Remember last year when a handheld Oregon Trail game system hit the streets for about $25? Now the company that produces it is getting ready to launch a second model… but this time it comes with a different classic educational game for kids.
Basic Fun‘s new Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego handheld game system is coming this fall for $25.
Like the Oregon Trail version, the new device is basically a handheld device that runs a single game that’s about three decades old. But the game is only part of the draw — this thing screams retro with a case inspired by the design of a 1980s era computer, complete with a (non-functional) floppy disk drive.
Instead of a keyboard, there are just a few buttons beneath the screen that you’ll use to navigate, including enter, menu, and arrow keys. the system runs on three AA batteries.
Look, this is pretty clearly more of a novelty gadget than a device you’re likely to spend hours playing. But at just $25, it might fall within impulse purchase category for folks who have fond memories of playing this series of educational mystery games.
Is that big square button a d-pad? If not, I only see a back arrow, not sure how you’d navigate choices. If it is a d-pad, I wonder if this could be hacked to play other games. Controls for Carmen Sandiego would work fine for any of the classic early 80’s CRPGs like The Bard’s Tale.
Seems like a set of four arrow keys: up down left right
I have the Oregon Trail one. I’m a little disappointed they decided to reuse the body, since the screen, while decently sharp, is really still too small.
Yeah the bezels are too large.
I’d buy to play. It was fun and educational (albeit some of the info is outdated it’d be historically educational in those cases).
Definitely something I would buy and keep in the packaging as a collector’s item, but I wouldn’t ever buy something like this to play.