''Incredible Toy Store Adventure'' also features a much different voice cast.

* OddballInTheSeries: ''4th Grade''. It's the only game in the main series where the Cluefinders never split up, resulting in their TeamPet Socrates taking the place of Santiago's videophone whenever the player needs a hint during one of the puzzles. Not to mention, the game has a very different art style than the rest of the games, as well as its story revolving around mythology rather than sci-fi.

* ClingyMacguffin: The ring in ''4th Grade''. [[spoiler:[[MacguffinDeliveryService Until Loveless steals it.]]]]

* TheDragAlong: [=LapTrap=].

** When the Cluefinders and the professor are leaving Egypt in ''4th Grade'', they talk about hopefully never seeing Alister ever again. [[spoiler:Cut to one of the back rows where Alistair (still transformed as a mummy) is sitting while wearing a disguise.]]

** When the Cluefinders and the professor are leaving Egypt in ''4th Grade'', they talk about hopefully never seeing Alister ever again. [[spoiler:Cut to one of the back rows where Alister (still transformed as a mummy) is sitting while wearing a disguise.]]

* WalkingSpoiler: Three out of four of the returning villains in ''Mystery Mansion Arcade'', [[OddballInTheSeries the exception being Loveless]]. The other three were, in their original game, only exposed as the villain as part of TheReveal. It's especially egregious when you consider that this game was included as a bonus disc with all the ''[=ClueFinders=]'' products, and it's absurd to expect that a third-grader who got it with ''3rd Grade Adventures'' would have already completed ''6th Grade Adventures''.

* WalkingSpoiler: Three out of four of the returning villains in ''Mystery Mansion Arcade'', the exception being Loveless. The other three were, in their original game, only exposed as the villain as part of TheReveal. It's especially egregious when you consider that this game was included as a bonus disc with all the ''[=ClueFinders=]'' products, and it's absurd to expect that a third-grader who got it with ''3rd Grade Adventures'' would have already completed ''6th Grade Adventures''.

* GodSaveUsFromTheQueen: In ''Reading'', Malicia is never explicitly identified as a queen, but several of the sentences that describe life on Millennia mention "the Queen" and describe her in fairly villainous terms, so they're ''probably'' talking about Malicia there.

* AliensSpeakingEnglish: Several times over, both with aliens proper and with other things. Partially averted in ''5th Grade''--[[spoiler:the aliens use BlackSpeech, the written form of which is a CipherLanguage, but their computer speaks and understands English perfectly well.]]

-->'''Owen''' They're like miniature versions of you, [=LapTrap=], only without the attitude.\\

* {{Planetville}}: In ''Reading'', the planet of Millennia seems to consist of Malveera's castle, the Crystal Caverns, the Mystic Mountains, and Mount Valdrok. At least, those are the only places the [=ClueFinders=] ever visit, and it seems to be enough to free the entire planet from Malicia.

** 6th grade features a lot of ConspicuousCG, only two "worlds", you control Leslie and Owen the entire game (instead of just at the end), the second world has only Santiago giving hints, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking the backpack makes a completely different noise]].

* ''The [=ClueFinders=] 4th Grade Adventures: Puzzle of the Pyramid'' (1998) - The [=ClueFinders=] are on a dig in Egypt with [[AbsentMindedProfessor Professor Botch]]. After he's [[KidnappedScientist kidnapped]] by [[DastardlyWhiplash Sir Alistair Loveless]], it's up to the [=ClueFinders=] to rescue their professor and thwart Loveless' EvilPlan to unleash the power of [[Myth/EgyptianMythology Set]].