Clue - Master Detective

Ok, how many people know this game??

See, I have a little sad story about this game. I LOVE it.

Some time in the early 90's, I think, I took some of my own money and bought a couple games. LOVE Clue. So this Master Detective game came out - more suspects, more rooms, more weapons! More more more. More everything. Pretty sure I bought it at the Toys R Us on South Street in Cerritos, before they redid the inside ... ah, memories.

I got this game for $20 and the Clue Master Detective VHS video game as well.

So this one random time, we have family friends that came over ... and my mom, as the hostess, felt that we should give them (the kids of the family friends) a present, to be hospitable. So, basically - and it's a Chinese thing - she doesn't have anything of her own likely appropriate for kids, so she asks ME what I HAVE that I could give them ...

And did I offer up this game? I have no idea. I know sometimes she would say (because it certainly happened more than once!!!), "Let's just give it to them now and I'll buy you a new one later."

Oh, guess how often I actually ended up with "a new one later"??? :)

Anyhoo, Master Detective was given away, it was never replaced, even when I (think) went back to Toys R Us to try to get another one ...

I've been bitter about it ever since. I'm talkin' years, people!! And it might not be completely off the wall to blame my somewhat compulsive spending habits on things like this that have happened.

Thusly, I think I'd been checking eBay over the past year or so to try to get another one in decent shape. I wasn't willing to pay more than $20 for it, even with inflation adjusted and everything.

Seriously, folks, any of you that thrift, or go to garage sales, or whatever? BUY THIS GAME.

This game sells for beaucoup bucks!!! I just did a quick search and the cheapest that sold in the last month was $15, with $15 shipping. That was missing the knife weapon piece, as well as having only photocopied detective sheets. There were several sets that sold for $45. Eeps!!

So the thing is, in my thrifting adventures in the last few months I actually DID come across this game, in semi-decent condition ... for $3.95. I was ecstatic the first time I found one, since it was a childhood trauma that needed not-a-little amelioration.

Since then, I've found a couple more, and it's worth it to open it up and check to see if it has all the cards and pieces and green dice and stuff. In general, the game board is pristine, sometime the pieces are missing, and sometimes there aren't that many pads of detective sheets left. But it's okay!! Spend $3.95 (potentially half price!) and sell it for $45+shipping on eBay???

Ugh. I also collected a couple other vintage Clue games in my thrifting hunts (for CHEAP - like, $2), and managed to snag a first edition Clue game off eBay too.

But you wanna know my HOLY GRAIL OF ALL CLUE GAMES???

It is freaking Clue on a ca. 1920's TRAIN. Do you see Istanbul/Constantinople in the distant scenery??

Heh. This is CLUEDO because that is the name of it in the U.K. ... limited run, generally goes for like, $70 or $90 ... and they have versions in French and Italian as well.

Ooh, greed.

But go out and buy Master Detective if you can. :) I just love that this one thrift store has gotten them in REGULARLY!!!!!!!!