Released in 1985, the Clue VCR Mystery Game was the first moving picture rendition of Clue or Cluedo, coming out only months before Clue (the movie). Parker Brothers ended up making many VCR games, but this one was always their best seller. The game was released abroad in at least the UK and Germany.
The game was designed to be played multiple times with the same players watching the exact same footage. The video had three chapters (The Will, The Search and The Secrets) each featuring five scenes. An introductory scene was also featured for a practice game. Chapter one had five games to be played with it, and the other two chapters had six games each.
Winning the game involved the same concept as the Clue boargame, except for that players also had to name the victims in addition to murderer, room (hall, dining room, conservatory, kitchen or library) and weapon (knife, candlestick, gun, poison or rope). Players also had to identify which characters the other players were. Unlike the boargames where it is usually a single character like Mr. Boddy being murdered, the characters are actually murdering eachother. To add to the confusion, this isn't happening onscreen. Players are actually solving murders that only exist in the different games that utilize the action onscreen through Clue Cards. While seemingly complicated, after a little practice, it can be easy to play. For many people though, the most enjoyment comes out of simply watching the game instead of playing it.
Mr. Boddy is dead (again) and all of his old friends
show up for the reading of the will by his lawyer, M. Brunette. Also at
the house is Mr. Boddy's sister, Madam Rose. Supposed stranded motorist
Miss Peach also arrives, as does police officer Sgt. Gray. Everyone becomes
trapped at Boddy Mansion when Gray tells them the river's flooded and the
bridge is washed out. Turns out, everyone in attendance of the reading
of the will has a part in the iheritance--they just have to be the last
person living.
The next day everyone wakes up in casts and bandages.
In fear, Madam Rose burns the will. M Brunette announces that there is
an original will hidden in the house and it's a race to find it. When it's
finally "found," it states that this time the inheritance will be divided
between his five friends, maid and sister. But, wait, if Mr. Boddy's long
lost child returns, that child gets everything. Mrs. White confesses she
had a love child with Boddy, but that it was stolen. Miss Peach then begins
to impersonate the child, after finding out it is actually Sgt. Gray.
Slowly, the characters begin to learn the secrets
about everyone, from Col. Mustard being the laughing stock of the spy world
and Prof. Plum's experiments on his wife to Mrs. Peacock's kleptomania
and Miss Peach's French accent. After much wackiness, a seance and dozens
of attempted murders, the game ends with everyone chasing everyone around
the house like maniacs. While we never know how, the characters eventually
leave Boddy Mansion unharmed to play it straight and live out normal lives.
Of course, that doesn't last long...
"White wine" is offered to the other five original Clue characters in the introduction.
At the first reading of the will, the characters find out Mr. Boddy hopes they'll kill eachother off.
Mr. Green's very descriptive business card.
Sgt. Gray thinks he has amnesia but can't remember.
Prof. Plum wonders what could have possibly happened to his jar of poison that was sitting in the kitchen when dinner was being prepared.
Col. Mustard and Miss Scarlet discuss where she's never been.
The candlestick birthmark! But didn't we just see that on Sgt. Gray?
Scarlet tries to woo Plum to get his secret floorwax formula.
Mrs. White wishes Prof. Plum wouldn't do his experiments in the kitchen.
The game box and contents as released in Germany.
