The ClueFinders Math Adventures

The ClueFinders Math Adventures
Also known as: The ClueFinders Math Adventures Ages 9–12: Mystery in the Himalayas Developer: The Learning Company Publisher: The Learning Company Platforms: Windows, Mac OS Classic Released in US: September 28, 1998 (version 1.0), 1999 (version 2.0) Released in UK: 1999 Released in FR: 1999 This game has revisional differences.

In The ClueFinders Math Adventures, the ClueFinders investigate the mysterious disappearance of treasures belonging to a Himalayan village, which are rumored to have been taken by a Yeti.

Revisional Differences

Circa 1999, the game was given an updated release that featured numerous changes.

Story

While both games share the same basic premise and plot outline, the newer release discarded and changed several plot elements.

LapTrap/Clues

The original release contained a subplot where LapTrap rather bizarrely obtains the "wisdom of the village elders", as it is described in-game. This allows him to have visions of some of the villager's pasts, revealing possible motives they might have for taking the treasures. This is also what apparently allows the ClueFinders to obtain clues, which materialize as beams of blue light before zapping LapTrap and sending the information into him.

In the newer release, this entire subplot is removed. All of the cutscenes where LapTrap had visions in the original release were redone in the new release to show the ClueFinders discussing theories for the disappearances of the treasures instead. Clues are obtained through the more expected method of simply talking to people and having them share information with you, in return for helping them with their tasks.

Ending

The fate of the apprentice, the true culprit, varies greatly between releases. In both releases, he is covered by an avalanche after trying to escape, after which the ClueFinders assume that he'll never be found. In the original release, after the apprentice emerges from the snow, he is pulled back by the giant hand of the real Yeti as he screams. In the newer release, he simply emerges from the snow and claims that the ClueFinders can't stop him, while watching them leave.

Graphics

The entire ClueFinders series experienced an art style shift around 1999, and the designs of all of the ClueFinders were updated in the re-release to reflect this art style change.

Nearly all of the character sprites for the villagers were also changed in some way, ranging from minor color palette changes, to having outfits and facial features redrawn to be more detailed.

Most of the content from the animated cutscenes was changed, mainly for the aforementioned reason of the art style change. (The animation quality was also noticeably improved in the newer release.)

Music

The newer release added several new tracks into places that were originally silent in the original release.