Mystery P.I. Portrait of a Thief

by PopCap Games

Product Features

• Enjoy a rich character-driven story written exclusively for Nintendo DS.
• Find over 1,600 objects in 70 seek-and-solve puzzles within 18 locations.
• Test your skills in 4 stylus-based mini-games, with high-score leaderboards.
• Keep track of suspects and clues in your case log.
• Collect bonus objects and unlock two modes of unlimited play.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001EQPDO2
• Item Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: December 15, 2008
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (85 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,452 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #72 in Video Games > Nintendo DS > Puzzle
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Mystery P.I. Portrait of a Thief is a single player puzzle game for Nintendo DS and DSi which mixes classic seek and find puzzle play with an engrossing crime theme in which players are tasked with exposing an artful thief. The game is packed with over 1,600 objects, hidden within 70 puzzles of various types, across 18 locations. Players must find objects and answers hidden throughout the gameplay environment in order to solve the mystery. The game also features four mini-games and two unlimited game modes. Puzzle solve to capture an art thief at-large. View larger. Gameplay Puzzle play action in Mystery P.I. Portrait of a Thief consists of a series of timed chapters linked to the mystery of who raided the art collection of your client, Kensington Billingsley. The goal in each chapter is to find a set list of items and answers hidden throughout the urban landscape of the gameplay area and solve any additional puzzles that are presented to you along the way before your allotted 30 minutes runs out. Each list consists of ten items, which are displayed on the DS' top screen and are ticked off the list as you find them. The actual puzzle-solving happens on the lower touchscreen of the DS/DSi, where players can use either the DS stylus or button combinations to identify hidden items and answers. Along with seek and find puzzles, where players have to find specific objects hidden in a larger jumble of items, the game also features word puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, pair matching challenges and more. Players start the game as a rank amateur sleuth, but with success rise in status and gain points. Along with the challenge of seeing how many can be accumulated, points are also valuable in that they can be used to buy hints when/if players get stuck. Key Game Features Find over 1,600 objects in 70 seek-and-solve puzzles within 18 locations. Test your skills in 4 stylus-based mini-games, with high-score leaderboards. Keep track of suspects and clues in your case log. Collect bonus objects and unlock two modes of unlimited play. Enjoy a rich character-driven story written exclusively for Nintendo DS. Additional Screenshots: Seek and find puzzles. View larger. Themed word challenges. View larger. An expansive play area. View larger. 20 exciting chapters. View larger.

Product Description

Priceless paintings have gone missing, and fakes are in their place — but there are no leads to the crime! Uncover clues to paint the thief into a corner in this exclusive story for Nintendo DS!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Fun Seek and Find~Solve the Crime Puzzle Game, December 22, 2008

By 

kindred spirit (God's Country) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

= Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Mystery P.I. Portrait of a Thief (Video Game)

(What's this?)

Yet another twist on seek and find mystery games. I got it for my birthday and played it 3 straight hours yesterday. At first I thought it was going to be too easy but I found it is not. Like usual you have to find items in messy cluttered rooms. What makes it hard is a few of the items I don't know what the item is. Hard to find when you don't know what you are looking for. Just when you get them all found then you have another puzzle to solve and time is ticking away.

Make sure to look for a key and a paintbrush in each picture as they unlock free play games.

I very much like this game. I also suggest Cate West game and Mystery Files. It's fun to have 3 different ones going at the same time. Keeps the mind sharp.

Five stars for sure.

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars This I tell ya brother, if you've played one, you've played the other..., January 31, 2009

By 

The Matrix Fan "Video Gamer since 1979." - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

= Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Mystery P.I. Portrait of a Thief (Video Game)

(What's this?)

+ Pros:

+ Very addictive gameplay
+ Builds in difficulty
+ Unlockable awards
+ 3 modes of play

- Cons:

- Repetitive levels
- Game can be beaten in 2-3 days
- A carbon copy of Amazing Adventures: The Forgotten Ruins.

In Mystery P.I., you play the part of a detective assigned to finding an art thief. Each level has a picture with several objects littered throughout it. The goal is to find all the items on the list before time runs out. The time limit is very generous, and there is an option to turn off the timer for newer players.

If you're unable to find an item, a "HINT" option shows the general area to find an object, but using this subtracts points from your final score. Tapping the screen too many times can also subtract points.

At first, the items to find are described clearly:
2 coin stacks
3 lighters

However, as the game progresses, the descriptions become more challenging:
2 Artist's models
Wrist restraints

In addition to the items on the list, each level has a paint brush and a key hidden in it.

Collecting all the paintbrushes unlocks locations in Unlimited Seek & Solve. This mode allows you to visit each location and find every single hidden item. As you find items on the list, new clues take their place until all the items are found.

Collecting all the keys unlocks the games in Mini-Game Free Play.

The Mini-Games are:

Memory Match
Jigsaw Puzzle
Tile Rotate
Mah-Jongg Match
Word Puzzle

Now if you fancy yourself an expert, there are 10 awards to earn:

(1) Golden Key - awarded for finding all 17 keys.
(2) Golden Paintbrush - awarded for finding all 17 paintbrushes.
(3) Golden Painting - awarded for completing "Find the Art Collection" mode.
(4) Golden Magnifying Glass - awarded for completing "Unlimited Seek & Solve".
(5) Golden Sculpture - awarded for reaching the rank of Master P.I. at 10 million points.
(6) Golden Frames - awarded when you reach 15,000 points in Memory Match.
(7) Golden Jigsaw Puzzle Piece - awarded when you get 18,000 points in Jigsaw Puzzle.
(8) Golden Rotating Tile - awarded when you get 18,000 points in Tile Rotate.
(9) Golden Mah-Jongg Tile - awarded when you get 18,000 points in Mah-Jongg Match.
(10) Golden Word - awarded when you get 15,000 points in Word Puzzle.


I must admit, this is a very addictive game. The gameplay is very easy to pick up - I didn't even need to read the directions.

One problem was the repetition. After unlocking the first few levels, I found myself revisiting the same pictures, but with a different list of items to find. This made the game a little boring - not a good sign.

However, my main complaint is that this game is a clone of "Amazing Adventures - The Forgotten Ruins." Both were produced by Popcap, this game came out about one month later, but the gameplay is almost identical. Many of the same objects are found in this game, the same hints, and the same requirements to unlock awards.

If you check the image I uploaded of the instruction manuals side-by-side, they are almost identical. Only two of the Mini-Games were changed.

If I hadn't played Amazing Adventures first, I would have given Mystery P.I. 4 stars without hesitation - but I had to take away another star for the lack of originality.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Us "Oldies", January 8, 2009

By 

gaming grandma "gaming grandma" (Richland, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mystery P.I. Portrait of a Thief (Video Game)

I received "Mystery P.I." for Christmas and have been enjoying it ever since. I'm in my 70's and use these games for mental exercise as well as fun. I was delighted with this game because it allowed me to turn off the timer and play in "Relaxed Mode". It is an "I Spy" clone with a twist and being able to play it at my own speed has made this one of my favorite DS games.