So here's a funny story of how I managed to get a copy of this game for some reason in the Spring of 2000, myself and the rest of my classmates were actually offered the opportunity to purchase a special package that would get us through the Summer of 2000, it included some activity workbook as well as a grade based game of the grade we were going into, my class was offered the 6th grade package and a copy of Cluefinders 6th grade adventures. My mother really just wanted me to have the workbook or it was nothing at all, but I fought tooth and nail to get my copy of that game. The good news is she eventually relented, otherwise I wouldn't have had a collection addage to do...or this review for that matter

Gameplay and Story: So the story starts off in Joni's backyard (yes this time the game is set in their hometown, it won't be the last time though) they're playing around with a frisbee, Owen and Leslie encounter Joni's next door neighbour (remember I'm based in Canada of course I'll add a U) and she says she's taking care of her "children" (really her plants) and the frisbee ends up in Ms.Rose's yard. Joni and Santiago go after it and well they end up falling through the ground when they are about to grab the frisbee, that's right for the first time ever (and the only time for that matter in the entire series and the entire game), Owen and Leslie are in the front lines. They managed to get underground using the back way, but they are quickly spotted by the guards but are quickly saved by a young plant named Ficus and he explains what's going on. The plants have been taking human captives and are preparing to attack the town above, so now they have to collect petrified wood planks in order to get to the throne room (because the queen will know where Joni and Santiago are) We eventually figure out that the cause of the plants behaviour is because....their water is polluted it's making them angry and aggressive and apparently the plant queen's disguise to go above ground to see if she could try to do anything about this (spoiler alert) but it wasn't enough that's why they're going to attack, but the cluefinders offer to help and she says if they can fix things in 8 hours then she'll call off the attack, Santiago will go above ground to contact people about the dumping while Joni stays with the queen for hostage security reasons.

Graphics: Unlike most cluefinders game this has a bit of a darker tone to it, but then again they spend the whole game underground.

Sound: Well at least one piece of background music was reused in the previous grade based game and the other tracks really show how high the stakes are raised here.

Addictive: Well the good news is I was able to finish the game before 5th grade was over and yet I managed to keep playing it, at the end of summer I will play all the cluefinders game as an end of summer marathon (except for Math adventures it's too darn long and too darn difficult for me).

Depth: This game is actually different from the other cluefinders games, this time there's only two areas where the game takes place, no third act exclusive area. Also there's only like 6 collection activities in this game, plus the door puzzle, plus the chasm puzzle, and putting those bridges together to get to the throne room. It took me less than 2 hours to finish this game in one sitting though.

Difficulty: This game was aimed at 6th graders (or ages 10-12 I was ten when I got the game) the curriculum ranged from early 6th grade to early 7th grade. And granted in this game we ended up learning subjects I didn't even learn in 6th grade. In 6th grade we learned about about Space, the age of Exploration, New France, but we didn't learn about ancient history or fractions (really to be honest, if we did I don't remember)

Post review follow-up: It's a shame that the Learning Company didn't make any more grade based games after 6th grade adventures, I mean I guess this would probably have ended up meaning creating an entire new franchise or something but there wouldn't have been a need to considering that at least two of the characters are in 7th grade. I'll give them props for doing something different and putting the backup people in the front lines rather than have Joni and Santiago do all the heavy lifting. Though like I said earlier in the review, this is the only time that Owen and Leslie are in the front lines (I'll get to 5th grade adventures when I get to it).


This concludes my review, and the last of the cluefinders reviews we will get for awhile, I think I'll have two more cluefinders to review (unless this site adds a page for Mystery Mansion arcade and Real World Adventure Kit) so join me tomorrow when I review.....*cue the Regis impression* Who Wants to be a Millionaire PC 1999.