Alright, so sorry about the long wait but real-life stuff got in the way of me writing the chapter. But, with all the Learning Champion Stage Forms, I decided all 6 of them will get in so congrats to me, Pop and Cyborg Sun! As for the Reader Rabbit item, Pop's Reader Rabbit item will get in so congrats to him!
Now, onto my Story Mode chapter!
Story Mode Chapter for The ClueFinders:
The ClueFinders: The Brawltime Party Mystery of the Digital Anomaly
Our chapter starts in the Neon Gaming City. We particularly look at the Neon Gaming City Arcade where we see Arthur, Buster and their friends, the Kratt Bros and Zaboo, Big Bird, Elmo, Digit and his friends, Hacker and his robot minions Buzz and Delete, Gilbert without Caillou, Lionel, Mr. Rogers and even Curious George playing video games. Each one of the arcade games there references machines you would see in an arcade in Japan. There are fighting games, dance machines, etc.
We then cut to footage of a secret archive underneath the Neon Gaming City Arcade that has the old PBS Kids logo on it and footage of various PBS Kids website games and video games from various PBS Kids shows represented in the game.
Narrator (Not the Announcer Bunny): It's been a while since I told a story. But, we are now in a top secret area of the Neon Gaming City Arcade called the PBS Kids Archives. Here, every game where our heroes have partaken in educating others are stored down here.
The camera pans over briefly to the Sprout/Universal Kids part of the Archives as well.
Narrator (Not the Announcer Bunny): It even seems some heroes beyond our dimension did get some games in here as well. But, every citizen here can be granted access by collecting prize keys in the arcade. Three keys unlock the doors to greatness and wonder! Let's see who can unlock it now!
We cut to Arthur and Digit playing a fighting game. Buster tries to get Arthur's attention.
Buster: Hey, Arthur, have you ever wondered what's down below here? Maybe it's some secret alien hideout?
Arthur: Buster! I'm trying to concentrate!
Digit then just about beats Arthur!
Digit: Hah! The Didge takes the win this time!
He then notices some sort of magical key appears out of the machine.
Digit: What's that key supposed to do?
We then see Mr. Rogers and Curious George play a dancing game similar to DDR. Mr. Rogers beat the high score on the machine. Curious George looks sad after his defeat and Mr. Rogers comforts him.
Mr. Rogers: You did your best George.
Another colorful key floats out of the machine.
Mr. Rogers: It seems that bird Digit has a key when he beat Arthur in that video game. Maybe there might be some surprises we do not know about.
The Kratt Bros and Zaboo notice the key as well while they were playing some game similar to
Super Monkey Ball.
Zaboo: Huh? That key sure looks funny.
Chris: Your right Zaboo!
Martin: Will it take us to Zobooland?
Then, we see Lionel and Hacker playing some sort of sports game about baseball. Lionel is playing as a team resembling the Chicago Cubs while Hacker plays as a team resembling the Houston Astros.
Lionel then beats Hacker with a walk-off home run.
Lionel: YES! The Cubs win again by a walk-off!
Hacker just growls.
Hacker: That clueless lion cub has no idea how powerful I am at video games!
Buzz and Delete look at him.
Delete: Don't worry boss. We still have other chances to game as well.
Then, Lionel notices another colorful key come out of the machine.
Lionel: Huh? What's this key doing outside of this machine? Where does it go to?
After the keys appear, the characters look clueless. All of the characters with keys meet at some central spot in the arcade.
Mr. Rogers: It seems there are three keys but where do they go to?
Big Bird: Yeah, when me and Elmo were playing some sort of racing game, we did not see a key.
Elmo: Yeah! Elmo wants to learn more about those keys! Did Elmo's friends win a special prize?
Curious George shrugs.
Gilbert then uses his whiskers and senses a secret area.
Arthur: Hey! That cat has an idea where to go!
Lionel: Good idea! Let's follow him!
Everyone nods.
After the cutscene, you can choose between 3 characters to play as. You can play as Big Bird, Elmo, Arthur, Buster, Mr. Rogers, Chris and Martin, Digit, Hacker, Lionel or Curious George with the Gilbert assist assisting you as you go through an arcade maze to find the secret entrance to the PBS Kids Archives. There are various thugs in the arcade as well as some machines that have prizes spawn out on accident so watch out! This arcade platforming section is FULL of surprises.
After the platforming section
The characters approach a secret door leading to the PBS Kids Archives we have seen before. Everyone examines it and then they hear a voice being the Narrator we heard before.
Narrator (Not the Announcer Bunny and PBS Kids Archives guide): Welcome to the PBS Kids Archives: You have completed three challenges and have proven to be the best of the best in the arcade! Insert the three keys into the holes and then, you shall receive a tour of the history of our educational heroes!
Mr. Rogers, Lionel and Digit insert the keys looking at each other in confusion while everyone else looks amazed.
Narrator (Not the Announcer Bunny and PBS Kids Archives guide): You have now been granted access to the Archives. Now, if you excuse me, a special guest will come and show you around!
We then see a certain green fellow run up and appear similar to an iconic PBS Kids ID.
Dash: Hey! I'm surprised you guys made it!
Arthur: Dash? Boy, it's been forever!
Francine: Hey, isn't he the one who invited that girl from Alaska to that Brawltime Party?
Binky: And when Buster went to meet those colorful aliens for that invite for the same party because of him?
Dash: Yep, so you completed three amazing feats in the arcade! Awesome stuff everyone! Now, I have been working here to restore old memories of our old worlds right here! Why don't all of you have a look?
Everyone looks around at various computers and pictures on walls of boxarts of old PBS Kids video games. We see Digit and Hacker looking at some old footage of
Cyberchase: Carnival Chaos.
Digit: Hey! That's when we went to that carnival to save it from you, old pal!
Hacker: And all of you beat me, of course!
Buzz: Come on, boss! There was always a second chance for us!
Delete: That's right Buzzy!
We then see Arthur and Buster looking at footage of the old Living Books game
Arthur's Teacher Trouble.
Arthur: I look different here....
Buster: Yeah, you run that spelling bee pal!
Lionel and Mr. Rogers look at the game as well.
Lionel: We have games like that in the library.
Big Bird and Elmo look at footage of the game
Sesame Street Art Workshop.
Elmo: Elmo remembers when we painted a lot, right Big Bird?
Big Bird: That's right! And, we dressed up too!
The characters even look back and reminisce on the old PBS Kids website games as well looking at them on various screens and playing them.
We see Chris and Martin Kratt looking at the
Zoboomafoo website.
Chris: Woah! It’s Animal Junction!
Martin: And on the computer!
Zoboo: That’s right! It’s always fun to play games with our animal friends, even on a computer!
We even see Lionel looking at the
Between the Lions PC game Pounce! and Mr. Rogers looking at the Neighborhood of Make-Believe section of the
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood PBS Kids microsite.
Then, all of a sudden, we hear some strange computer noises.
Digit: Is Hacker hacking again?
Hacker growls.
Hacker: SERIOUSLY? I gave up my ways after I was beaten by that foolish agent kid squad!
Dash then looks and sees some sort of purple screen.
Dash: No...it can't be...
Arthur: It's that purple monster thing from before!
We then see some digitized Anomaly minions based on PBS Kids website games and such.
Buster: Hey, those are the...
Digit: Quick! Let's stop them!
Everyone nods.
After the cutscene, you can play as 5 characters from the selection of Big Bird, Elmo, Arthur, Buster, Mr. Rogers, Chris and Martin, Digit, Hacker, Lionel or Curious George and face off against a 100-Multi Man Anomaly minions battle. The Anomaly minions have attacks themed after PBS Kids website games and such.
After the fight:
The fight is over and the fighters take a breath but....suddenly the computer sucks them all in.
Dash: Look out guys! Ahhhhh!
Everyone gets sucked into the computer and we see them fall down a purple tornado-like spiral.
Then....we see the screen turn to a familiar clubhouse with four kids, a dog and a yellow computer relaxing in a familar animation style.
LapTrap: So, this is where I like it best. No danger at all.
Joni: Only YOU would say that, LapTrap!
Santiago: Perhaps it's nice to take a breath from solving mysteries.
Leslie is seen reading a book.
Leslie: For sure...
Owen then sees purple goo in the distance with some visitors coming in.
Owen: Oh man, dude! Everyone, look outside! There's some strange stuff going on!
The ClueFinders, Socrates and LapTrap all look outside. There, they see the PBS Kids characters and the minions in the Learning Company animation style.
LapTrap: Oh....are we going to get into THIS mess again?
Joni: We might as well! Sounds like another mystery to solve! Let's go for it, guys!
After the cutscene, you play as the ClueFinders (You choose which ClueFinder you want to play as) and go through a platforming section based on the ClueFinders games. Throughout it, there are obstacles like the purple goo and the Anomaly minions. It's a platforming section that goes through a lot of stuff.
After the platforming section.
The ClueFinders feel relieved but then, they meet up with the PBS Kids characters.
Joni: Hey, who are these strangers? Did they send these purple monsters over here?
Dash: No, no! We have fought them before but...how did they get here?
Leslie then reads about something in some new purple book.
Leslie: It seems that the purple creatures are called the Anomaly and....they went through....the worlds...YOU GUYS CAME THROUGH?
Owen: Woah dude, sounds like a multiverse problem!
Santiago: Maybe there must be a connection between our worlds.
Arthur: Well, that sounds like an idea but we must figure out how to save your worlds. I'm Arthur by the way!
Dash: And I'm Dash! Say, some of my friends might be familiar with these worlds here!
Arthur, Buster, Digit, Hacker, Gilbert, Chris and Martin Kratt and Zaboo all seem to get where they are and introduce themselves. Big Bird, Lionel, Elmo, Mr. Rogers and Curious George all introduce themselves.
Joni: Nice to meet all of you! I'm Joni, leader of the group called the ClueFinders! These are my friends Santiago, Leslie and Owen. We are now solving the mystery of this Anomaly....
Dash: Well Joni, I was hosting some Brawltime Party where I invited a lot of my old and new friends to come but...the Anomaly sabotaged the party. It seems that there is a link between our worlds.
There seems to be noise coming from the distance. We see various Learning Company characters running in the distance. We see Reader Rabbit and his friends, Super Seeker, Rocky, Gertrude, the Zoombinis, Katie Cadet and her friends, etc. all running away from the Anomaly.
Arthur: HEY! Are they from your universe too?
Joni: Probably. But, let's save them all!
We then go back to the Learning Company characters running away and then....
Reader Rabbit: Oh no....this doesn't look too good....
Katie Cadet: AHHHHH!
Everyone gets sucked into the Anomaly monster.
Hacker: It pains me to say this but...I must be the good guy AGAIN!
Buster then sees that there are floating orbs of various Learning Company games and their games too.
Buster: Say Arthur, there seems to be some floating orbs around here.
Buster points to a circle that looks like the game
Arthur's Camping Adventure.
Buster: That's when we went camping!
Chris and Martin point to the circle with
Zoboomafoo: Creature Quest.
Martin: Hey, that's that Creature Quest we went on, learning about animals!
Dash: Maybe, going through those worlds can give us a clue.
Joni: I'd say we go for it!
Owen: Definitely, dude!
LapTrap: I am SO not ready for this!
The characters all get ready and head out for adventure.
After the cutscene, you can choose between 5 characters to play as. You can play as Big Bird, Elmo, Arthur, Buster, Mr. Rogers, Chris and Martin, Digit, Hacker, Lionel, Curious George or the ClueFinders (you pick which ClueFinder you want to play as) with the Gilbert assist assisting you as you go through a Great Maze-esque level where you have to complete various minigames from PBS Kids tie-in games from The Learning Company alongside minigames from the original Learning Company games. All the PBS Kids minigames are the same from the Learning Company Memories stage but as a platforming section. The Learning Company minigames will be games from games like The ClueFinders: 5th Grade Adventures: Mystery of the Living Volcano and Reader Rabbit and the Word Factory. The Anomaly minions will sabotage you in your path and you have a time limit to complete each game. If you do not complete the games in time, you fail.
After the platforming section:
Everyone then enters the core of the Anomaly after completing all the games.
Dash: It seems after completing that maze that....
Arthur then realizes something.
Arthur: It's just like before with that first monster we faced.
Digit: Oh no! Will there be a sacrifice again?
Joni: It's best we just face him head-on!
LapTrap: Uhh....for sure, yeah....
We see everyone entering the core but around them, we see other Learning Company characters in the purple circles captured by the Anomaly monster.
Reader Rabbit then sees them
Reader Rabbit: Hey everyone....we need your help.
Lionel looks up.
Lionel: Who are you?
Reader Rabbit: Well, I'm Reader Rabbit and I....lost my worlds where I taught many young people how to read, do math and all sorts of useful skills. And now...my world is gone and so is everyone else's!
The crowd of Zoombinis: We can't build our new city anymore! And we're doomed!
Lionel: I see...I lost my library but my family and I live in a new one. But don't worry, we will rescue all of you!
Dash: For sure, we are on it!
Everyone gets prepared to face the Learning Company digit Anomaly beast as it roars and sends out henchmen based on the Learning Company characters.
After the cutscene, you can choose between 5 characters to play as. You can play as Big Bird, Elmo, Arthur, Buster, Mr. Rogers, Chris and Martin, Digit, Hacker, Lionel, Curious George or the ClueFinders (you pick which ClueFinder you want to play as) with the Gilbert assist assisting you as you fight against the Digital Anomaly monster in a boss fight. The Anomaly Monster's attacks are themed after the Learning Company IPs and such and will even send out glitched letters and numbers and such. Occasionally, a puzzle will appear for you to solve. Solve it and you get a stat buff or a super-strong item! Fail it and get poisoned by the digital Anomaly!
After the boss fight:
The digital Anomaly falls to its knees but then, the ground begins to shake.
LapTrap: Well...this is a great situation to be in!
Dash: I guess we gotta make a run for it but...
Dash looks up at everyone.
Dash: We must rescue all of them first!
Without any hesitation, everyone gets to work and starts running for their lives.
After the cutscene, you can choose between 3 characters to play as You can play as Big Bird, Elmo, Arthur, Buster, Mr. Rogers, Chris and Martin, Digit, Hacker, Lionel, Curious George or the ClueFinders (you pick which ClueFinder you want to play as) with the Gilbert assist assisting you as you traverse a platforming section where you must rescue all the Learning Company characters from the monster and escape the Anomaly. Falling debris will slow you down! You only have 7 minutes to complete the platforming section or you fail the section.
After the platforming section:
Everyone is freed and the digital Anomaly monster explodes into all sorts of computer jargon. All the characters then get sucked out of the computer and then enter the Neon Gaming City, specifically in the PBS Kids Archives in the regular PBS Kids: Brawltime! animation style.
Dash and the others sigh with relief.
Dash: Phew....we made it!
Lionel: Yeah, and great timing too.
Elmo: Elmo wants to know what happened to the ClueFinders' world.
Joni: Guess we lost that.
Surprisingly, Mathra looks sad as well.
Reader Rabbit: Our homes though...they are gone.
Everyone starts talking about what to do until the Zoombinis come up with an idea.
Zoombinis: Hey, maybe we can build some more space so all of us can live here in this....
Then, all the Learning Company characters look out the window and simply see a beautiful city.
Reader Rabbit: Wow....I've never seen anything like this before.
Joni: Well, let's get to it everyone!
Lionel: Hey! Why don't we all have a dance party to celebrate our new friends's beginning?
Everyone cheers and goes over to the dance club Lionel's family runs.
After the cutscene, you get to play a minigame where you get to make any of the characters in the story mode dance to the music played by Cleo to celebrate similar to other Learning Company minigames in the PBS Kids tie in Learning Company games to celebrate a job well-done! You can play this game for as little or as long as you want.
After the minigame:
We see the ClueFinders in their new clubhouse outside of the city.
Joni: So...another mystery solved.
Leslie sees a book then with a cover of them similar to a ClueFinders game boxart.
Leslie: I call this adventure...
The Brawltime Party Mystery of the Digital Anomaly.
We see the boxart and then the screen fades to black.
The End
Notes:
- I know this was lengthy but the guest characters do deserve some lengthy story mode treatment.
- The three keys in the Neon Gaming City Arcade were a reference to the book Ready Player One where here, instead of winning taking over the OASIS, you win access to the PBS Kids Archives.
- I had the idea to make the PBS Kids Archives a museum in the Neon Gaming City and now, you can assume we have Learning Company games there displayed as well.
- All the characters in this chapter have had some affiliation with The Learning Company besides Lionel, Mr. Rogers and Curious George. One of the three here MAY have a Learning Company connection in this alternate universe VERY soon .
- The title is a reference to how the ClueFinders games are titled.
- The minigame at the end is a reference to how at the end of the PBS Kids tie-in Learning Company games, you get a little celebration game to celebrate a victory!
- I wanted to do a Great Maze level with Learning Company-themed challenges. After all, I did my best to make it an ultimate tribute and have the Anomaly return in some form.