Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? — frequently asked questions
- What platforms is Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? on?
- Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? was released on Commodore C64/128/MAX, TRS-80 Color Computer, DOS, Apple II, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS, Amiga, Atari ST/STE, Mac, Dragon 32/64, FM Towns, TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Super Nintendo Entertainment System.
- When did Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? release?
- Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? was first released on April 23, 1985.
About Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
Woldwide crime wave! Acme Detective Agency hot on the trail of master thief Carmen Sandiego and her henchmen. Wanted: Detective to locate and capture Carmen and her gang. Must be hard working, independent, fun seeking individual willing to travel the world. No experience necessary. - Digitised graphics - Hundreds of cases - More animated sequinces - Play in 5 languages Don't forget your World Almanac. It is a gumshoe's best friend.
Summary via IGDB.
Game details
- Platforms
- Commodore C64/128/MAX, TRS-80 Color Computer, DOS, Apple II, Sega Master System/Mark III, Sega Mega Drive/Genesis, Amstrad CPC, Apple IIGS, Amiga, Atari ST/STE, Mac, Dragon 32/64, FM Towns, TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Developer
- Brøderbund Software
- Publisher
- Brøderbund Software
- Game modes
- Single player
- Themes
- Educational, Kids, Mystery
- Series
- Carmen Sandiego
Details via IGDB.
Reception
Every version compared
Prices, contemporary reception and the studio credited for each release
| Platform | Year | Loose | Complete | Sealed | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sega Master SystemDetails ↓ | 1988 | $12 | $25 | $95 | Low (look-alike) |
| Sega GenesisDetails ↓ | 1992 | $12 | $34 | $263 | Low |
The cheapest way to own it loose is the Sega Master System version ($12).
Also released on: Commodore C64/128/MAX · TRS-80 Color Computer · DOS · Apple II · Sega Master System/Mark III · Sega Mega Drive/Genesis · Amstrad CPC · Apple IIGS · Amiga · Atari ST/STE · Mac · Dragon 32/64 · FM Towns · TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine · Super Nintendo Entertainment System. We haven’t priced or authenticated those versions yet.
Prices are per version and are not interchangeable, and neither are the reviews: conversions in this era were often built by a different studio than the original, so a score earned on one machine says nothing about how another plays.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Master System · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-28
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about once a week
- Sealed: about 2 times a year
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-28.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $3.94 in Jul 2009, $5.90 five years ago, and $12.00 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | $2.25 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $4.00 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $2.59 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $2.12 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $1.99 | $8.50 |
| Jan 2015 | $5.25 | $8.90 |
| Jan 2016 | $4.25 | $12.49 |
| Jan 2017 | $7.99 | $9.99 |
| Jan 2018 | $5.88 | $8.88 |
| Jan 2019 | $7.18 | $12.35 |
| Jan 2020 | $7.59 | $10.48 |
| Jan 2021 | $8.20 | $18.98 |
| Jan 2022 | $10.79 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2023 | $11.99 | $13.85 |
| Jan 2024 | $7.23 | $14.99 |
| Jan 2025 | $7.52 | $15.00 |
| Jan 2026 | $7.62 | $18.35 |
| Oct 2026 | $12.00 | $24 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Product number |
|---|---|---|
| North America | December 1988 | 4350 |
| Brazil | 1994 | 023.450 |
- Region
- NA+BR
- Released
- 1988
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Master System version
An educational Carmen Sandiego game whose Master System version plays quite differently from the computer originals.
Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? is an educational game, first released on computers in 1985. The Master System version was developed by Venture Technologies and published by Parker Brothers in North America in December 1988, with Tec Toy releasing it in Brazil in 1994. It plays quite differently from the other versions, so do not assume it matches the computer game.
Also on other platforms
Apple II · Commodore 64 · Amstrad CPC · Apple IIGS · Amiga · Atari ST · Mac · Dragon 32/64 · MS-DOS · FM Towns · TRS-80 Color Computer · TurboGrafx-16 · Genesis · Super NES
Before you buy
There is a US cart and a Brazilian Tec Toy cart, so confirm which one you are buying. Loose, the US cart is cheaper than most from its year, and the look-alike risk is low. Make sure the manual is included on a complete copy.
Collector value & authenticity
Sega Genesis · PriceCharting sold data · Verified 2026-10-29
Other releases and variants
| Release | Loose | Complete | Sealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| European (PAL) release | $11 | $25 | — |
How often it sells
- Loose: about once a month
- Complete: about once a month
- Sealed: about once a year
Prices marked “few sales” rest on about one recorded sale a year, so treat them as a rough guide: the next copy could sell well above or below. Expect to wait for one to come up.
Sales frequency from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, as of 2026-10-29.
Price over time
- Loose
- Complete
A loose copy sold for about $0.95 in Jan 2008, $19.99 five years ago, and $11.61 as of Oct 2026.
Show as table
| Month | Loose | Complete |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 2008 | $0.95 | — |
| Jan 2009 | $6.75 | — |
| Jan 2010 | $4.74 | — |
| Jan 2011 | $3.29 | — |
| Jan 2012 | $5.98 | — |
| Jan 2013 | $5.72 | — |
| Jan 2014 | $7.98 | $11.80 |
| Jan 2015 | $9.55 | $11.65 |
| Jan 2016 | $7.47 | $22 |
| Jan 2017 | $13.46 | $35 |
| Jan 2018 | $10.90 | $18.95 |
| Jan 2019 | $11.27 | $17.46 |
| Jan 2020 | $8.40 | $25 |
| Jan 2021 | $17.75 | $24 |
| Jan 2022 | $16.99 | $27 |
| Jan 2023 | $15.68 | $26 |
| Jan 2024 | $15.00 | $38 |
| Jan 2025 | $15.02 | $30 |
| Jan 2026 | $10.79 | $31 |
| Oct 2026 | $11.61 | $34 |
Monthly price estimates from PriceCharting's completed-sale records, sampled quarterly, through Oct 2026.
Release record
| Territory | Date | Barcode |
|---|---|---|
| North America | October 1992 | 014633071610 |
| Europe / PAL | 1992 | — |
- Region
- NA+EU
- Released
- 1992
- Authenticity
- Low
The Sega Genesis version
An educational geography game from Electronic Arts, priced about in the middle of the US carts.
This is the Genesis version of Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, the geography and detective series that began on home computers in 1985. EA Canada developed it and Electronic Arts published it, in North America in October 1992 and in Europe the same year.
It is an educational game, so judge it on those terms.
How the Sega Genesis version differs
Sega Pro scored the Electronic Arts Mega Drive version 59 percent, saying the villains are too easy to capture for experienced players.
Also on other platforms
Master System · Apple II · Commodore 64 · Amstrad CPC · Apple IIGS · Amiga · Atari ST · Mac · Dragon 32/64 · MS-DOS · FM Towns · TRS-80 Color Computer · TurboGrafx-16 · Super NES
Before you buy
Among US carts it sits about at the median. The European loose cart usually costs about the same as the US one, while a complete European copy usually costs less. A complete US copy means the case, cartridge and manual. It is a cheap-tier game with no per-game fake concerns.
Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? screenshots
Watch on YouTube
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