Famicom Detective Club Guide - Walkthrough, Tips And Hints

After many years as Japan-only adventure games that released for the Famicom Disk System, Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir and Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind have been remade and brought to the West for the first time with a new localisation. Want to know which one to play first, or just need help with the story? You're in the right place.

We really enjoyed the Famicom Detective Club games (and you can read our reviews for The Missing Heir and The Girl Who Stands Behind separately if you don't want spoilers yet), but, being story-based adventure games that are over thirty years old, the games have a few... idiosyncracies that make it difficult to progress sometimes. If you're looking for hints, tips, and walkthroughs to get you through the game, look no further!

(If you don't want spoilers, though, DON'T LOOK ANY FURTHER. Shoo.)

Basic Tips

[Character] won't talk to me, but I can't leave!

Try looking at them, calling them, and examining objects in their vicinity.

If you are asking them about something in particular, and the conversation seems to end on a cliffhanger, think about which topic you already have might prompt them to continue telling you the story.

If all of that doesn't work, ask them all the same questions again. If you get new dialogue for one of them, ask them about it a third time. Just in case.

Sometimes you'll have to "call" nearby people to get them to show up.

And remember: "Think" or "Remember" (depending on the game you're playing) is always a viable option. Sometimes it'll give you clues about where to go next, so pay attention to what the character says — for example, he might wonder about the time, which should prompt you to "examine" a nearby clock.

What's the Notebook about?

It's a movie starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. Nah, we're just joshing.

The Notebook in Famicom Detective Club contains all the information and clues you've found so far, but the game will never require you to read through it to advance — it's mostly just so you can follow the story, and remind yourself who everyone is.

How do I know which chapter I'm on?

Select "Quit Investigation" and save your game. It'll tell you which chapter you're on!

Should I play The Missing Heir or The Girl Who Stands Behind first?

It doesn't really matter — The Missing Heir came out first, so that's the one we played first, but The Girl Who Stands Behind is a prequel. You can play them in any order!

If we had to recommend one to begin with, we'd probably say the sequel, "The Girl Who Stands Behind", just so you can get to know the characters who end up in both games, but it really doesn't make much of a difference.

Both games will check to see if you have a save file for the other game at the beginning, but this is just to see if you've already named your character. Don't worry, the plot won't change depending on which you play first.

My text box disappeared! Aaaah!

Don't panic. You probably just pressed "B". Press it again, and the text box will come back.

Sometimes the game offers me two choices — does it matter which one I pick? Will the story change?

Most of these choices will change the story ever so slightly, but not in a long-term way. You might just do things in a slightly different order, for example, but you won't miss out on some vital clue by doing things differently. Follow your heart!

Why is the lead detective on these murder cases a literal child?

WE DON'T KNOW. It's a little weird that a 15/17-year-old gets to look at dead bodies for a living!

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter One

• How do I advance the conversation with Zenzou the Butler?
• How do I get information out of Dr Kumada?
• How do I make Genshin tell me the legend?
• I'm stuck at Myoujin Station!

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Two

• I'm stuck talking to Kanji and Zenzou...
• I'm stuck at Myoujin Station... again!
• Azusa won't talk to me, and Zenzou has nothing to say...

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Three

• How do I advance the conversation with Forensics?
• What do I need to say to Zenzou and Akane?
• How can I make Jiro be cooperative?
• What do I say to Azusa?
• How do I advance the conversation with Kumada?
• I'm stuck between Kagura Temple and the Clifftop.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Four

• What do I do in the office building?
• What do I do at the station?
• What do I say to Kaori?
  
• Kumada told me about the autopsy... now what?
  
• Amachi told me to go to the cliff, but there's nothing there!
  

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Five

• What do I do at the scene of the crime?
• I'm stuck talking to Akane in the living room.
• How do I get the lawyer's assistant to help me?
  
• How do I get out of Myoujin Station?
  
• Kumada just keeps saying "Hmm..."
• What do I say to Zenzou?

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Six

• The clinic is closed, what do I do?
• Genshin's acting weird!
• I have the mirror. Now what?
  
• How do I get Heikichi to tell me his secret?
  
• I'm stuck between talking to Yuri's friend, and the clifftop.

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Seven

• How do I get this villager to appear on the hill?
• I have the postcard. Now what?
• How do I explain things step-by-step to the old lady?

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Eight

• What do I do on the clifftop with Kumada?
• How do I examine the body?
• Zenzou is sad! What do I do?
  
• How do I get Akane to calm down?
  
• What do I do in Kagura Temple's graveyard?

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Nine

• How do I get the mean lawyer lady to talk to me?
• What am I supposed to do on the clifftop/outside Amachi's apartment?

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Ten

(This one's pretty straightforward — just keep asking questions over and over again, and don't forget that you can fast-forward through text by turning on the "skip read text" option in the settings, and holding down the left bumper.)

Famicom Detective Club: The Missing Heir Walkthrough Chapter Eleven

• How do I solve the puzzle?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter One

• I can't figure out what to examine on the body?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Two

• I'm stuck at the school (and can't get Komada to turn up)

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Four

• I can't get Komada to turn up... again!
• How do I get Hibino to talk to me?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Five

• I made the janitor angry — now what?
• What am I supposed to ask this random teacher guy?
• How do I get Hayama to talk to me?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Six

• How do I make the drunk man go away?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Seven

• I'm stuck talking to Ayumi and the student!
• How do I get this old teacher to tell me something useful?
• Hibino won't talk to me about the case...
• How do I get "Weird Student" to leave me alone?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Eight

• I'm stuck talking to the old teacher again.
  
• Hibino still won't talk to me!
• I think I upset Hitomi...
• What do I need to ask Komada?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Nine

• Ayumi isn't saying anything!
• Komada says "we're not done talking"...
• I need to remind the elderly teacher what he wanted to tell me.
• I'm at the old school building with Hitomi. What now?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Ten

• What do I do in the bar?
• What do I do in Ryoko's house?
• I'm stuck in the bar with two customers and the bartender!
• What do I say to Hibino?

Famicom Detective Club: The Girl Who Stands Behind Walkthrough Chapter Eleven

• What do I say to the old teacher this time?
• How do I make Komada tell me about the car?
• The school is empty — now what?

Phew! And that's the end of our FDC guide. If you've got any further questions, tips or tricks to share, please post them in the comments section below.