Customer Reviews

Detective Barbie

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My four nieces (ages 8 to 12) really enjoy this game. There are times when the clues are well hidden and take some careful examination to find, but that is part of the fun. There are several games to play within the mystery setting. Our only real complaint is that Barbie moves slowly through the carnival setting. We always want her to run - especially when following a hot clue!

We purchased Detective Barbie as a Christmas gift for my first-grade daughter. It is clearly the most popular gift for both my first grader and her 4-1/2 year old sister (who is great at following the clues)! They can't wait to play it after dinner (in fact, we now have to limit their computer time). This is a great title for kids (like mine) who are tired of traditional educational software; we will purchase Detective Barbie 2 for a birthday gift! Younger children (Preschool-early elementary) may require some assistance from Mom/Dad/older sibling at times. Focuses logic/memory skills but offers fast-based chases too.

We purchased this title for my daughter at her 10th birthday. She absolutely loves the game. It is easy to use, and highly recommended.

This game is a lot of fun, with many fun activities. If you are looking for a whodunnit that requires keen powers of logic and deduction, however, this might not be what you are looking for. In many ways it functions more like a treasure hunt. Any clues you find simply lead either to the next place to find more clues or the whereabouts of the suspect (dressed mysteriously in a black trenchcoat and hat). No clues actually pertain to the identity of the perpetrator or their motives. To find out who did actually did it, you must catch them red-handed after an action chase scene. The way it's structured makes it very easy to create new scenarios each game, but leaves any sense of a cohesive storyline lacking. Despite this it has a wonderful quality much like the best of junk food: it has a thrill all its own, and once you start devouring it you'll have a very difficult time tearing yourself away. For kids this mixture of treasure hunt and carnival rides is just right.

I don't understand the Children's Software Revue at all. My 5-year-old loves this game. And we had no problems finding the clues. My daughter loved chasing the suspect, especially on the giant slide. We thought this game was better than Vacation Mystery, but we like both. I'm just sorry there aren't anymore games in this series yet. I do admit, however, that Barbie is hard to manipulate.

This game was fun and exiting to play. You find neat clues, follow footprints and look for handprints, and even chase suspects on cool rides. The clues and the theif/kidnapper change each time, and it is always fun to see where the clues lead you too. The only problem with it is that Barbie walks way too slow! If only she would ever run, maybe the game would be more exiting and less frustrating when you try to get her to move.

I'm seven years old and I love this game. If you find one clue, it usually leads to the next. There are six other people that could be the shadowy figure, and you don't know until you catch him or her and bring him or her back to Becky, Barbie's helper. The game changes every time so you're not always solving the same mystery, but sometimes there might be some of the same clues.

I love this game because it has rides that you can sometimes go on when you are playing the game. I also like figuring out what the clues mean, but some clues are hard.

If you need help you go to the crime computer. It tells you who you've talked to, and what your clues are, and what your tools are. When you find a clue, you go to the crime computer. You click on the clue and Barbie says something about it. Then, Becky comes on the screen and tells what she thinks about it. They might sometimes say the same thing.

All I can say is I LOVE DETECTIVE BARBIE! My four year old brother even likes it too. He likes to watch me play it, and he sometimes helps me with clues. I would recommend it for 5 and up.

My 6 year old daughter was initially very engaged and excited about playing. However, Barbie is very hard to manipulate, and a large part of the game is simply trying to get barbie to walk without bumping into things. My daughter was very tenacious and played for about 2 hours then was frustrated to tears when the game wouldn't let her in the room whe wanted to go to get the tools she didn't know she had to pick up. We finally just shut down the computer. I have three girls and would love some good software. Please make the games easier to use (not so very!! precise about where to move the mouse) and Barbie a little more intelligent.

Gave my child a chance to journey outside her own world before being able to read. This software encourages independance and problems solving experience.

My sister and I, 12 and 14, still like this game and find it challenging when you first play it. Like others have complained, Barbie walks really slowly but it's worth it. I love Artie and his bunnies! The shadowy figure, who is the suspect, is very creepy and may not be appropriate for some younger children (We're still afraid of him!)