Nancy Drew: The Deadly Secret of Olde World Park Critic Reviews

The game's major emphasis on telling a complete and engaging story saves what might have otherwise been a let down in terms of actual gameplay. The interactive elements are simple and, though they might not cut it with gaming veterans, should be just fine for most players looking for a good storytelling experience.

It's amazingly accessible for young players, features a proactive character for girls, and is a great way to introduce children to the adventure genre. And although long-time gamers will find the game to almost run on automatic, it also features a fast-paced crime story with surprise twists, and some smooth art.

The lacking depth of the mini-game designs and limited exploration aspects could be counted as a negative against The Deadly Secret, but are more likely to just make the adventure more accessible for young female gamers being newly introduced to the adventure genre.

Nevertheless, Nancy Drew: Deadly Secret of Olde World Park hits the spot surprisingly well, rather than dwelling in "girly content" that would've made this game just as insulting as Acclaim's Mary Kate and Ashley line-up.

As an attractively illustrated adventure game with very mild difficulty levels, Nancy Drew: The Deadly Secret of Olde World Park probably isn’t a bad choice for younger gamers or fans of Nancy Drew who might enjoy it as a short, interactive comic book. If you’re looking for something like the PC Nancy Drew games on the DS, though, this title is probably not for you.

If your young one really wants to play a mystery-solving game, get them Hotel Dusk or one of the Phoenix Wright games, which actually involve some problem-solving. If, however, your kid is a die-hard Nancy Drew fan, just get them one of the books – it’s cheaper and you don’t have to put up with shallow, boring gameplay to get to the story.

The many Nancy Drew fans and DS adventure gamers may be interested in this title, but I can’t really recommend it to any audience. Even for a younger gamer, the repetitive gameplay will likely get boring before the end, and the tedium will quickly be felt by a more seasoned adventure gamer.