Sherlock Holmes: Hakushaku Reijou Yuukai Jiken (“Sherlock Holmes: The Kidnapping of the Count’s Daughter”) is an adventure game with action elements starring Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective Sherlock Holmes. It is the first of three such Famicom games from obscure Japanese publisher Towa Chiki, the next two being Meitantei Holmes: Kiri no London Satsujin Jiken and Meitantei Holmes: M-Kara no Chousenjou. Unlike its sequels, which are more traditional Famicom text adventures, Hakushaku Reijou Yuukai Jiken is primarily an action game: Sherlock travels to various cities across the United Kingdom searching for clues behind the kidnapping of the eponymous Count’s daughter. In each location, Sherlock can walk around the city and investigate suspicious locations, such as sewers and buildings. Defeating the various henchmen (or regular citizenry) roaming around the cities and sub-locations will provide Sherlock with the funds necessary to move onto the next city via the railway stations. The ultimate goal is to pinpoint where the culprit is hiding with enough clues and confront them.
