555-4639 and Other Phone Numbers
Hey, all you puzzle masters!
Last week a little group chat was created with our small but mighty marketing department. We figured it was high time since many of us work different hours we do not always cross paths at the same time. I am pretty bad about saving numbers so of course, when the text chain started I was getting texts from a number I knew, and one I didn’t. I had to ask them to confirm their name/number so I knew I was saving it correctly. This made me reminiscent of the phone numbers found in some of my favorite games, because who else still remembers Ned’s number but can’t remember their own childhood home phone number? And let me tell you, some early games had the best-hidden meanings in each character’s phone number.
If you are unfamiliar with this, let me set the stage. The year, 2007. The place, LaPorte, Indiana. 12-year-old Indy was surfing the message boards having just played White Wolf of Icicle Creek Lodge for the first time, she was riding on a high. THEN she read the most beautiful thing in the world. Someone pointed out that Tino Balducci’s phone number (312-555-5375) spelled out JERK.
Honestly, I almost spit out my Gatorade because little kid me thought this was the ultimate burn. On that thread, I learned the Hardy Boy’s spells out HUNK, (I thought this title was saved for Dave Gregory, but okay I guess). Bess, George, and Ned all spell things like HINT, CLUE, and HELP. Now, I always knew you could call most phone numbers found in the games and hear funny messages. This happens in Secrets Can Kill with the Save the Manatees Club at 1-800-432-5646 and possibly the most popular bonus number is in White Wolf of Icicle Creek Lodge. Calling 1-800-Mystico is such a must-do that we even have merchandise dedicated to this fun extra. However, this was the first time I realized the phone numbers can spell out silly messages or serious clues. Below are some of my favorites!
- Bess: 555-4468 –HINT
- George: 555-2583 –CLUE
- Ned: 555-4357 –HELP
- Hardy Boy’s: 555-4865 –HUNK
I personally think White Wolf of Icicle Creek Lodge has the most clever phone numbers.
- Tino Balducci: 312-555-5375 –JERK
- Lou Talbot: 213-555-2063 –BONE
- William “Bill” Kessler: 905-555-3689 –LIAR
- Guadalupe Comillo: 213-555-3264 –FANG
- Avalanche Patrol: 403-555-2006 –BOOM
- Sheriff Mahihkan: 403-555-7827 –STAR – think classic sheriff badge
- Pinevale Hospital: 403-555-4878 –HURT
- The Farmingdale’s: 551-555-7425 –SICK – remember the potato salad?
- Carl Jenkins: 312-555-7547 –SLIP – think icy stairs
- Elsa Sibblehoth: 403-555-2483 –BITE – did the Wolf bite her tires?
- Derek and Brenda Southwaite: 418-555-7387 –PEUR – the French word for fear, scared, or afraid
What are some of your favorite phone numbers from the games? They could be silly, helpful clues, just plain clever references, or funny extra numbers you just HAVE to call like the Save the Manatees Club!
-Indy
P.S. There might be a silly reference in the title phone number
call 1-555-MYSTICO and prepare to be amazed!
That’s so cool!! I never knew that before! Also, we be getting any information on game 34 in the near future? Just curious because I know there’s a lot of talk circulating about this right now haha.
Hi! We are planning on a game 34 but we don’t have any news to share right now. Please sign up for the newsletter as any new game announcements will made there! 🙂 -Indy
Awesome, thank you! 🙂
Hi HeR team!!!
Ahhh! Please know, I love and adore and support you all. My late father first introduced me to your first Nancy Drew game, Secrets Can Kill, the “og” with two disks. He brought it from on lend from the library, as they had just got it in when it first released. He knew I loved books and Nancy Drew, while he loved computer games. He figured this would be a fun father/daughter activity. And it was. I became obsessed with your games and was over the moon when “Stay Tuned for Danger” released. My dad passed away suddenly when I was only 13-years-old from cancer. So these types of memories hold an extra special spot in my heart.
That being said, and I know you all have been getting constant questions and emails and messages about…. “When is game #34 finally coming out?!” I genuinely have been repurchasing all the old games (my laptop with the prior games unfortunately had a kernel error and fried, losing all my prior purchased games). I’m in my 30s but I still love playing your Nancy games- and I have a PS5 and switch!
Any chance there is an even vague update on a game #34? I know that if funds are tight, your “old school” fan base has often suggested to do a GoFundMe or crowdfunding to assist development. The era of gaming is restarting and girls are more accepted in gaming! Whatever the need is, you do have a large original fan base that does want to support (and buy!!) more games. So whether it’s just letting us know you need time, finances, developers, social media influencers (I hate that job description haha I’m truly the spirit of my 1950 born late father). But please, please… an update or anything would be so appreciated. My dad’s 73rd birthday is this March 1st and as ridiculous as this may sound, it really would be the best way to celebrate his anniversary with some good news. I used to wait on pins and needles for the drop of the bi-annual games. Literally. Everyone in my college dorm knew I had preordered the game so that once I finished my final exams, I could binge the game haha. I was an RA, so I was on campus later than everyone else. And legit just played Nancy all night.
Anyway. Loyal and loving fan just hoping for an even vague update. I genuinely think most of your fan base doesn’t want a firm date. But just transparency. We are loyal (sometimes too loyal, as I know some were overtly harsh of game #33). But that’s because you are so well loved by us.
All the best vibes, energy, and crossed-fingers!
Laura
Don’t forget the phone trivia contest Nancy can enter from the Haunted Carousel to win an Easter Egg. 😀
Yass!! I totally forgot about that! AHH I know now what I am doing when I get home from work later today 🙂 – Indy
What’s the deal with Her copyrighting Mystery of the Seven Keys!? THE CLUE CREW WANTS TO KNOW!!!!
Hi Himeko,
Here at HeR Interactive, we are always in various stages of development for future games and projects – keep following us for updates! I encourage you to keep an eye on our website (www.herinteractive.com) and our social media channels for the latest news, and even sign up for our newsletter. – Indy
I was 11 in 2007 and also from northwest Indiana so this made me emo
I feel like this is the spiderman meme of us pointing to each other! haha -Indy
that is so cool how peope figure out stuff like that!