The ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures: The Mystery of Mathra is a computer game in The Learning Company's ClueFinders series where the ClueFinders save the Numerian rainforest and Dr. Horace Pythagoras from a mysterious monster called Mathra.

Synopsis

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A thousand years ago the ancient Numerians, great inventors, built a great city in the Numerian rainforest. According to legend, a monster named Mathra appeared out of nowhere one night. Mathra attacked the wild animals of the jungle, but the Numerians caught Mathra and, fearing he might escape again, they left their city, never to return. They locked the door to the city, split the key in two, and buried the pieces in puzzles "in two quarters of the rainforest." The Numerians still live in the villages around the Numerian rainforest, but the location of the Lost City remains a mystery.

When animals began disappearing in the Numerian rainforest again, some suspect Mathra. Dr. Pythagoras, however, believes there is a simple explanation. However, before he can set out to find the missing keys to the lost city, he is himself kidnapped by what seems to be Mathra. Dr. Pythagoras' last words are, "Call the ClueFinders." Interestingly enough, Joni is Dr. Pythagoras' niece.

The ClueFinders fly to the rainforest in Mr. Limburger's airplane, where he explains the legend of Mathra to them. The ClueFinders conclude that they need to get to the Lost City. Joni and Santiago set off to find the keys and Owen and Leslie stay behind. They also join LapTrap, Dr. Pythragoras' Turbo TURTLE, who has a map of the rainforest that comes in useful.

The two areas of the rainforest that contain the keys are the Monkey Kingdom and the Goo Lagoon. In both places, they meet highly intelligent animals which can speak English. Also in both places they find clues that suggest that Mathra isn't behind the disappearing animals: a badge with "Fletcher's Furriers" written on it and a can of aviation engine oil.

After Joni and Santiago collect both keys, Mr. Limburger offers to fly them to the Lost City. However, when they jump with their parachutes they land in the jungle canopy, far from the Lost City. The ClueFinders eventually make their way on their own to the Lost City. When they take out both keys, they fuse together to form one key, which they use to unlock the door.

Inside, they find what appears to be Mathra sleeping, but then it occurs to them who is really behind the disappearing animals — Mr. Limburger. Limburger built a costume for his airplane, so it would appear to be Mathra, providing a cover for his smuggling of their hides. It turns out that "Fletcher" is Limburger's first name. He then trapped Dr. Pythagoras with the animals that he had captured. Limburger revealed to the ClueFinders that he was behind the mystery, locked them in the city, and flew away in his Mathra plane.

The ClueFinders discover that Dr. Pythagoras is trapped on the other side of the Bottomless Pits of Doom with all the animals that Limburger has been collecting. They rebuild the Mathra trap, which the Numerians used to trap Mathra, and save Dr. Pythagoras and the animals. After they do so, the Mathra trap becomes invisible, and Limburger flies his plane into it. He falls down the pit.

When the ClueFinders leave the rainforest, Dr. Pythagoras gives them LapTrap, who faints when he hears he'll be going on more dangerous adventures. Meanwhile, Limburger reappears in the rainforest and swears his vengeance. As he stalks away, his dark mood unappeased, a large draconic head resembling that of Limburger's Mathra-shaped airplane appears behind him, smiles, and spouts fire.

Characters

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The characters listed are characters that appear only in The ClueFinders 3rd Grade Adventures. For information about other characters see the main ClueFinders page.

Dr. Horace Pythagoras

Dr. Horace Pythagoras, PhD, is a famous naturalist and an uncle to Joni Savage, leader of the ClueFinders club. Dr. Pythagoras has Turbo TURTLE called LapTrap whom is responsible for keeping him organized. At the end of the game, he give LapTrap to the ClueFinders, as a reward. His last name is a reference to Pythagoras. Dr. Pythagoras was mentioned in passing in The ClueFinders Reading Adventures.

Mr. Limburger

Fletcher Q. Limburger is pilot of the airplane that flies the ClueFinders into the rainforest.

In the end it is revealed that Limburger is the villain. Limburger used the legend of Mathra to collect furs for his fur company, and he polluted the Goo Lagoon by throwing his oil drum into Goo Springs. Limburger was trapped by the Mathra trap and fell into the Bottomless Pits of Doom. He reappeared in the rainforest later and swore revenge on the ClueFinders.

A fletcher is someone who makes arrows. Limburger is a kind of cheese and sounds similar to "Lindbergh," the last of name of a famous airplane pilot.

Areas of the Rainforest

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There are four different areas of the rainforest, each of which teaches a different skill and has a different goal.

The Monkey Kingdom

Skill: Mathematics

The Monkey Kingdom is home to the monkeystadors (a play on conquistadors) who are headed by Vasco de Bongo. The area is populated by Sneeze Berries which were planted by the ancient Numerians. The ancient Numerians hid on of the keys to the Lost City at the center of the Rings of Volcanic Fire (also called the Rings of Fire, a play on the Ring of Fire, a line of active volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean.) Sneeze berries are necessary to crossing the Rings of Fire.

The Goo Lagoon

Skill: Logic

Goo from Goo Springs flows down Goo Falls forming the Goo Lagoon. Goo is strange green substance that the insects who inhabit the area enjoy. However, since Mathra's return, the goo has been polluted. The goal in the Goo Lagoon is to reach the top of Goo Falls can collect one of the keys to the Lost City. To do this, one must collect Beetle Bags.

When the ClueFinders reach the Lost City, they find there is a giant computer built by the ancient Numerians whose water wheel (goo wheel?) is turned by goo from Goo Springs, which feeds the Goo Lagoon. The ClueFinders find that Limburger has thrown an oil can in the goo here to pollute the Goo Lagoon. The Cluefinders remove the oil can.

The Jungle Canopy

Skill: Geography

After the ClueFinders collect both keys to the Lost City, Mr. Limburger mysteriously drops them in the canopy instead of at the Lost City, and thus the ClueFinders have to make it to the Lost City on their own. The goal in this area is simply to reach the Lost City. There are only two games, and each only needs to be played once.

The Lost City

Skill: Science and Language arts

To stop Limburger, the ClueFinders must bridge the Bottomless Pits of Doom, which rebuilds the Mathra trap. To do this, they must collect Snagnets (a combination of snakes and magnets), to move bridge stones.

Quotes

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LapTrap: Aren't we there yet? I'll have to change my batteries really soon.

Santiago: You should have done that before we left.

Joni: Don't worry, LapTrap, Santiago and I thought of everything.

Santiago: That's right. So you brought the food, right Joni?

Joni: Food?

LapTrap: Wait a minute, have you kids even considered what we're going to do we catch up to Mathra?

Santiago: Well...

Joni: I'm workin' on it.

Joni: Santiago, do you think Uncle Horace is all right?

Santiago: He'll be okay. He had a PhD in everything.

Joni: What, oh, of course you're right, I was just making sure you weren't getting discouraged.

Santiago: Me? But —

Joni (cutting him off): I'm glad I can make you feel better, Santiago, let's go.

Santiago: Oh, brother.

LapTrap: So you kids have caught a lot of monsters before, right?

Santiago: Well, no monsters but —

Joni (cutting him off): LapTrap, get a clue, we're the ClueFinders. We're famous. We have a website.

LapTrap: Oh, silly me.

LapTrap: Are you sure you want to keep going? I hear Mathra has razor-sharp claws.

Joni: Big deal.

LapTrap: And a sixty foot wingspan.

Joni: He does?

LapTrap: And I hear —

Santiago (cutting him off): I hear he likes to eat TURBO Turtles for breakfast.

LapTrap: (gulp) Oh, great.

Joni: I am so mad. When we catch up to Mathra I'm gonna…I'm gonna…I'm gonna make him sorry he ever messed with my uncle.

Santiago: Joni, get real, he's, like, fifty feet tall. We'll need brains, not brawn.

LapTrap: Brains, brawn and when we finally get there, batteries.

Joni: It's Mathra.

Santiago: It looks like he's sleeping.

Joni: Come on, let's go in there and get him.

Santiago: Wait, Joni, I just thought of something. It flies. It drops oils cans and Furrier labels. Why is that sounding so familiar?

LapTrap: Sure, always blame the TURTLE.

Joni: Not you, LapTrap…

Joni and Santiago (in unison):…Limburger!

Notes

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In one of the activities in the jungle canopy, we are given the geographical coordinates of Numeria. These place Numeria in northwestern Brazil. The geography of Numeria doesn't match that of the actual area, though.

1998 computer and video games | Windows games | Mac OS games | The ClueFinders