Samantha Swift is a Hidden Object Game series created by MumboJumbo games.
Each game follows a formula: Adventure Archaeologist Samantha Swift is out finding a treasure for the Museum of Secrets Lost, only for a female villain to come up and take it it for themselves. Samantha on the other hand, finds a clue that leads to an even greater treasure, something that would help foil whoever the main villain is. From there, the player helps Samantha on her journey while getting new artifacts for the museum.
The games in the series are:
- Samantha Swift and The Hidden Roses of Athena
- Samantha Swift and The Golden Touch
- Samantha Swift and The Mystery from Atlantis
- Samantha Swift and The Fountains of Fate
Tropes for the series include:
- Aborted Arc: Wherever Samantha's dad is and the reason for Payne' grudge against Samantha are never addressed in the games.
- Big Bad: In order for each game: Ravena Stryker, Chess Geber, Colonel Tempesta, and M'Alice ne Pai.
- Death by De-aging: Payne's fate at the end of the fourth game, due to being splashed with the waters from the Fountain of Youth.
- Greater-Scope Villain: Payne acts as one for all games in the series, as each antagonist is sponsored by him and does his biding.
- Deus ex Machina: A very literal one in the first game. Payne has Butler kidnapped and Samantha reluctantly agrees to hand over the Shield for his safety. When he activates it, though, the spirit of Athena appears and declares anyone who cross paths with the true owner of her shield - Samantha - shall be punished. She then unleashes her divine wrath on Payne and Ravena.
- Dismantled Macguffin: Each game has Samantha trying to find objects which unlock the true power of the ultimate treasure:
- ''The Hidden Roses of Athena: The titular roses which unlocks the powers of Athena's shield.
- The Golden Touch: The vials of Midas' Heart which will turn all that was effected by his touch back to normal.
- The Mystery from Atlantis: The harmonic chambers for the Harmonic device, which can neutralize the effects of the Dorian Gray element.
- The Fountains of Fate: Several rare water sources which when poured into the Cupid will then grant the way to the Fountain of Youth.
- Enemy Mine: Payne is the one who leads Samantha to Chess in the second game, stating Chess' plans for her golden touch could mean problems for his business.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: Chess' main goal is to make her own version of the golden touch that's irreversible. During her final confrontation with Samantha, Chess accidentally touches herself and she turns into a gold statue with no way of turning back to normal.
- Not Quite Dead: The Golden Touch reveals Payne survived Athena's wrath, but was heavily injured as a result and is covered in bandages.
- Really 700 Years Old: Near the end of The Fountains of Fate M'Alice is revealed to be Payne's many great grandmother thanks to the Fountain of Youth. Once Marcus is defeated by the water, she de-ages into dust.
- Sequel Hook: In the credits for The Golden Touch, Payne is shown placing his jacket on the now statue Chess, stating this won't be the last time he encountered Samantha, foreshadowing their final confrontation.
- Taken for Granite: Unlike the original story, everything that was turned to gold by Midas remained that way, including his own daughter Zoe.
