LGR - Secret Island of Dr. Quandary - PC Game Review

One of MECC's more unusual edutainment titles. Escape the clutches of the conniving doctor's island, and return to your human form by solving logic puzzles!
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● Dr. Quandary can sorta be played here:
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"Funky USB for LGR" by Quinton Mauney
"Howling" by Gunnar Olsen
www.youtube.co...

[@212caboose]

I have been trying to figure out what game I used to play in Tech-Ed (mostly like Shop Class) for DECADES... I can FINALLY lay this mystery to rest! THANK YOU!!!!

[@varishnakov]

I REMEMBER THIS GAME. I HAD FORGOTTEN BUT NOW I REMEMBER. I WAS THERE ON THE ISLAND.

[@TopsyTriceratops]

Would you believe I only started the game and quit out of fear after being sucked into the doll when I was a kid? I even had nightmares for a while, and thought that this game was actually a figment of my messed up brain. I was and still am a wuss.

[@bsus1412]

I can believe that, as I never finished due to the game just weirding me out too much to finish.

[@NaviciaAbbot]

Holy shit, I thought I was the only one.

[@TopsyTriceratops]

@@WhiteStripesStripiestFan I remember both of them, and don't worry I have the same sentiments about them. What made the organ worse was that it was CGI and everything else was drawn. That and it was a villain but hey, that goes with being spooky right?

[@Jonjzi]

Me too. I found it terrifying. I was able to watch my older brother play it and beat the game though, otherwise I probably never would have touched it. I even found the puzzles themselves anxiety inducing. I eventually managed to play it on the easiest difficulty after watching my brother play it a few times.

[@101Volts]

Easily understood - I saw the Pete & Pete episode "Pinned" when I was very young. In the episode, Endless Mike wants to beat up Older Pete when Older Pete is on a wrestling team. Mike then eliminates guys in-between him and Pete on the roster. He gets a guy sucked into a hand dryer, and then squishes another guy against a wall with a bed, probably suffocating him. That scared me, so I shut off the TV, still not knowing how to separate fictional TV from reality. That's probably also why I felt scared of the first ray gun attack scene in "Mars Attacks."

[@thedude1671]

Shit, I played this game in school back in 1st grade or so. I always thought the dolls were really creepy looking. Also, apparently I was very stupid as a child. It's news to me that the dolls were the difficulty settings.

[@ChaoticMonki]

I completely forgot about this game. My brain blocked it out. Hello nostalgia. Nice video man!

[@RSK412]

Cry! Love u man.

[@420alphaomega]

My two favorite youtubers omg :O

[@Chia897]

Cryaotic Wow one of my favourite youtubers commenting on a completely unrelated video of another of my favourite youtubers. Fancy that. xD

[@jimmybandme]

Cryaotic big fan of yours! and LGR of course. You guys should play together haha!

[@jeremen4lazors610]

Cryaotic Hmm... cry is here .

[@Ghost_Of_SAS]

"Dr. Quandary in the Bushes" sounds like a 1970s porno movie.

[@JonnyInfinite]

Robin Askwith was in that I think...

[@ZorotheGallade]

+Ghost81 "If I go in that cave without a light I'll probably get the shaft"

[@arthas640]

It sounds like an old fashioned British porno to me. Maybe even a Victorian era dirty novella.

[@mollyawesomeness3572]

-I'm stuck! Can't you just TELL me how to solve a pizzle?! -No. It sounds like I'm the one who wrote the manual xP

[@MagicalMaster]

I remember brute forcing this a few times as a little kid. Goes to figure how powerful being stubborn can be.

[@sacredstarlight9446]

This game was both bizarre yet interesting a fond childhood memory for many

[@DylanRS412]

Why cant we have more game manuals like that one? Please answer 'O wise LGR!

[@Zingler2010]

Oh wow, I was actually trying to remember this game for a while. Nice video!

[@Karma20XX]

This nightmare was the first computer game I ever played. My elementary school installed it on all the computers. We'd only have about 5 minutes to play, so all I saw was the beginning creepy doll part and getting sucked into the world every time.

[@Wolf-E-Romeo]

same, same.

[@jbirss]

Same.

[@kissasta]

LGR, I have to give you a huge thank you. This is a game that has always sat at the back of my mind as something so terribly nostalgic (and one of my sources of childhood nightmare fuel) but I could never figure out what the game was. At somepoint in early elementary we had this at my school or my cousin had it on his computer and the dolls freaked me out so bad that I've had vivid memories of them up to this day, but could never place why. It was almost like I could remember an old fever dream and I wasnt sure if this thing actually existed or not. Heck, I even thought at one point if it wasnt a weird dream memory that it was some really obscure Beatles educational game or something with creepy dolls. But now you've officially put to rest an old childhood memory that I could never figure out why it had been bugging me for so long. Also I love your vids, thrifts are like going out with a friend just to gawk at funny stuff you find and your Oddware and Techtales are almost like How its Made, something grossly engaging and never tiring. Kudos to all your fine work sir.

[@TasteThePainbow88]

Edutainment Month > Shark Week

[@Mythik3289]

YES! I'm so happy that you're doing this!!! This was THE go to game in my elementary school's library whenever I had a chance. The problem was that I was never able to play for more than like 20 minutes so I always played the same parts over and over with never reaching the end. One year for Christmas I convinced my parents to track it down, I believe that they had to send away for it from EggHead Software (I think?) as no stores had it (shocking, I know). On Christmas I was so ecstatic that after the presents were opened I ran to the computer to install and play Dr. Quandry only to....complete the game in less than an hour and was pretty underwhelmed with the experience in full. I think I may have played it once or twice later, but I will never forget the memories of playing this in my elementary school's library!

Never even heard of this. I feel edutained.

[@JesseDylanMusic]

Whoa, wait. I definitely had this, AND Dr. Brain. I hadn't thought about this game for decades! I thought it was so bizarre and creepy as a kid.

[@taipion64]

I played a demo of this decades ago, it was the creepiest game, let alone demo I had ever seen at the time.

[@FedorovAvtomat]

Much more exciting game than Dr. Quandry's brother's game Dr. Laundry

[@VoxParanoia]

This game used to creeeep me out as a kid in school! Glad I finally figured out what it was called lol.

[@jacecurran8455]

Awesome channel, I love your content! I found you through a quick clip in an 8-bit guy video, and I'm really glad I did. This game was one of my favorites, and yeah it freaked me out and challenged me in equal measure. I think I still have the CD somewhere in my basement. Quick note to any viewer: this game and a lot of "abandonware" can be found on the Internet Archive. It's basically a DosBox emulator running in browser, and it's an awesome way to try a lot of these games. You can't save though, gotta power through or leave it open. Dr. Quandry is here: archive.org/details/msdos_Secret_Island_of_Dr._Quandary_The_1992

[@LGR]

Happy you decided to stop by after seeing that, and I hope you continue to enjoy!

[@RogerCRocha]

The "Dr. Brain" series are much, much better. You should do a review on those. This game just seems like a dodgy clone.

[@RetroIslandGaming]

***** I've only played the DOS Dr. Brain games, and watching this just makes me so upset someone put this out for sale. This doesn't even come close. The music, graphics, puzzles and even the story seem way more polished. I did a review of Island of Dr Brain on my channel if you are bored! Should be the second episode.

[@Thohean]

I could never remember what this game was other than the weird dolls for the player character and the setting being in a jungle. Thanks for this recovered memory.

[@DrunkJackal]

Speaking of edutainment, I used to have a science PC game around the late '90s. It opened with a couple tesla coils on the menu and put the player in a lobby with some creepy harpsichord music. It had a minigame in Doom-style 3D where you had to arrest scientist imposters by determining if what they said was fact or not. I can't remember the name of it. Anybody know what I'm talking about?

[@DrunkJackal]

Finally found it! "Isaac Asimov Science Adventure II" or alternatively "Science Adventure 2 with Isaac Asimov" is the name. There is very little information about this anywhere.

[@thegreatagitator4675]

Dr. Quandary on the boxart looks fucking pissed. He knew what he was getting into.

[@cheeseburgerwalrus499]

I very much remember this game from my elementary school days. This, and some version of Oregon Trail, were installed on the Apple computers that the school had. I don't recall myself, or any of my friends, beating it way back when, but I'd be curious to try it out now. I also remember "Math Blaster", and some game with a dog (that also involved solving math equations, I think). Man... those were the days.

[@joshymcdaniel9233]

Omg is it fraction munchers you’re thinking of? I’m a year late I’m aware 😮 I hated that game! 😂

[@elwarra4734]

Easter Egg - if you click one of the carriages on the Ferris Wheel at the fair ground, comments from the passengers appear on the screen - can't believe I remembered that after 27 years ..... Guess that's how traumatizing this creepy game was for me, .........

[@trevorblue4531]

And the ticket booth, fortune teller, and even the crowd make comments too!

[@maxcalder1010]

I played this in elementary school on the school computers, it used to creep me out lol. I was so proud when I beat it.

[@woohookittys]

"witches brew" "Hey, that's my line!"

[@JackiJinx]

LOVED this game as a kid! Freaked me out with the whole body snatching thing to the point where I'd sometimes just stand at the entrance of the carnival, listen to the carny call, and then turn it off. But goodness, the game was a challenge for me back then, especially that highest difficulty.

[@vampyweekies]

I’m always glad to be able to come check out games I barely remember from the school computer lab in the middle of the night when I’m having trouble sleeping. Thanks Clint

[@Slaanash]

This game scared the hell out of me as a kid.

[@dmacbta]

I stumbled upon your videos and have watched a good 10-20 various. I remembered this game from a child with no understanding of it and it stuck with me for 16+ years as something so fascinating and I am so happy that you made a video on it!

[@jburd2436]

This was my favorite in elementary! So nostalgic !

[@josephrhodes5025]

the fact that i commented about this on the island of dr brain video and you promptly pointed me in the direction of this video was amazing. I only discovered LGR like a month ago, since then i cant stop watching all your videos. You inspired me to break out a bunch of old hardware and software.I got my first pc when i was like 13. A Packard Bell with a 60 mhz Pentium with a 480mb hard drive. The gentlemen at circuit city assured my dad that it would take me a life time to fill up a 480mb hard drive most of which was taken up by packard bell navigator. I have such fond memories of the internet *AOL/Prodigy* and all the big box software that was released during that time. Luckily I saved most of the software but its lacking boxes. Thank you for making such an amazing channel

[@garykozdrajr.3689]

I played the crap out of this game at school. The Tax Collector one was the most frustrating thing ever back then, to the point I had to get this game running a few years ago on one of my old Windows XP builds I had just so I could beat it. Screw you, Dr. Qaundary.

[@emdotrod]

Wait. I have watched it last week. What happened to the previous video?

[@carlz0r]

Ardimo Harsa You sure you're not thinking of Projared's video?

[@emdotrod]

The Carlz0r Wait. I think I mistaken it. Better stopped drinking while I'm watching KZbin...

[@Rith9789]

Ardimo Harsa if anything maybe you haven't drank enough?

[@koalabrownie]

Ardimo Harsa I think pixelmusment (Ancient Dos Games) recently put this on youtube as well.

[@XGames-94]

Lol, that 'No' part :P

[@Atticore]

I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND THIS FUCKING GAME FOR SO LONG

[@Ryodakun]

I was thinking the who,e time, whz would he review the same game twice? Then I realized it was actually projared that did this game and not LGR. It's so rare to see good PC game reviews from other people than LGR that I completely mixed them up.

[@LaughingMan480]

Can you play the Yukon Trail. I loved that game Also Oregon Trail II the best Oregon Trail Also Dinotopia

[@WrecklessEating]

Fun review :)

[@CybeargPlays]

Holy nuts! I remember this from before I could read!

[@metalmilitiamotorclub]

i played this game as a real young kid... brings me back.

[@BurnRoddy]

OMG! So many 90's T-Shirts...

[@JackiJinx]

I saw this pop up again and rewatched it. Just realized that you hadn't show the difficult settings! That SUPER intensified the difficulty in this game. I remember my dad having a difficult time with that doll, too. More ingredients needed.

[@CHillF2D]

Oh man, the nostalgia. I played this a lot when I was little. Damn I miss bring a kid.

[@Rathial]

I remember this :D was fun

[@T-Waldo]

I played this in middle school. I forgot all about it.

[@sonic1k]

Awwww shit the elementary school nostalgia! I though I never passed this game but after watching this and somehow faintly remembering the ending I guess I have passed it......i guess 8 year old me was not such a dumass after all

[@Danimal28]

So this wasn't a figment of my childhood imagination?

[@heckinmemes6430]

Dr. Quandary's island, more like uncle Quandary's back yard while he sleeps on the couch.

[@StephanS]

Ahhh.. Floppies.. i love them and they love me

[@lordcrayzar]

Oh wow. Things are coming back!

[@Danbotology]

I thought the intro music was Fun Lovin' Criminals for a moment.

[@LeyLynn]

My elementary school had this game on all the computers and I use to play this. I’ve been trying to remember this game for the longest time and it’s given nightmares as a kid. Crazy I finally found it again

[@toad6565]

Omg I remember this! So nostalgic!

[@AhmetwithaT]

'Doctor Quandary In the Bushes' is like a name for a folk song.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

You can sing it to the tune of "This is the Age of the Aquarius" if that helps. I know this was written six years ago, but it's still worth saying.

[@MrRoboman333]

It's games like this that make me wonder just how many drugs the devs were on. I wonder what it's like programming on LSD

[@prizedcoffeecup]

Zachary Benson Look up reviews of the PS1 game called LSD: Dream Simulator. They intentionally made this game out to be very trippy but it's just as bad as programming on LSD if not worse...XD

[@hdofu]

It was made based on entries in a journal they made over the course of time while on the halucagen

[@Desmaad]

I remember this one! We had the Mac port, but only in a jewel case we got from Radio Shack.

[@startselectWTFdie]

Holy shit. I completely forgot about this game. I loved it as a kid! Thanks for the nostalgia trip.

[@iconoclastic90]

I used to play this game a lot when I was young.

[@Walczyk]

where can i get this for my nieces??

[@plan7a]

:D - the picture of the wizard on the box reminds me of 'The Wise Old Elf' in "Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom" (TV show); I've seen it a few times when visiting family! Okay, so his ears and nose are different, but other than that... it's similar... Sorta. Sigh, referencing to a toddler tv programme, what have I become?! LOL.

[@HyggeState]

I'm putting in a request for an obscure edutainment game. It's based off of the old CG television show called Henry's Amazing Animals, that had a terribly rendered little green lizard. I used to play that all the time. Along with an early copy of The Grey's Anatomy anatomical guide.

[@KamunR]

Hey LGR, maybe you can help me. I'm looking for an edutainment game, probably about 1998-2003, there was an edutainment game, along the Jumpstart time.. I remember there was a demo for a ClueFinders game (I think it was 4th or 5th grade?) on the disc. I've spent so long trying to find this game. I remember that it involved going to this gypsy in order to progress the game, and I remember there being this jungle-bowling game as one of the education games.. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful, but if anyone knows what it might be, please tell me.

[@JoeSixThreeOh]

4:40 Wasn't that a puzzle in the first Mass Effect game? The one where you have to move data cubes around and was a major pain in the eyes because they would occasionally flicker?

[@RetroIslandGaming]

ResidentVarmint Yup! The same puzzle is even in The Island of Dr. Brain that he briefly mentioned. Good catch :) The puzzle gets exponentially harder as you add more discs to move around. Even after just adding a few more discs, it's becomes an absurd number of turns to finish it in anyone's lifetime.

[@DesmondShannon87]

Dr. Monroe Quandary...hmm?

[@ideitbawxproductions1880]

"... And it's also not too weird; unlike some games for kids that I've played where I question the sobriety and mental stability of its creators..." I think I hear Ninja Nanny mooing just beyond the horizon...

[@dhoffnun]

Numlock reminds me quite a bit of Master Mind. www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/blogs/geekmom/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/Box1.png

[@maximal10]

I had Island of Dr Brain growing up sadly the 486 my parents got would not run it (froze up after the "tetris" puzle) No bbs service available so I never knew there was a patch to allow it to run on a windows PC (stupid Tabworks)

[@patrickwalsh2086]

I see you got the galaxy 1000 electronic game, Hope you enjoy it! Sorry about my shoddy handwriting, I hope you could read it. I'm sure I've seen that game Dr Quandary before in another video, someone else's that is. You did a far better job explaining it.

[@MatthewOceanXVX]

I played the hell out of this and Number Munchers in computer class in elementary school!!

[@jimmybandme]

It's both funny and sad that LGR can play all these ancient games and I'm just here struggling with running 2008 Sims 3 on Windows 8.1. Ridiculous!

[@ThePinkFloyder1000]

Have you ever played/heard of the game Dare to Dream? It's a DOS point and click adventure from the 90s that I played (or at least tried to) as a kid, and recently just re-discovered. Would like to know if it was some weird obscure thing, or if it actually did have a wider audience.

[@Lv28fighter]

If you can snag a copy of it, do a review of Museum of Madness. Done by the same company, MECC. Its a lot more brain intensive compared to Dr. Q but has some really good DOS music.

[@goopah]

Please cover "The Fortress Of Dr. Radiaki". I've got a boxed copy here (that I paid $50 for back in the day), but never could get it to run smoothly.

[@ClexYoshi]

I think this might be the first game you've ever reviewed for Edutainment month that I actually owned... although I think I had a later version that came on CD Rom?

[@LGR]

ClexYoshi Yup, it also came on CD! I'm not aware of any real differences, other than maybe some different music.

[@ClexYoshi]

I am so glad you're actually willing to reply to comments on your videos, Clint.

[@jennyada1429]

Can confirm, I remember playing this on a Packard Bell machine.

[@Shazzner]

I played this game!

[@schwierdo8838]

This is one of the few obscure games tou have reviewed(like 15 videos now) I actually played this game.....was actually really fun haha.

[@retronostalgia6727]

Another very fun game review like the ones of the old times. Could you tell what's the song in the end? It so much reminds me of Broderbound intro games like Stunts and Grand Prix Unlimited.

[@chickenbone445]

Did you ever play the Dr.Brain games? I played The Castle of Dr.Brain and The Island of Dr.Brain a lot as a kid! If you are looking for games to review I suggest those ones!

[@onometre]

I really dig that monitor

[@ArchAnjell]

This was how I spent computer lab time in elementary school

[@CpnGame]

If I had a nickel for every time we reviewed a game about an island full of riddles owned by a mad scientist with an oddly descriptive name, I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but it's weird it happened twice.

[@EuroMIX2]

7:01 Holy crap, it's Mr. Sax!

[@bloopahVIII]

dr. quandaly dingle

[@Thekinggamelon]

Now that's the most bizarre, yet interesting puzzle game I ever seen. And the manual saying: -Can't you just tell me how solve a puzzle? -No It's like the manual says: Good puzzle players don't need intrusctions.

[@Torterenek]

I own a CD of it. No lie! It is in a box I store under my bed. However, I may be missing parts of the game. I might have skipped past them. I played it a lot when I was a kid. I did not expect it to be mentioned again. I thought it was lost in time, as it seems to Cry.

[@cjallday1130plays]

there was an EdutaInment game I feel should have been there. it's Santa's Secret Valley. it's a fun game, really, but no one has ever heard of it.

[@retropirate1]

I remember the days when I played these "Edutainment" games. Those were the... Ermh? "good" days?

[@ocallaghandesign]

I remember enjoying and kind of hating this game from middle school...It looks better when you play. lol

[@investineasternpoland2909]

I thought you already reviewed this, but then I remembered it's Projared who reviewed this.

[@typa8909]

Been trying to find this game for years now. First game I ever played on pc. I was at school in the 1st grade.

[@MusyabbirHaqim]

Yes at long last, so it was not some dreams I conjure up, definitely gonna be looking for this game to play again just for nostalgia sakes.

[@ElegyForTheMasses]

This game always felt to me like a cheap knockoff of the Castle and Island of Dr. Brain games.

[@phecez]

T. Urnback Nao

[@AdamSmithNES]

Huh, never thought I'd see a game that puts you in control of a harlequin fetus :(

[@GitraSilvermane]

I played this game like crazy as a kid. I loved it so much thou the Dudette CD puzzle bugged the hell out of me.

[@mrgenomac9018]

The fact I manage to beat this game as a child without ever understanding what was doing or reading anything baffles me today