At 130 years old, the world famous detective known as Sherlock Holmes still entertains readers and delights fan with his witty lines and sharp sense of observation. Hundreds of films, books, several TV series, a museum, toys, short stories, magazines, groups, and countless other products have been created from the single character.
To that list, you can add some exciting apps. Whether you’re in the mood to play the role of Sherlock Holmes, practice your detective skills, or read the classic stories that started this whole thing, this list of the top 6 apps might include something you want to check out.
(Top Pick!) Sherlock: The Network (Android and IOS)
Based off the popular TV series which portrays a modern theme on the Sherlock story, this app invites players to help Sherlock find clues, connect the dots, and find hidden objects to solve the crime. The “Network” consists of homeless individuals who serve as Sherlock’s eyes and ears for his cases.
App Features:
Includes audio & video clips from the hit TV show; Worldwide points board that can connect to your Facebook account; Features a variety of games, puzzles, and TV trivia leading up the “mind palace”; Multilingual: English and Simplified Chinese.
Price: First 2 cases free, In-app purchases for other cases
More Information: The Sherlock Network website
2. Sherlock Holmes: The Lost Detective (Android and IOS)
Playing Sherlock Holmes requires sharp observation skills. One way to gain those skills is by practice. “Sherlock Holmes Mysteries” is a hidden objects game where players work through seven of the classic stories for Sherlock’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This app is appropriate for all ages so it’s definitely a family-friendly way to introduce your children to Sherlock Holmes.
App Features:
Audio excerpts and illustrations from classic Sherlock Holmes stories like “The Hound of the Baskervilles” and “The Valley of Fear”; Puzzles designed to improve memory, spatial, and visual skills; Challenging, but kid-appropriate levels that progress with skill development
Price: Free, with in-app purchases
More Information: SecretBuilders website
3. Sherlock Holmes Complete (Android)
If you are looking to read the collected short story and tales of Sherlock, you could do a couple of things. You could buy the book, download it to your Kindle, or you could download an app that was built expressly for that purpose. “Sherlock Holmes Complete” is an app that you might skip over. With a clear and clutter-free reading screen that features the entire Sherlock series you might want to check it out.
App Features: Complete selection of Sherlock Holmes books by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Minimalist screen for easy reading; Adjustable features to enhance reading (light/dark themes and font size)
Price: Free
More Information: App Page in Google Play store
4. Sherlock: Interactive Adventure (IOS)
If you have read “The Red-Headed League” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this book will allow you to dive into the story. Readers are guided through a storyline complete with Victorian furniture and the neighing of horses. Rather than a strictly game app, this is a “see the story in 3D” app where can see the story played out in stunningly beautiful detail.
App Features: Excellent 3-D illustrations featuring Victorian-era world; Comic book format with some magnification features; Beautiful sound and narration
Price: Free for first ten pages, $2.99 for the rest
More Information: Unreal Books Website
5. (Top Pick!)The Trace Murder Mystery Game (Android and IOS)
Although it’s not an app that features Sherlock or any of the characters in his world, The Trace Murder Mystery Game provides training in one of Sherlock’s top skills, connecting the dots at a crime scene to solve the case. Players interact in this 3-D environment to collect clues, scan evidence, develop hypotheses, and puzzles that are focused less on earning points and more on solving the case. (On a side note, the writer for “The Trace Murder Mystery Game” has connections to the “Sherlock: The Network” app. He helped write that script as well!)
App Features: 3-D environment with lots of objects to interact with; Ability to connect collected objects to hypotheses; Engaging storytelling
Price: $3.99 (IOS)/$4.50 (Android)
More Information: Relentless Software site
6. The Interactive Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Like “Sherlock: Interactive Adventure”, “The Interactive Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (“iDoyle” on Google Play) is an interactive story in which readers get the chance to hear the story and interact with selected items within it. In this app, the story is Sir Conan Arthur Doyle’s “A Scandal in Bohemia”.
App Features: Ability to navigate through pages; 70 interactive pages; Multi-lingual: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese; Hour-length session of stories
Price: $2.99
More Information: IClassics website
Know of any other Sherlock apps that the fans should know about? Feel free to let us know.
