Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego

Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? is an educational strategy game for the NES where players take on the role of a Time Cadet at the Acme Detective Agency. Using the Chronoskimmer time device, players travel back through history to capture Carmen Sandiego and her V.I.L.E. henchmen who stole historical treasures. Gameplay involves interviewing witnesses or scanning clues at each location to gather details about the criminal's appearance, favorite authors/artists, or other attributes, then entering them into the integrated encyclopedia database to decode the next destination. Solve 80 cases before retirement by obtaining arrest warrants and deploying Capture Robots. The game features historical settings from 400 AD to the 1950s with time limits on each mission and a promotional New American Desk Encyclopedia. Characters include the player (who progresses from Time Cadet to Super Time Sleuth), Carmen Sandiego, and various unnamed V.I.L.E. agents. What makes it stand out is its unique time-travel format combined with factual history lessons and critical thinking challenges that teach geography, history, and research skills. The NES port includes the encyclopedia as a pack-in.