History YMMV / TheCluefinders

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Strangely enough, an InUniverse example. At the end of ''Mystery Mansion'', the gang question whether [[spoiler: Carmen Sandiego]] was trying to trap the Cluefinders and trapped the other villains [[YouHaveFailedMe when they failed her]], or if she wanted to trap the other villains the whole time.

* DesignatedVillain: Ms. Rose in ''Mystery Mansion''. Joni seems to know that Ms. Rose is acting evil because of pollution and Ms. Rose confirms this. Yet after their adventure, none of them attempt to help Ms. Rose get back to her normal self.

* DesignatedVillain: Ms. Rose in ''Mystery Mansion''. In ''6th Grade'', she averted this since she was an AntiVillain. [[note]]To elaborate, she's actually the ruler of a race of plant people disguised as a human. She was preparing her army to go onto the surface and to stop the people polluting the water they used, and was willing to let the Cluefinders find an alternate solution before going through with her plan.[[/note]] In ''Mystery Mansion'', Joni seems to know that Ms. Rose is acting evil because of pollution and Ms. Rose confirms this. Yet after their adventure, none of them attempt to help Ms. Rose get back to her normal self.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Strangely enough, an InUniverse example. At the end of ''Mystery Mansion'', the gang question whether [[spoiler: Carmen Sandiego]] was trying to trap the Cluefinders and trapped the other villains [[YouHaveFailedMe when they failed her]], or if she wanted to trap the other villains the whole time.

* SpoiledByTheFormat: Despite the fact that [[spoiler: Franchise/CarmenSandiego's role as the mastermind behind the plot of ''Mystery Mansion Arcade'' is supposed to be a surprise]], that doesn't stop [[spoiler: her]] from being listed in the credits, which can be viewed before the game is even completed.

* UnexpectedCharacter: Did anyone expect [[spoiler:Franchise/CarmenSandiego]] to be the mastermind of ''Mystery Mansion Arcade''?

* TechnologyMarchesOn: The kids keep in contact with each other using "videophones" invented by Santiago. At the time the games were made, commercial camera phones did not exist in North America and regular cell phones were not widely used by children anyway.

* AssPull: Towards the end of ''Reading'', Joni tricks Malicia into taking her necklace from the flea market instead of the amulet. This flea market necklace was neither shown nor mentioned prior to Malicia taking it.
* CompleteMonster: [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Malicia]], from ''Mystery of the Missing Amulet'', is a WickedWitch who travels to a planet called Millennia and tries to force its inhabitants, the Doldreks and the Sorrens, to give her their amulet. When they refuse, she encases most of them in ice or [[TakenForGranite stone]] and turns others into her minions. In the present day, she kidnaps Santiago and Leslie, disguises herself as a princess named Malveera, and tricks Joni and Owen into getting the amulet for her. When they bring it, Malicia reveals her true self and steals what she thinks is the amulet from them. Upon realizing she's been tricked, Malicia decides to keep Santiago and Leslie, in the belief that Joni and Owen will give her the amulet. When our heroes arrive, Malicia has one of her minions grab the amulet, declares her plan to [[OmnicidalManiac wipe out all life on Millennia and Earth]], and attempts to [[WouldHurtAChild zap the quartet with a ray from the amulet]].

* {{Narm}}:
** The voice acting in ''Incredible Toy Store Adventure'', since the voice actors wouldn't sound like actual children, they hired new voice actors. Let's just say... {{Narm}} and DullSurprise abound...
** One of the stone heads in ''Reading'' can be unintentionally funny, if you feed him the wrong answers. You must [[ItMakesSenseInContext feed it the correct answer]]. But if you give it a wrong answer, it sounds like it's throwing up or choking. It actually does help cut down its creepiness though.

%%* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: The EvilLaugh in ''4th Grade''.

** Sir Alistair Loveless III from ''4th Grade Adventures'' is often compared to [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Waluigi]], who debuted in ''VideoGame/MarioTennis'' two years later. They're both {{Dastardly Whiplash}}es with lean builds, pointy black mustaches, and pointy noises. Charles Martinet's voice for Loveless is similar to the voice he would eventually use for Waluigi, although Loveless' {{Evil Laugh}}s tend to sound like those of Wario, who Martinet was already voicing at that point.

* TearJerker: The antagonist of the 6th Grade Adventures, who happens to be [[spoiler:Miss Rose, Joni’s elderly neighbor. She is revealed to be a large plant and the leader of the plants. She plans to lead an invasion in the Cluefinders’ town because of the increasing pollution the plant people have had to endure. Miss Rose doesn’t want to attack anyone, but she feels as she has to for the sake of her people. Her scientists were able to counteract the pollution at first, but it has reached a point where their water is undrinkable. Miss Rose tried to go with a more peaceful approach by disguising herself as a human, but that failed, too.]] This is one of the few villains who isn’t evil or selfish.

* UglyCute: Ficus, an ally of Leslie and Owen in ''6th Grade'' is an eyeless plant creature... who's actually pretty cute.

* HilariousInHindsight: [=LapTrap=] is just one letter away from being a [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} completely different yellow]] RobotBuddy.

* HilariousInHindsight: [=LapTrap=] is just one letter away from being a [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} completely]] [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands 2}} different]] [[VideoGame/BorderlandsThePreSequel yellow]] RobotBuddy.

* AdaptationDisplacement: A possible [[InvertedTrope inversion]] in that there are two mystery books featuring the [=ClueFinders=] but more people have heard of the games.

* EarWorm: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTBhvdlN_lk The Goo Song]].
* SugarWiki/FunnyMoments: The EvilLaugh in ''4th Grade''.

* AdaptationalDumbass: Owen. In the games, he is, depending on how you look at him, slightly less smart than the others, although smart enough to understand Leslie, or a complete moron only guessing at what Leslie says and getting it right by sheer luck. However, in the novels, he takes the latter approach.

* AdaptationalDumbass: Owen. In the games he is, depending on how you look at him, slightly less smart than the others, although smart enough to understand Leslie, or a complete moron only guessing at what Leslie says and getting it right by sheer luck. However, in the novels, he takes the latter approach.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation: Strangely enough, an InUniverse example. At the end of ''Mystery Mansion'', Owen questions whether [[spoiler: Carmen Sandiego]] was trying to trap the Cluefinders and trapped the other villains [[YouHaveFailedMe when they failed her]], or if she wanted to trap the other villains the whole time.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The EvilLaugh in ''4th Grade''.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Around 5th grade, the games got darker. While there is always a happy ending (with the exception of 5th grade's [[KarmaHoudini aliens getting away]]), 5th, 6th, and Reading are ''easily'' the darkest Edutainment games ever this side of [[VideoGame/JumpStartAdventures4thGradeHauntedIsland Jump Start 4th grade]].

* {{Narm}}: The voice acting in ''Incredible Toy Store Adventure'', since the voice actors wouldn't sound like actual children, they hired new voice actors. Let's just say... {{Narm}} and DullSurprise abound...

** [[FireyRedhead A red-haired,]] glasses wearing, FearlessFool character with the surname of Savage? [[Series/{{Mythbusters}} Hmm...]]