Carmen Sandiego

15 Adventure games like Carmen Sandiego that you should try

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Ranking compiled by Lluis Enric Mayans, Founder & Head of ContentUpdated May 19, 2026How this is calculatedOrdered by an attribute-similarity model, not editorial opinion.

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We filtered the 22 games similar to Carmen Sandiego down to the 15 that fit the “Adventure” category. Beholder, Observation and Papers, Please top the list, ranked by affinity and similarity score to Carmen Sandiego.

iRank73/ 100

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GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

Tags

NarrativeSolo

Year 2025Dev Gameloft

Stores

Steam ↗Epic ↗Xbox ↗PS ↗Nintendo ↗

Quick answer

Within the “Adventure” category, the closest game to Carmen Sandiego is Beholder — scoring 78/100 on our similarity scale. Observation and Papers, Please follow close behind.

#1Beholder78 #2Observation69 #3Papers, Please69 #4Papers, Please - The Short Film69 #5Do Not Feed the Monkeys69

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The best adventure games like Carmen Sandiego

15 similar games foundUpdated May 2026

Handpicked by our similarity algorithm, these are the titles with the highest gameplay match to Carmen Sandiego. Each one has been evaluated across 10 real attributes — from combat style and progression mechanics to world structure and visual perspective — so every recommendation is based on how the game actually plays, not just its genre label.

#1BeholderClosest overall match

78

Beholder

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloStealthNarrative3DDark

Steam👍 92%· 30KIGDB80· 3OC76· 27

Year 2016Dev Warm Lamp Games · Alawar EntertainmentOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, dark, oppressive atmosphere and visual 2d, while skipping exploration and discovery

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Combat100Game mode100Tone64Visuals49

69

Observation

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkHorrorSci-Fi

Steam👍 78%· 5.1KIGDB82· 11OC76· 81

Year 2019Dev No Code · Devolver DigitalOn PS4 · PC · Xbox

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with horror tension, dark, oppressive atmosphere and horror setting, while skipping stealth mechanics

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone66Visuals0

#3Papers, Please

69

Papers, Please

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkCasualHardcore

Steam👍 97%· 79KRAWG👍 91%· 1.8KMC85IGDB82· 5

Year 2013Dev Lucas Pope · 3909Playtime ~4hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Where it differs: brings dark, oppressive atmosphere, vibe casual and punishing difficulty, while skipping stealth mechanics

The creator of the game often travelled through Asia and made the observation that the work of an immigration officer checking documents for entry is simultaneously very monotonous and very responsible.

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone55Visuals0

#4Papers, Please - The Short Film

69

Papers, Please - The Short Film

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkCasualHardcore

Steam👍 97%· 79KRAWG👍 91%· 1.8KMC85IGDB82· 5

Year 2013Dev Lucas Pope · 3909Playtime ~4hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and puzzle design

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, vibe casual and punishing difficulty, while skipping stealth mechanics

The creator of the game often travelled through Asia and made the observation that the work of an immigration officer checking documents for entry is simultaneously very monotonous and very responsible.

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 12 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone55Visuals0

#5Do Not Feed the Monkeys

69

Do Not Feed the Monkeys

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeDarkManagement2D

Steam👍 93%· 12KIGDB75· 1OC77· 21

Year 2018Dev Fictiorama Studios · BadLand PublishingOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, puzzle design and adventure storytelling

≠ Stands apart with dark, oppressive atmosphere, resource management and visual 2d, while skipping stealth mechanics

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: progression and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone73Progression0Visuals0

#6Always Sometimes MonstersClosest on visuals

65

Always Sometimes Monsters

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeIsometricThird PersonCasual

Steam👍 75%· 2.4KRAWG👍 26%· 76MC73IGDB81· 5OC73· 30

Year 2014Dev Devolver DigitalPlaytime ~3hOn PC · PS · iOS

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with deep RPG systems, vibe casual and visual pixel, while skipping puzzle design

###Sad story Made by two developers from Canada in the RPG Maker, the game tells the story of the author who receives a note that the love of his life marries another on the other side of the country.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 11 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone80Visuals64

#7The GraveyardClosest on tone

63

The Graveyard

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeThird Person

Steam👍 61%· 621RAWG👍 63%· 24

Year 2009Dev Tale of TalesPlaytime ~1hOn PC · Android · Apple Macintosh

✓ If you enjoyed Carmen Sandiego, expect deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings roguelike runs, while skipping puzzle design

The Graveyard is a very short computer game. You play an old lady who visits a graveyard. You walk around, sit on a bench and listen to a song. It's more like an explorable painting than an actual game. An experiment with poetry and storytelling but without words.

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

On reception: its Steam reviews are mixed, against mostly positive for Carmen Sandiego.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 16 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals41

62

Golf Story

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeIsometricLootSkill Tree

IGDB83· 7OC81· 45

Year 2017Dev Sidebar GamesOn Switch

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings sports simulation, deep RPG systems and loot and gear systems, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: progression and visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 8 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone100Visuals49Progression0

#9This Is the Police

60

This Is the Police

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeIsometricDarkManagement

Steam👍 82%· 11KIGDB61· 14OC64· 58

Year 2016Dev Weappy Studio · EuroVideo MedienOn PS4 · Linux · Android

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Stands apart with visual novel storytelling, dark, oppressive atmosphere and resource management, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: progression and visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 9 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Tone76Visuals49Progression0

#10Cultist Simulator

60

Cultist Simulator

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloNarrativeIsometricDarkProcedural

Steam👍 80%· 14KIGDB85· 2OC78· 22

Year 2018Dev Weather FactoryOn Linux · Android · PC

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and strong narrative focus

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems, card game strategy and turn-based strategy, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: progression and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Tone62Visuals49Progression0

#11Thief: The Dark Project

57

Thief: The Dark Project

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloStealthMagicMeleeRanged

IGDB70· 1

Year 1998Dev Looking Glass Studios · Eidos InteractiveOn PC

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and stealth mechanics

≠ Stands apart with combat magic, melee combat and ranged combat, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 27 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Combat57Visuals0

#12The Sims Medieval

56

The Sims Medieval

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloIsometricFantasyHistoricalMedieval

IGDB75· 3

Year 2011Dev The Sims Studio · Electronic ArtsOn PC · Mac

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: fantasy world, historical setting and setting medieval, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 14 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals49

#13Pokémon Quest

56

Pokémon Quest

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloIsometricSkill Tree

IGDB60· 1

Year 2018Dev Game Freak · NintendoOn Android · iOS · Switch

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Where it differs: brings deep RPG systems and skill tree progression, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: progression and visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals49Progression0

#14Digimon World

56

Digimon World

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloThird PersonFantasySci-FiCyberpunk

Year 1999Dev Bandai

✓ Like Carmen Sandiego, it's known for deep simulation, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: deep RPG systems, fantasy world and setting scifi, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

It predates Carmen Sandiego by 26 years, with what that implies technically.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals41

#15New Pokémon Snap

53

New Pokémon Snap

GenreSimulationSubgenreJob Sim

SoloFantasySci-FiFirst Person

IGDB81· 12

Year 2021Dev Bandai Namco Studios · NintendoOn Switch

✓ Shared with Carmen Sandiego: deep simulation, adventure storytelling and single-player focus

≠ Its own twist: fantasy world, setting scifi and visual first person, while skipping puzzle design

Where it drifts furthest from Carmen Sandiego: visuals.

Genre100Game mode100Visuals0

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