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When you think of characters in horror games, Barbie hardly is the primary idea that springs to mind. But anyone who delved into the delightfully dark 1998 PC game Detective Barbie in the Mystery of the Carnival Caper recognizes that Barbie absolutely has survivor qualities.

The Bizarre Setup

The premise is fittingly bizarre: Barbie and her pal Becky have recently completed from their neighborhood investigator school, since naturally that's an actual institution. A "fall charity carnival" is happening nearby, and Ken is strangely the festival head, despite the fact he and Barbie are suggested to be teenagers. But the night before the carnival opens, tragedy strikes: Ken goes missing via a sorcery performance error, and the donation funds vanishes with him! Of course, it's up to Detective Barbie, her friend Becky (who functions as her "mission control"), and the player to unravel the puzzle of his absence.

Detective Barbie was speaking player names aloud well before Fallout 4 and Starfield tried the gimmick — and she could say almost every name.

The Strangeness Begins

Things get weird nearly instantly. After booting up the game, users are prompted to select their name from a list, and Barbie will address the player by name throughout the game. I cannot emphasize how extensive and detailed this name list is. Should you be a person who has historically had trouble locating souvenirs with your name on them at present boutiques, you might assume you're unfortunate here, but you're mistaken. There are thousands of names on the list, which appears to catalogue practically each form of every feminine forename in existence, from incredibly common to surprisingly rare. Although Barbie says the player's name with a honestly alarming amount of lively energy, it doesn't sound like text-to-speech, which has me pondering how long Barbie actress Chris Anthony Lansdowne stayed in the sound room rattling off almost all girl's name under the sun.

Exploring the Carnival

When gamers provide their name, they take command of Barbie as she examines the area of the crime. It's late at night, and she's totally solitary (except for Becky, who occasionally checks in via the Crime Computer). Looking back, I can't get over how much wandering around the game's creepy carnival grounds is similar to playing Silent Hill 3. Admittedly, this carnival isn't covered in blood and rust, or infested with frightening monsters like Lakeside Amusement Park, but the feel is unquestionably eerie. It only grows more suspicion-raising when Barbie begins observing a shadowy form roaming the grounds. It becomes clear she's accompanied after all.

There's nothing like a anxious follow down a hilariously extended slide to get your blood pumping.

Unsettling Rides and Chases

As you guide Barbie through more and more creepy games and exhibits (the Halloween prop storage room still haunts my dreams), the player will discover hints, which she forwards to Becky to examine. The clues ultimately lead Barbie to the enigmatic character's location, and it's her duty to find them, following Ken's captor through a selection of fairground classics including bumper cars, an enormous slide with splitting ways, and a poorly illuminated love tunnel. These chases were genuinely heart-pounding — the music becomes intense, and an incorrect action could lead to the suspect fleeing.

Remarkable Detail

Detective Barbie in the Mystery of the Carnival Caper had a unexpected amount of detail, especially for a late '90s point-and-click game targeted at female children. Rather than costuming Barbie, or interacting with her ponies, Detective Barbie centered on actual gameplay, had a engaging narrative, and was creepy as hell. It even had a degree of repeat play appeal — each run-through switched up the kinds of evidence players would discover, and concerning Ken's kidnapper, there were several persons of interest — the identity of the guilty party altered with each session you played. Once the mystery was solved, players could even print out a young sleuth emblem to show off for top-tier social status.

A child's initial fright! The clues in this room creak loudly or emerge unexpectedly as players investigate them.

Heritage and Follow-ups

Of course, after a handful of reruns, you'd ultimately experience everything the game had to offer, but it was remarkable back then, and even generated two subsequent titles: 1999's Detective Barbie 2: The Vacation Mystery, and 2000's Detective Barbie: The Mystery Cruise. The brand remains releasing Barbie video games nowadays — the upcoming title is Barbie Horse Tails (yes, another equestrian/customizing adventure), which releases later this month. Even though the images are a certain upgrade over Detective Barbie, I question Barbie Horse Tails contains the same degree of interactive complexity, replay value, or typical creepiness as its end-of-century ancestors, which is kind of a shame.

A Gateway to Horror

Irrespective of the brand's primary aims for the game, Detective Barbie in the Mystery of the Carnival Caper finally evolved into my introduction to scary media, and I'd appreciate observing Detective Barbie star in another fun-but-spooky game that extends past dress-up and horse-riding. The world has plenty of horse girls, but it could definitely use more resilient kid investigators cracking important fundraising fair mysteries.