Ranking All the Nancy Drew Games from WORST to BEST!!

[@xiomaras.4403]

people are still thinking about Nancy Drew pc games in 2019....i finally feel seen 🥺 i love this video so much

[@WizardKittenYT]

I'm so glad!! The ND community is wonderful!

[@RoseyMorearty]

SAME

[@evangeliaedwards3067]

Ikr!

[@theforeverfreak7294]

Yaas girl! And they are still making them! Go on twitch there are people who stream play ND games and it’s fun to have conversations with fellow lovers of these games!!

[@shawnastepun6694]

@@theforeverfreak7294 and still in 2020 LOL I love Nancy Drew too!! Been playing since I was young

[@itsjusteddie7384]

"The monkeys made me feel violent" should honestly be the tag-line review for the entirety of Ransom.

[@WizardKittenYT]

I fully agree 😂

[@LaineMann]

So did the driving

[@coriolyn]

as much as I love monkeys, I hated the monkeys in this game. My hands don't move quickly and I can't win over the monkeys. Evil evil evil monkeys

[@TheGov36]

Oh my god yes Warnings at Waverly Academy is my favourite by far, I fell in love with the characters and the setting as soon as it came out. What's sad is it still feels new to me, when I think about Nancy Drew I consider Waverly Academy to be one of the newer entries with Shadow at the Water's Edge being just out not almost 10 years old. The period of White Wolf to the Water's Edge was when I was probably most invested in Nancy Drew and it's the peak of the series to me.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Ah yes!! It's just so good!! I totally know what you mean too about how the games still feel so new, which I guess is a good thing because then they can still feel fresh and exciting! Thanks for the comment! 🤗

[@MasterJennaMcLain]

Same. I came into the series about the time when White Wolf was relatively new (I was around 10 too and my parents finally turned on my computer's internet) and you'll find that most of my favorites are in that period of the games. My older sister got me into the series with Scarlet Hand but let me borrow her copy of White Wolf to play.

[@bookdragon4622]

who elses favorite character is hotchkiss

[@creepykels]

Always!!

[@emmalijewski8302]

best character ever

[@sparkreno19]

Around 2003, I received my first Nancy Drew game The Final Scene as a Christmas present and my cousin, who is the same age as me, got Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake. From there on out, our moms would give us alternating games (she would Treasure in the Royal Tower, I would get Message in the Haunted Mansion, etc). We loved the games and would get so freaked out by some of them! We would share them between us and call each other if we got stuck because sometimes those old forums on the HerInteractive page weren't that helpful (so many forum posts with the title 'HELP IM STUCK' - ooook way to be specific, it was 2004, there were no smartphones

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's so amazing! I had a very similar experience! It's so awesome how the ND games can bring people together 😊

[@seinikki5919]

I love watching people rank these games because not one person has the same list. It truly shows how this series shines and how every game is amazing in it's own way and how there's something in it for everyone. I for example, truly enjoyed Tomb of the Lost queen. It may even be in my top 3 games. I honestly didn't even care about the culprit..it was just so fun exploring the tomb, solving puzzle after puzzle, reading glifs and finding the lost queen. It's SUPER exciting and the puzzles are just the right difficulty to not require a walkthrough. The deadly device is another one close to top for me. I guess I'm a puzzle lover. I love the science and chemistry aspect of it, the culprit reveal was predictable but still exciting given that we were face to face with a MURDERER. Victor terrifies me for some reason. Another one is The final Scene. Another culprit reveal that sends chills down my spine every time I replay it. There is something so terrifying in knowing how close we were to the culprit the entire time and how many times he had a chance to take us down too while playing all nice and sweet. Other than that the exploration and puzzles are STUNNING. But I love all off these games to DEATH.. Except for The Haunted carousel.. Its one game in the whole series I just do not like or enjoy one bit. And that comes from someone who is in love with amusement parks and rollercoasters.

[@WizardKittenYT]

I love seeing people's different opinions on the games too!! It's so fascinating how we all have such different ideas!

[@rannehaworth8]

Ghost dogs was my first play and I love it, especially the music. Also, I feel you with labyrinth of lies. It’s so silly, like what’s with the inexplicable lava pit in the basement?

[@WizardKittenYT]

Right?! Can't wait to act in the next scene, but I better be careful not to fall in the pit of actual lava... 😂😂

[@invisiblekatie]

Ghost Dogs was by far my favourite - it was my very first game as an 11 year old too so it’s nostalgic for me. One awesome thing about the ND games is the beautiful music that fits with the particular game and it’s setting. I agree with your list for the most part! I would put Blackmore Manor and Last Train higher up though ❤️

[@WizardKittenYT]

Totally fair! And yes, ghost dogs is so amazing!!

[@tanyatimberwolf4826]

My boyfriend just laughed at me for spending the last 17 minutes screaming my agreements and disagreements. Good list, but Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon not even making the top ten list?! Sacrilege! ;)

[@WizardKittenYT]

Hehe!! Love the passion!! TRN is a really well made game, I gave it a grade of 49 out of 50 in its review, it's just so hard to choose from all the nostalgic games!! 😊

[@karricompton]

@tanyatimberwolf I agree!

[@Popcorndetecive]

Oh boy! You’ll be so mad at me I don’t even know if I’m ready to say it yet OK fine I’m not the biggest fan of last train to Bluemoon Canyon

[@sageschrager8397]

Personally I think that there was NOT enough exploration in last train to blue moon canyon

[@buzzakina]

My #1 favorite is The Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon

[@WizardKittenYT]

That one is excellent!

[@natalieierien8057]

THE BEST ONE by far

[@itsme6185]

I almost cried when I saw Warnings at Waverly Academy was number one haha. Maybe shed a few tears. I could DROWN in it’s nostalgic value!!!!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Same!!! It's so beautiful!! 😭

[@Love4MusicNMore]

My first Nancy Drew game I played was Curse of Blackmoor Manor. Thinking back now what a game to start off with. It definitely hooked me in and I had to play the rest of the games. That was around 15 years ago and I was 9

[@WizardKittenYT]

That is SUCH a good starting game!!

[@kennaisatlas8323]

Nancy Drew games and books were my childhood. I had a terrible family life, but Nancy Drew always made me happy and gave me a way to take my mind off my troubles. These games are my heart. ❤️

[@WizardKittenYT]

I'm so sorry to hear that and happy that these wonderful games could be there for you when you needed them! They are a powerful series! Thanks so much for the comment 🤗

[@emmielaine7352]

You doing okay, friend? 🌷🌻🌼

[@Sav-bx5id]

This makes me feel so nostalgic!! I started playing when I was around eight or nine- I’m really disappointed with the way the company is going, but this makes me want to go back and replay my favorites!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Agreed! Replaying the old ones helps me remember the good old days of ND!

[@math6775]

For some reason, your voice reminds me of Heather from Danger by Design. My favourite game is Ghost of Thornton Hall because it's my first game I have played, and by seeing gameplays, Warnings at Waverly Academy is also my favorite game in the bunch that I haven't played.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thank you!! I actually really like Heather! Ghost of Thornton Hall is awesome! 😊

[@sarahnoe1588]

I like your list. Mine is similar to yours. The Final Scene was my first game to play too so it's special to me.

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's awesome! Thanks so much for the comment! 🤗

[@EmilyLynne1993]

My first one was The Final Scene too! lol. My dad just randomly brought it home one day after work and me and my sister were hooked after that. It has a special place in my heart :)

[@melissamiller4740]

My first nancy drew was the haunted carousel

[@BostonLow]

I was just thinking of asking how you would rank all the ND games; then you posted this video. That's awesome! I pretty much agree with your list, but I personally would rank Kapu Cave higher. I enjoy the island setting and I think it was one of the first ND games I ever completed, so I've got some nostalgia for it.

[@WizardKittenYT]

That makes sense then! 😊 nostalgia definitely played a role in my rankings, so I totally understand!

[@ryanpepper8188]

Happy Birthday, Caitlyn! Enjoy your special day! 🎂🎉

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thank you so so much for this gift!! You are so kind!!

[@Emilytea]

This just makes me want to replay all of the games, omg? Final Scene was the first game I played as well, so to see it ranked high made me happy. Same with Haunted Mansion, the second one I played- it's kind of funny to me that the lower entries on your list are the games I seem to have almost totally blocked out, while the higher entries I have specific fond memories of.

[@WizardKittenYT]

That seems totally understandable! Those lower ones just don't match the same level of special as some of the classics! Thanks for the comment! :)

[@LiquidBoogie]

I love the series, been playing them for 20 years, but the last one Midnight at Salem is a really disappointing game, it does not even feel like a Nancy Drew game, waited 4,5 years for it and it sure was a huge let down, not sure where the series will go from here....

[@WizardKittenYT]

Just got my physical copy last night, so hoping to post some content soon! It does already seem very different...

[@angesoie]

yeah, not enough puzzles, and the solutions seem spoonfed

[@jaredkaanga295]

There was a huge lack of puzzles and too much dialogue

[@samantharatliffe950]

Omg I wanted to rip my hair out. Such a good premise but I hate the new development. I like my clunky characters.

[@LiquidBoogie]

@@samantharatliffe950 The new Nancy Drew game comes out today, lets hope they learned from the last mistake....

[@Monique.Marceline]

Great video! I played these games with my Mom growing up starting with Secrets Can Kill (we started playing them in 2000, when i was like 3/4), and this video instilled me with so much nostalgia and good memories. Curse of Blackmoor Manor & Ghost Dogs were our absolute favorites. We stopped playing right when Waverly came out because I was going through my rebellious tween phase and thought it was too lame to play games with my mom anymore. Now you’ve made me want to go back and play the ones I’ve missed (like Waverly!) and re-play my all time faves.

[@WizardKittenYT]

That sounds like an amazing idea!!

[@actualaspienc1279]

I just realized, when you ranked Shadow at the Water's Edge at #13, it's kind of an allusion to 'The Thirteenth Pearl', book number 56 in the original Carolyn Keene Nancy Drew series which is set in JAPAN

[@WizardKittenYT]

Oh!! That's a cool coincidence!

[@masterofbloopers]

I had no idea how big this series was! I played the demo for Creature of Kapu Cave back when it first came out, and 9-year-old me thought it was pretty fun. I couldn't find it at GameStop or Blockbuster, so I gave up and forgot about it. Fast-forward to this year, and Steam of all places ends up recommending me Creature of Kapu Cave after all these years! I'm kind of obsessed with collecting and replaying all of my childhood video games, so I thought: "Eh, why not?" and played it again. It scratched an itch for point-and-click puzzle games I didn't even know I had! Now I'm contemplating whether or not I should play the rest of them. There's a lot of them, and some may be too antiquated for my tastes.

[@WizardKittenYT]

I'd be happy to recommend some!! What parts of Kapu Cave did you like and what parts did you not really enjoy?

[@masterofbloopers]

@@WizardKittenYT I'm actually still playing through it right now. As for what I'm enjoying so far, I'd say the atmosphere. The beaches and jungles of Hawaii are very beautiful! I am intrigued by some of the scary entries. Haunted/abandoned locations are some of my favorite!

[@WizardKittenYT]

@@masterofbloopers thankfully the whole series does great with atmosphere! You might enjoy Ghost of Thornton Hall next for scary games with great atmosphere!

[@xoxardnekoxo]

I love the Nancy Drew games! I haven't gotten MID yet, but hopefully it's good after four years of waiting. I realize these games are meant for ages 10 and up, but I can't figure half the puzzles out without a walkthrough lol, so I always have to find those prior to playing. My very first game was The Final Scene. I'd read Nancy Drew books, and saw three games at Target and thought I'd try one of them. It was so addicting that I just had to get all the rest! I stopped playing for a few years after a while, but when The White Wolf of Icicle Creek was released, I had to play again because I love wolves! Throwing one into a Nancy Drew game was awesome! I love that game, but it's definitely one of the hardest. I was stuck on that fox and pig/wolf game for weeks! Some of the newer games I've honestly only played one time. I guess I should play them again because I really don't remember them. :O But it's certainly hard to beat the originals. My favorite "newer" game is definitely Shadow at the Water's Edge. I love Japanese culture, and seeing it brought to life in a Nancy Drew game with the awesome ryokan and bento boxes was so cool!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Those games are all awesome!! I definitely recommend replaying them, especially if you don't fully remember them! They're often just as fun the second time around!

[@FaithWangermann]

I just (like 10 minutes ago) finished my first game-the Final Scene too!! Now deciding what to get next

[@WizardKittenYT]

That is amazing!! Let me know if you ever need recommendations! The Final Scene is incredible!

[@tytalk00]

I was pleasantly surprised to see that our opinions were very similar on the best and worst games. I think that in addition to the ranking factors you talked about in your video, another thing that made me really enjoy a game was the location of the stories, not just the scenery and environments but the actual countries and cultures/historical periods which were so embedded into the games. I was able to get a taste of Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, and even so many more through the middle of the series which I agree was its peak. I'm now living out my own adventures in Korea! (and solving the mystery that is the Korean language lol) And I can't help but think that I might not have gotten here without the amazing impact of these games. I was able to take a few quick weekend trips to Japan last year since it is so close by and kept comparing everything to SAW. The last hotel I stayed at had an onsen (hot spring bath) like the one from the game that changed a few times a day with periods for men and women. Navigating the subway there was just as hard as it was in the game, and yes there are vending machines and pachinko parlors everywhere!! I was very impressed with the accuracy of everything and am hoping to visit more countries in the future to make more comparisons. I recently re-bought all the games on Steam (minus the Shattered Medallion hahaha great minds think alike) because there was an 80% off sale! I have been replaying them the past two months to introduce my bf to this great series and to fill the void that was left by the disappointment that is MID lol. We've finished TRN, MHM, SAW, CLK, and are working on the Final Scene right now! I still have a proud collection of all the games still at my parents' house for my family to play, but it hasn't been doing me much use on the other side of the world. I'm so happy to have a digital library now that I can take around the world with me and not have to worry about not having a disc drive on my laptop! Thanks for sharing your rankings and helping me relive a bit of childhood nostalgia!

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's so cool that we have such similar opinions and that you've been able to experience the games IRL in a way! Replaying them with your bf also sounds so fun!! Thank you so much for the comment!

[@elizabethheacock6796]

Just discovered your channel, your voice sounds like it belongs in a Nancy Drew Game which is truly the highest compliment one can give!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Aww thank you so much!! Welcome to the channel!

[@SarandipityStudios]

You sound like a Nancy Drew character (kinda like Bess or George) reviewing Nancy Drew games... love it!

[@WizardKittenYT]

I love that!! I've been told before that I sound like Bess 🥰 thanks for the comment!

[@windyhawthorn7387]

Treasure in the Royal tower. Was my first Nancy drew game. Loved it because you could wonder around finding all sorts of things to do and find and you didn't need to find some to win the game and you could do a lot of things out of order if you wanted to. It reminded me of Titanic out of time or dust a tale of the wired west. Which I loved as a child

[@WizardKittenYT]

That game is so classic and fantastic! And it's such a great introduction to the series!

[@writerspen010]

I'm surprised to see Blackmoor Manor ranked so highly. I recently played it for the first time, and while I found it enjoyable, the number of puzzle was _overwhelmingly_ tedious. The Lulu ones at the end in particular made me angry for all the up and down traveling I had to do. I prefer the story and setting driven ones, like Phantom of Venice (I'm biased, because I spent a significant amount of time living in Italy myself, and Venice was by far my favorite city, but the idea of catching an art thief is just so sexy that I get seduced by this game everytime), Ghost of Thornton Hall (looooove reading and writing Gothic stories), Silent Spy (heart-breaking backstory), and Sea of Darkness (adored the setting and well-rounded characters; they're the most fully fledged out of the games I've played imo). All four had fantastic and memorable music too. Message in a Haunted Mansion was the first game I ever played. The _"I see you"_ message scared me out of playing it and the games at large for years, but I recently played it again, and really loved it for all the reasons you gave. Secret of Shadow Ranch is the one that got me back into playing them, as a former Horse Girl, and it's generally the one I recommend to newcomers.

[@WizardKittenYT]

It was so fun reading all your thoughts, thank you so much for sharing!! I definitely see what you're saying! Blackmoor for me improves a lot on replays since the puzzles get easier!

[@icepckd]

Waverly at number one? That's what we call TASTE

[@WizardKittenYT]

Yeeess!! 🤗

[@irethyy]

I love this vid! Every time you switch and I here a different track I smile (love those tracks!!! when I heard memoirs and maya !!!), and the funny thing is that half of the things you counted as bad were things I enjoyed which shows how much there is for everyone (I was shocked at your top two)! It made me reappreciate some of the ones I forget and love every game again :)

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thank you so much for your kind comment!! I absolutely agree: I love the soundtracks so much and I love seeing everyone's opinions and learning about the depth of what these games have to offer! 🤗

[@LOTRLEGOLASFAN88]

I realised when you were listing why you liked certain games more that I had completely different priorities in games. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, just that I was intrigued that I cared most about setting and immersion more than plot. (I’m an English major, so that’s incredibly weird). Thank you so much for this list!!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thanks so much for commenting! That's why I've so enjoyed making this video and chatting with people in the comments. It's so interesting learning about the different viewpoints of other detectives! 🤗

[@somebody8105]

Where would you rank Mystery of the Seven Keys on this list? Love your content by the way, keep up the great work ❤

[@WizardKittenYT]

Since this is my personal ranking, I'm not positive yet! I want to play the game again now that I know the logic behind the puzzles and see how engaged and fun I find it on a replay. My guess is it might be able to sneak out of the bottom five, but only just.

[@Sylvainjose-satoyumiyato]

Ngl i love your rankings! I have only played Ghost of Thornton Hall, and SaW all the way through, but played a bit of SaW LoCS PoV and LT2BMC with my mom as a little kid, but I just started playing again and it is so much fun! I must admit, I needed to look up the answer for the last two puzzles in SaW... Great to know the Warnings at Waverly is really good! I just started playing it, and it is lots of fun!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Aw yay!! I'm so glad to hear that!

[@Sylvainjose-satoyumiyato]

@@WizardKittenYT I finished it in one day... I have a problem XD

[@WizardKittenYT]

@@Sylvainjose-satoyumiyato lol! It's a great game!!

[@sienakay]

SO interesting to see your rankings!!! my opinions on some games were completely different, but i still see your perspective. great video!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thank you so much!!

[@briellarose5661]

I love this!! Haha, "The mini golf game can go jump off a cliff!" I totally agree! That puzzle made me so frustrated!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Oh my gosh, bane of my existence for sure 😂

[@davidav2848]

This video got me so excited for the games. I used to play them all the time and now I’m about to repurchase a few to play again! Thank you for the video❤️

[@WizardKittenYT]

Yay! That's amazing!! I'm so glad you're back to enjoying ND! :)

[@goldenmoon739]

Also is there anyone who likes non-scary ND games? It's cool when HER doesn't try to be spOOkY: Venice and Alibi have really nice vibe to them.

[@WizardKittenYT]

I think there are definitely detectives that appreciate non-scary games! I tend to enjoy some scare factor just because it makes the mystery feel more high-stakes, but I do also like games with a really solid story but minimal scare factor, like ASH, WAC, SEA, TRT, DDI, and so on!

[@James-sp7vc]

Concise review without any spoilers. Great job! Would have put Last train higher just as a preference

[@RandomWriter9114]

Is it bad that the first thing I do every time I play "Warnings at Waverly Academy" is jump out the window and get demerits for it? 😅I have no idea why I'm so compelled to do it. If I had to guess, I think it's because I love doing things that end in Nancy getting into trouble when I play these games!

[@WizardKittenYT]

I've done the exact same thing during my last couple playthroughs and the impulse is so real 😅

[@Sylvainjose-satoyumiyato]

Wait is that why my game gave me a second chance for clicking the window 😭

[@theanimationcommendation]

Great ranking, it's always awesome to see fellow ND fans' lists! I think the biggest surprises to me on your list were how low Crystal Skull was and how high Deadly Device was. But I think we also agreed on many of the ones at the bottom of the list. My ranking is as follows: 1) Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon 2) Legend of the Crystal Skull 3) Curse of Blackmoor Manor 4) Secret of the Scarlet Hand 5) The Haunted Carousel 6) Message in a Haunted Mansion 7) Treasure in the Royal Tower 8) Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake 9) Danger on Deception Island 10) The Secret of the Old Clock 11) Secrets Can Kill (Regular and Remastered) 12) The Secret of Shadow Ranch 13) The Captive Curse 14) The Phantom of Venice 15) The Haunting of Castle Malloy 16) Tomb of the Lost Queen 17) Sea of Darkness 18) Shadow at the Water’s Edge 19) Ghost of Thornton Hall 20) Warnings of Waverly Academy 21) The White Wolf of Icicle Creek 22) Danger by Design 23) The Final Scene 24) Alibi in Ashes 25) Stay Tuned for Danger 26) The Silent Spy 27) The Deadly Device 28) The Shattered Medallion 29) Labyrinth of Lies 30) Trail of the Twister 31) Ransom of the Seven Ships 32) The Creature of Kapu Cave 33) Midnight in Salem

[@WizardKittenYT]

Ooh! So fun to see your list too! Definitely surprised to see FIN and WAC so low, but definitely agree on your bottom 5. I do also love all the games in your top 10, super solid games!

[@WingedGlider]

I grew up with these games, but never got to play all of them! Hope to get the package on steam some time

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's awesome! I'd highly recommend it! 😁

[@glamcouturequeen]

My new Nancy Drew BFF. Hi, hello how are ya! My favorite is WAC as well. This game got me into Poe. The perfect fall vibes. The setting while you can’t go around many places is still beautiful and takes me back to a simpler time when I was 13. This is going to sound so weird but I associate this game with the Glade Pumpkin air freshener as I’d spray it every so often then play. And also the pumpkin pie poptarts as that was my favorite snack to eat while playing. The sense of nostalgia while playing is amazing. I went into my old computer and the amount of saves I have for this game are ridiculous ❤️

[@WizardKittenYT]

Greetings, fellow detective! 🤗 I totally associate WAC with fall as well and pumpkin themed everything! It just hits all the vibes so perfectly! Thanks for the comment!!

[@kalzangtopgyal5304]

I loved ransoms of the seven ships... 😅 (even though there was just 1 possible suspect, I loved the puzzles or mayb m just a sucker for anything with pirate theme)

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's fair then if you're a puzzle lover! 😊

[@claireevelyn710]

waverly academy was the first nancy drew game i played at 10 years old so it has always held a special place in my heart, but i’m glad to see others that appreciate it because i still genuinely think it holds up compared to a lot of other games. also, yes!! exploring at night is * chef’s kiss * the best. imma need to replay that soon it’s been seven years agh :)

[@WizardKittenYT]

It's such a beautiful game!! And now is such a perfect time for a replay 🤗

[@fairsuns]

yesss! waverly is the game i always replay when i feel nostalgic about nancy drew - oh and alibi in ashes ofc.

[@PathwayRanchTX]

We have the same Number one! I feel you placed a few exactly where I would have, like your bottom 3! YES! The rest, not so sure, but I loved it!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Awesome!! Waverly is SO good! Thanks for the comment! 🤗

[@VioletOwlz]

Ugh it's so hard to rank them!!! I'm trying to come up with my rankings, but they're all so good. I tend to gravitate towards the ones from like 2008-2013, though. I also always score Legend of the Crystal Skull higher than maybe it should, but I think it's because I'm originally from the south and I love New Orleans (GTH also has a special place in my heart, even though I can't play it because it scares me so much lol)

[@WizardKittenYT]

That totally makes sense though because the familiarity that some games bring is what makes them so magical! Both CRY and GTH are spectacular!

[@loganarnoldkicks4321]

I will always put the original Secrets Can Kill at the bottom. Not because it’s a bad game, but because it’s so short! Even though I agree with what you said about The Shattered Medallion, I’d still rather have longer game play than just 2 or 3 hours at most. Really amazing video btw !!

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's definitely fair! And thank you!!

[@PAUL-uk1le]

I've played Both Secrets can Kill Final Scene Treasure at the Royal Tower The Old Clock Waverly Academy Midnight at Salem I just got Thornton Hall Blackmoor Manor I'll get ghost dogs and Haunted Mansion next I ordered seven keys but, it crashed on my 2015 laptop specs don't meet requirements Being older none of these games will do much to scare me but, I've always loved Mysteries. Of the games I played my favs in order so far are 1. Waverly Academy 2. The Final Scene 3. Treasure of the Royal Tower The other games were ok but, Midnight to Salem I wanted more Halloween esp since they hyped it up to be so really flat. One original thing that made me lower this game. Were the characters all drunk the babbled on and on like drunk people do Thank you for this channel WizardKitten You're a really nice person that does amazing work Please do more with Carter it was such a fun video. you both were great.

[@SR-mz8nn]

Danger on Deception Island, The Final Scene and Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake were the BOMB and my top three favorites! Moon Lake was genuinely spooky at times and Deception Island had a couple fun tasks. The Final Scene was scary AF with some of the navigation.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Agree 100%! Those are all awesome games! :D

[@SR-mz8nn]

I won’t lie though I totally PANICKED in the bomb part of “Stay Tuned For Danger”! Like I was crapping my pants in fear. But the Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake gave me the true scary atmosphere. Wandering the woods at night? Going to the cemetery? Panicking over the shed fire? Learning about the speakeasy? All amazing components. Though I remember the culprits of all these games, they’re still replayable. But I did enjoy ordering clam chowder in Deception Island 😂

[@alyailithyia]

Stay tuned for danger and treasure in the royal tower will always be my favorite, probably due to the fact that they were my first and me and my sister bonded over them which brings a nostalgia factor as well :)

[@WizardKittenYT]

That nostalgia is powerful stuff, but those are both wonderful games regardless 🤗

[@primeministerofsnooping7796]

You and I have similar game values, so I found myself nodding along with many of your rankings! 😊 Great video! 🔍

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's awesome! Thank you so much for watching!

[@creepykels]

These games are what got me into gaming as a young girl. My childhood BFF and I would always wait for these to come out so we could play them together after school. I agree so much with what you said. Thank you for the trip down memory lane! I’ve played them all now and was disappointed by Midnight In Salem. But hey, 30+ great games from one studio? Well done to them.

[@WizardKittenYT]

I'm so glad you got relieve what sound like incredible memories!! Thanks for the comment! 🤗

[@creepykels]

Caitlyn out of curiosity, are there any other games that these made you interested in exploring? The horror genre was definitely a love I learned through Haunted Mansion: Silent Hill 2 is now my favorite game of all time

[@WizardKittenYT]

@@creepykels I've played the Miss Clue games and a few hidden object games, but that style can't quite match what ND was able to do! My other PC love is definitely the Sims, but I wish I could find more games like these!

[@creepykels]

Caitlyn oh definitely , ND games are one and only. I’d recommend Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove!

[@WizardKittenYT]

@@creepykels that's great to know, thank you! I'll have to give it a try!

[@Elisevetter]

Oh my god, this was my childhood. Thanks for this❤

[@WizardKittenYT]

So glad you liked it!

[@angel_in-black]

My sister and I bonded over playing these games growing up. I think I was 12 and she was 16 when we played our first, which was Secret of the Scarlet Hand, it freaked us out with how scary it was! I mean dealing with a theft, a man suffering amnesia, and getting locked in a tomb?! Holy crap! Then we played Stay Tuned for Danger, honestly that took us the longest cause we kept getting stuck and this was before the internet age, I remember it being the point where you had to defuse a bomb and we couldn’t find anything to cut the wires and then one day bam I found it randomly. That ending was pretty scary back then too, I mean a mad man will strangle you if you’re too slow?!? Then it was The Final Scene! We still quote lines from Nick Falcone to this day lol. But this was also a really scary one, I mean solving a kidnapping? It was also hard in some places, but it was a good one even tho it’s sad who the culprit really was in that game. The Haunted Carousel was fun but hard in some spots, same with Danger on Deception Island. By far the most fun we had was with Secret of Shadow Ranch. That was the most fun! All those riddles and puzzles! Learning about Dirk Valentine and Frances! I’m not sure why but maybe I enjoyed it so much because it was the least scary one I ever played. Which isn’t to say I don’t like the scariness in these games because my second favorite is Curse of Blackmore Manor! That was a scary one and a tough one but I love it! So many memories of my sister and I putting our heads together, trying to figure out puzzles and who the culprit was. I haven’t played one since 2006 and I hear they’re pretty different nowadays but the memories of playing these mean a lot to me.

[@WizardKittenYT]

This was so lovely to read!! I'm so glad that you still have such wonderful memories of the games!

[@nadezhdayurkova5408]

I find it amusing that I agree with all the disadvantages of the Shattered Medallion, but it remains one of my favorite games in the series. I often play it when I want to take a break. Perhaps it’s all about the bright location and the plot of the game that doesn’t make me feel anxious. Just a game to relax. Thanks for the video)

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thanks for the comment! I could totally see MED being a good game for relaxing! It's kind of like how reality TV can be a great escape 😁 cooky characters, nice setting, etc.

[@chandrawagner4061]

I'm a little surprised by your top being Waverly. I love Waverly but I wouldnt put it that high. I loooove that you put ghost dogs so high. Shadow ranch and treasure are my top with ghost dogs and blue moon not so far behind. Crystal skull is fabulous. I also prefer phantom to danger by design but maybe that because I really enjoy scopa lol

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's totally fair, I think all those games are excellent as well! Waverly just never gets old for me and has literally everything I want in a mystery, but I do really enjoy Shadow Ranch and TRT as well! Thanks for the comment! 🤗

[@EmilyLynne1993]

Waverly is literally my second LEAST favourite, it was just so claustrophobic being stuck in a small school the whole time.

[@chandrawagner4061]

@@EmilyLynne1993 I wouldnt put it that low but ya I'm not as big a fan of the games that have you stuck in one location the whole game.

[@WizardKittenYT]

@@EmilyLynne1993 interesting!! Those kind of locations tend to be my favorite! Are you more of a Phantom of Venice, Danger by Design, Silent Spy kinda player then?

[@GraemeCree]

If you saw the reviews, you wouldn't be surprised. It's the only game she gave a perfect rating to.

[@Lydiahunt188]

You sound like Velma from scooby doo! Love this video such spooky vibes I'm so excited to get a nancy drew game tonight for the first time

[@WizardKittenYT]

OMG, I love that I sound like Velma! :D Also SO excited for you to get your first Nancy Drew game!! That's amazing, enjoy!!

[@AbstractOddity]

i was trying to figure out what you would put as number one about halfway through I guessed it right! it's one of my favorites too. I think my top five would be waverly, shadow at the water's edge, blackthorn, danger by design and either message in a haunted mansion or castle malloy - i tend to like the "scarier" ones even though I'm a big scaredy cat lol. I feel like I need to replay sea of darkness because all I can remember about it is the pretty song and not much else. I'm curious where you would place midnight in salem on your list? For me I think the characters are very interesting but I was disappointed by the lack of puzzles and the navigation was actually somehow almost more annoying than the older games. I'd probably rank it around number 20 or so with 1 being the best.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Those would be a great top five! I'm the same way...love the scary games even though I'm a huge chicken! I unfortunately put MID way at the bottom, even lower than the Shattered Medallion. I explain more in my review video, but it just disappointed me in literally every aspect.

[@robertamccarthy6183]

Have you ever done a ranking of music/soundtracks of NDgames? I loved the music in Haunted Mansion, Ghost Dogs, and Sea of Dsrkness.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Yes! There are two Nancy Drew analysis videos in the playlist analyzing the soundtracks! :)

[@robertamccarthy6183]

@@WizardKittenYT I did find one of them later. Thank you

[@ludwigvanbeethoven2416]

Every game is just magical the music the area almost makes you cry. i love nostalgia do you?

[@WizardKittenYT]

YES, the nostalgia is easily one of my favorite parts of these games! :)

[@HannahASMR]

I love shadow at the water’s edge and last train to blue moon canyon and ghost of Thornton hall and I love ghost dogs of moon lake because it is the first one I played

[@WizardKittenYT]

Yes!! All such good games!!

[@bennypewthers2620]

My favorite thing about Warnings at Waverly is the snack shop!

[@WizardKittenYT]

YES! I'm obsessed with the snack shop!!

[@jessiedefranco1131]

i think waverly academy has one of the greatest atmospheres. my only complaint with the game is that it feels too short. like they could’ve done more with it!

[@LucyAshton007]

Agree and at the same time disagree with a lot of game places 😄 thanks for the cool video!

[@loganarnoldkicks4321]

I wholeheartedly agree with you on number 1 !! I can’t even think of a game I love as much as WAC !

[@WizardKittenYT]

It's just pure gold!!

[@nightshade99]

Loved your rankings, Caitlyn! Here is MY Ultimate List! (I plan to do my own video in 2020.) * MY ULTIMATE NANCY DREW RANKINGS * (scores reflect the desirability of the game overall) 1) GHOST DOGS OF MOON LAKE * 91.8 2) GHOST OF THORNTON HALL * 90.3 3) WHITE WOLF OF ICICLE CREEK * 86.7 4) WARNINGS AT WAVERLY ACADEMY * 85.7 5) HAUNTING OF CASTLE MALLOY * 85.3 6) THE FINAL SCENE * 84.6 7) LAST TRAIN TO BLUE MOON CANYON * 84.2 8) THE CRYSTAL SKULL * 83.1 9) TREASURE IN THE ROYAL TOWER * 82.9 10) SECRET OF THE OLD CLOCK * 82.4 11) SEA OF DARKNESS * 81.7 12) THE HAUNTED CAROUSEL * 80.9 13) STAY TUNED FOR DANGER * 80.7 14) DANGER BY DESIGN * 80.5 15) DANGER ON DECEPTION ISLAND * 80.1 16) THE SHATTERED MEDALLION * 79.6 17) SHADOW AT THE WATER'S EDGE * 79 18) THE CAPTIVE CURSE * 78.8 19) MESSAGE IN A HAUNTED MANSION * 78 20) SECRET OF SHADOW RANCH * 77.8 21) MIDNIGHT IN SALEM * 76.4 22) THE PHANTOM OF VENICE * 75 23) SECRET OF THE SCARLET HAND * 74.5 24) CURSE OF BLACKMOOR MANOR * 74.3 25) TRAIL OF THE TWISTER * 73.2 26) THE SILENT SPY * 72.5 27) THE DEADLY DEVICE * 72 28) RANSOM OF THE SEVEN SHIPS * 71.6 29) TOMB OF THE LOST QUEEN * 71.2 30) CREATURE OF KAPU CAVE * 70.9 31) SECRETS CAN KILL * REMASTERED * 70.7 32) ALIBI IN ASHES * 68.7 33) LABYRINTH OF LIES * 66

[@BradyPostma]

I love how methodical you were with your ranking and ratings!

[@nightshade99]

@@BradyPostma That was a list I had compiled over the course of seven years. I am thinking of replaying them again to see if I still agree, ha, ha

[@evangeliaedwards3067]

My favorite is Blackmoor Manor, and I really enjoyed Shadow at the Water's Edge, Haunting of Castle Malloy, Last Train, Danger by Design, Secret of the OId Clock, and Crystal Skull. I think TRT was my first game, and I played a lot in 2009-2012 as a kid.

[@WizardKittenYT]

All great games!! It's so hard to pick when they're all so good! :)

[@brunette3cookie]

My first was Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake and I played 2-7 periodically through library rental as a child. I'm currently replaying them in order(easter eggs!) and just finished Shadow Ranch. Secret of the Scarlet Hand is my least favorite so far purely for the fact that you can become softlocked. Oh, did you check your voicemail before calling a number on a business card? Softlocked. I only beat it by reading a walkthrough as I went to make sure I called random people at the right time. Being softlocked as a child before everyone had internet at home and just not understanding why nothing would make me progress was infuriating. A game with that much information shoved at you shouldn't also be unbeatable by not looking at a plaque earlier but looking now doesn't correct the issue. One of the better plots and very cool, for sure, but just maddening as the only softlockable one that also makes you very aware it's an educational game 😡

[@macweenie3780]

I generally agree with the lower ones, but when it came to mid and highest ranked, some of them are mixed up for me. Ghost Dogs and Shadow Ranch are lower solely because of the chores, but I'd have Spy and Last Train higher. We have same fav though. :)

[@danielleball3072]

I really liked the idea of alibi in ashes but got so sick of having to figure out which character had to do what

[@WizardKittenYT]

I get that! It can be a bit tough at first!

[@marykmotherhood]

Your great at your explanations! Almost like mine for order expect i am a bit opinionated on the Thornton Hall and scarlet hand on being lower on the list! Sea of darkness, final scene, Waverly were in my top

[@WizardKittenYT]

Aw, thanks so much! That means so much! Can totally understand GTH and SSH being lower, though hooray for SEA, FIN, AND WAC!!

[@marykmotherhood]

@@WizardKittenYT honestly yeah you have a very good skill set at explaining perfectly a game in its entirety. Simple and the point!

[@ThoughtSP95]

I played about half the games as a kid and recently got back into them as an escapism thing during quarantine... good news: I’ve never played your top 3! Can’t wait

[@WizardKittenYT]

Oh gosh!! Well you hopefully will be in for a treat then! They are a perfect quarantine escape!! 😊

[@Theonlygracius]

Shadow ranch was the first game I played and is def my fave. I didn’t really like waverly academy. Most of the characters were brats and while the snack shop was cute it wasn’t enough to make up for the characters.

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's fair! Shadow Ranch is an awesome game too! Thanks for the comment! 🤗

[@DannyaMcbride]

My first was scarlet hamd

[@wesnes2006]

Crazy question for any current gamers. I used to play ND and other games on our PC about 15 years ago. I haven’t played anything on a laptop/desktop since then. What type of laptop would you recommend me buying if I wanted to get into gaming the old ND games again, without worrying about compatibility issues. Any advice would be appreciated!

[@WizardKittenYT]

That's a great question! Definitely avoid Mac, but most PC options work just fine. I have Windows 10 and I haven't had any problems. There are a couple things you have to do when installing the really old games to make sure they work okay, but it's pretty simple!

[@Love4MusicNMore]

If you have Steam all the ND games are on there starting from Message in a haunted mansion. Secrets can kill remastered is on there but the original secrets can kill and stay tuned for danger are unfortunately not.

[@NancyDrewHQ]

Great video! Keep making more - this community needs more voices! :-)

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thank you so much for the encouragement!! 🤗

[@gabbi5298]

It would be awesome if you did a similar video!!

[@jaredkaanga295]

I love finding other people who've played the whole series. The games are so unknown and under rated and I love finding other ND fans. Also, my favorite is Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Just replayed TRN, what a magical game!! Absolutely agree that these wonderful games are woefully underrated. Thanks for the comment!

[@girlfr1day581]

Waverly academy is my #1 too! I’ve played it over at least 5 times

[@WizardKittenYT]

YES! It's the best! :D

[@kaitie-m-edits]

Our personal rankings are very different, but I loved hearing your thoughts and I agree with a lot of them! FIN was also my first ND game so I feel the exact same way about it. I would love to see a comprehensive list of your objective scores for the games!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Thank you so much for your comment!! FIN is such a beautiful game 😍

[@emilyoliver626]

Love this video! Mostly agree! I will say I know what you mean when you say the first game you play has a special place in the heart. That is Message in the Haunted Mansion for me. I’d def say it’s top 5 for me. I think if I were rating I would say 1. Shadow Ranch 2. Last Train 3. Deception Island 4. Message 5. Ghost Dogs

[@WizardKittenYT]

Love those as a top five!! All those games are so iconic! Thanks for the comment!

[@jessyslife3398]

Did anyone have the wolf of ice circle creek loge on the wii like me?

[@WizardKittenYT]

I never did, but I know of many fellow detectives who did!

[@liz5089]

I spent so long trying to figure out why you hadn’t said MID near the bottom of the list before I realized this video came out first.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Yeah, if I redid the ranking, MID would 100% be at the bottom...

[@monkey6207]

Wait, you liked The Scarlet Hand? Ah but that one was boring XD Interesting list, Castle Malloy is my favorite :D

[@WizardKittenYT]

Scarlet Hand is an okay one for me! It's not a favorite, but I think that it is solidly constructed as a mystery overall! I do love me some Haunting Malloy though! Love the Irish setting! Thanks for the comment 🤗

[@monkey6207]

@Schuylerville It's always interesting to hear which ones people liked best! What makes you say it aged better?

[@solihinsalam8173]

solid list. I haven't played all nancy drew games but my favorite list would be. 10. trail of the twister 9. treasure in the royal clocktower 8. ghost dogs of moon lake 7. secret of the old clock 6. secret of the shadow ranch 5. secrets can kill remastered 4. last train to blue moon canyon 3. alibi in ashes 2. danger by design 1. the phantom venice

[@WizardKittenYT]

Ooh, love that as a top ten!! Thanks for the comment!

[@wonderoushistoryofclassicf9193]

Ya know my mom loved these games when I was a kid and still does in her old age. Wonder if they still make these so I can try them out as an adult.

[@WizardKittenYT]

You can still purchase them from the HerInteractive website and through a lot of download services, like Steam and Big Fish. The newest game was just released this December, but it's very different to the original series. Including the new game, there are now 33 games :)

[@wonderoushistoryofclassicf9193]

@@WizardKittenYT Thank you very much for the information. I can definitely go check out the website and pick up one of the games to relive my childhood a bit.

[@wonderoushistoryofclassicf9193]

@@WizardKittenYT Also different in a good way or a bad way?

[@WizardKittenYT]

@@wonderoushistoryofclassicf9193 Unfortunately, different in a bad way. I did a review of it on the channel if you want more specifics, but they basically tried to change the entire existing graphics structure and system without fully realizing any of it. They promised us better graphics, a longer/more immersive storyline, and more interesting characters, but couldn't deliver on any of it...

[@wonderoushistoryofclassicf9193]

@@WizardKittenYT That's unfortunate. Hopefully the next game will be a bit better. I just comleted Lights, Camera, Curses and was quite impressed overall. As soon as I complete Sherlock Holmes Versus Jack the Ripper I plan on trying out Secrets Can Kill Remastered and going from there. Rip my wallet. (also check the aforementioned game out. I think it might be right up your alley)

[@Popcorndetecive]

I agree with you on the phantom of Venice

[@WizardKittenYT]

Nice! I'm glad I'm not the only one!

[@miniyoyoman3739]

To bad that I cant buy Nancy Drew Warnings at Waverly Academy because I buy from Steam :/ so if i buy it dosent work i have windows 7 and works only in windows:98/ME/2000/XP/Vista :/ ...

[@WizardKittenYT]

You may still be able to make it work by installing it with compatibility mode! I'd reach out to HerInteractive technical support and see if they can help you :)

[@alyailithyia]

Notice how the newer games have gotten progressively worse. Once the Labyrinth of Lies and Silent Spy games came out, I felt an impending sense of doom on behalf of HERint. What happened to the quality music, the well-thought out locations, and characters who had DEPTH? I really miss when the games were like Beast of Blackmoor, Treasure in the Royal Tower, and the classic Secrets Can Kill which had the perfect balance of creativity, atmosphere, and uneasiness.

[@WizardKittenYT]

I tend to agree! They definitely shifted from a plot and character driven focus to more of a graphics and puzzles focus as the years went on. I do think some of the newer games that harken back to the classics are some of the best, but I agree that a strong storyline should always take precedence! Thanks for your comment! 🤗

[@PeachReaver]

My favorite will always be the haunted carousel :)

[@WizardKittenYT]

Understandable! That is definitely a fun one!

[@fairygurl5448]

I love this list!

[@WizardKittenYT]

Yay! I'm so glad!

[@GN77340]

I agree with this list.

[@h193013]

The Final Scene was my first game too

[@WizardKittenYT]

It's such a great first game!

[@h193013]

Caitlyn I agree the only thing I would change would be not making the Houdini stuff optional like maybe Joseph won’t return from the press conference until after you call the Library of Congress and maybe Joseph won’t disappear until after you get the slide

[@dekacchann]

Oh man I would have LOVED Ghost dogs of moon lake but that forest can go suck an egg. I played it only once and the amount of times I was lost in that woods for literal hours and couldn’t figure out how to navigate it and then rage quit even with a map.. nah. You couldn’t pay me to play it again. It’s probably simple for others but it drove me to insanity lol.

[@WizardKittenYT]

LOL, fair!! It can get really labyrinthine!

[@jessiedefranco1131]

although the culprit reveal is a bit lame in white wolf. that game is one of the coziest to play. seriously one of my favorites!! that and treasure in a royal tower and shadow at the waters edge. but seriously how do you choose. they all have their own special qualities!

[@beccas5170]

Treasure in the Royal Tower and Warnings at Waverly Academy are my favorite.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Love both of those! Thanks for the comment!!

[@mondenkindqueen]

Creature of Kapu Cave is narratively irritating to me, because there are entire exciting plot points the game can refuse to let you see through to the end. You can actually find out about the secret project at the Hilihili, if the game lets you.

[@lissieslyfe4164]

Honestly the captive curse and the shattered medallion are my favorites... oh and midnight in Salem😍😍😍

[@WizardKittenYT]

Wow! I honestly love to hear from detectives with different gameplay styles! I'm so glad that there are detectives that love those games and I can definitely still see why :) Thanks for the comment!

[@MasterJennaMcLain]

I don't really have a definitive favorite, but of the ones I've played Silent Spy, Alibi in Ashes, and Blue Moon Canyon are at the top followed by Water's Edge, White Wolf, Scarlet Hand, and Carousel. I got so mad when I scratched the second disk of my Blue Moon Canyon copy. I couldn't install it on any other of my computers. I've also played Shattered Medallion but that one had way too many puzzles for very little payoff. I liked the initial thought of finally meeting Sonny Joon, but he did not live up to what I thought he would. For games that I haven't played (but watched playthroughs), I liked Deadly Device, Ghost Dogs, Final Scene, and Waverly Academy. When I graduate and actually have time and money, I'd like to play a lot of these. Except Midnight in Salem and Kapu Cave. Those games are the worst of the series.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Loved reading all of your favorites and least favorites! Totally agree about Shattered Medallion and Kapu Cave...I'm getting my Midnight in Salem physical copy soon and am so ready to do a review of it! Thanks for the comment! :)

[@Raeimarie]

Where would you put Midnight in Salem on this list, Caitlyn?

[@WizardKittenYT]

Unfortunately at the very bottom ☹ The Shattered Medallion at least had better graphics and some interesting puzzles.

[@Raeimarie]

@@WizardKittenYT That's too bad because it had the potential to be a great game. The trailer played at the end of "Sea of Darkness" made it sound interesting. You'd think that because it took them FOUR YEARS to do it that it would be amazing but, no. I still can't wait to see your official walkthrough of it. Your ND walkthroughs always seem to make even the "not so good" ND games better.

[@WizardKittenYT]

Agreed, I think the original concept with the original style would have made it an amazing game! But instead we got....not that. LOL. I wasn't sure if people would watch me play it again, but some have been requesting it 🤔