History YMMV / TheCluefinders

* 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 [[YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness when they failed her]], or if she wanted to trap the other villains the whole time.

* 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.]] 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.

* DawsonCasting: Averted; actual kids perform the voices of the kids. [[TheOtherDarrin At least at first.]]

* FridgeHorror: [[spoiler: The aliens in ''5th Grade'' are running the experiments to find out how many specimens to get...so they can breed all of them on ''their'' planet.]]

* DawsonCasting: Averted; actual kids do the voices of the kids.

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

* DawsonCasting: Averted - actual kids do the voices of the kids.

* {{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...

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

* ShipTease: Some people take the interactions between Santiago/Joni and Owen/Leslie in the early games as this, particularly the latter since they seem to be engaging in G-rated UnresolvedSexualTension. A case can also be made for Joni's interactions with Owen in latter games since she seems to only get annoyed with him in ''Reading'' but that's only because he's smitten with the princess they're supposed to helping.

* {{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...
* NightmareFuel: The [[spoiler:aliens]] in ''5th Grade''.
** The Medusa rock with snakes coming out of her eyes in ''3rd Grade''.
** Any given part of Goo Lagoon in ''3rd Grade'' can be this to the squeamish, and kids tend to freak out at the [[ShoutOut extremely]] [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]][[ShoutOut -inspired]] song.
** The plants' plans for the town in ''6th Grade'', depicted with DeliberatelyMonochrome paintings.
** Malicia in ''Reading''. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 10!]] There's also the fact that she wants that amulet in order to destroy....a lot of places, she says that when she's finished with Millennia, Earth is next on her list.
** The end of ''5th Grade'', where you try to access the map. Laptrap says, "Sorry! But we are now, trapped, inside!"

** Malica in ''Reading''. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 10!]] There's also the fact that she wants that amulet in order to destroy....a lot of places, she says that when she's finished with Millennia, Earth is next on her list.

* GeniusBonus: They contain ''loads'' of references to famous historical figures, scientific concepts, stories, and other things that the kids playing probably don't recognize. For example, the Goo Kingdom in ''3rd Grade'' is full of references to famous British characters, such as Music/TheBeatles and Eliza from ''{{Pygmalion}}''.

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

* ToyShip: Any possible romantic combination of the ClueFinders since [[NotAllowedToGrowUp Joni and Santiago remain 12, Owen 11 and Leslie 10]].

** Malica in ''Reading''. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 10!]]

* ShipTease: Some people take the interactions between Santiago/Joni and Owen/Leslie in the early games as this, particularly the latter since they seem to be engaging in G-rated BelligerantSexualTension. A case can also be made for Joni's interactions with Owen in latter games since she seems to only get annoyed with him in ''Reading'' but that's only because he's smitten with the princess they're supposed to helping.
* ToyShip: Any possible romantic combination of the ClueFinders since [[NeverAllowedToGrowUp Joni and Santiago remain 12, Owen 11 and Leslie 10]].

** The end of ''5th Grade'', where you try to access the map. Laptrap says, "Sorry! But we are now, trapped, inside!"

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The EvilLaugh in 4th grade.
* FridgeHorror: [[spoiler: The aliens in 5th grade are running the experiments to find out how many specimens to get...so they can breed all of them on ''their'' planet.]]
* GeniusBonus: They contain ''loads'' of references to famous historical figures, scientific concepts, stories, and other things that the kids playing probably don't recognize. For example, the Goo Kingdom in 3rd grade is full of references to famous British characters, such as Music/TheBeatles and Eliza from ''{{Pygmalion}}''.
* {{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...
* NightmareFuel: The [[spoiler:aliens]] in 5th grade.
** The Medusa rock with snakes coming out of her eyes in 3rd Grade.
** Any given part of Goo Lagoon in 3rd grade can be this to the squeamish, and kids tend to freak out at the [[ShoutOut extremely]] [[Music/TheBeatles Beatles]][[ShoutOut -inspired]] song.
** The plants' plans for the town in 6th grade, depicted with DeliberatelyMonochrome paintings.
** Malica in Reading. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 10!]]
** The end of 5th grade, where you try to access the map. Laptrap says, "Sorry! But we are now, trapped, inside!"

** Malica in Reading. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 9!]]

** Malica in Reading. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 9!]]

** Any given part of Goo Lagoon in 3rd grade can be this to the squeamish, and kids tend to freak out at the [[ShoutOut extremely]] {{Beatles}}[[ShoutOut -inspired]] song.

** Malica in Reading. She mutated and/or imprisoned all of the rightful inhabitants of the planet, kidnaps Santiago and Leslie at the beginning of the game, attempts to blackmail Joni and Owen for the amulet and implies that she [[WouldHurtAChild is perfectly willing to kill her prisoners. For those unaware, Santiago is 12 while Leslie is only 9!

** The plants' plans for the town in 6th grade, depicted with DeliberatelyMonochrome paintings.

* AccidentalNightmareFuel: The [[spoiler:aliens]] in 5th grade.

** The plants' plans for the town in 6th grade, depicted with DeliberatelyMonochrome paintings.
* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The EvilLaugh in 4th grade.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The EvilLaugh in 4th grade.
* FridgeLogic: [[FreeRangeChildren How do the characters' parents let them go on these adventures when the oldest characters are only twelve?]]

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: The EvilLaugh in 4th grade.