18 min read

Mixed-Up Mother Goose

Last updated: January 22, 2026

Overview

Mixed-Up Mother Goose is a classic educational adventure game designed by Roberta Williams and developed by Sierra On-Line, originally released in November 1987.1 The game represents one of Sierra’s earliest forays into children’s educational software, combining Williams’ signature adventure game design with beloved nursery rhymes to create an accessible experience for young players.2 As a groundbreaking title in the educational gaming space, it earned recognition including the 1991 Software Publishers Association Excellence in Software Award for Best Early Education Program and sold over 500,000 copies by 1995.1

The game tasks players with exploring Mother Goose Land, where all the nursery rhymes have become “mixed up,” requiring the player to locate missing items and return them to their rightful owners to restore order.3 Unlike Sierra’s more complex adventure titles that featured text parsers and challenging puzzles, Mixed-Up Mother Goose was deliberately designed to be simple enough that “even young children can play it when adults are out of the room.”4 This accessibility, combined with its charming premise and educational value, made it one of Sierra’s most commercially successful and frequently remade titles, with subsequent versions released in 1990, 1991/1992, and 1995/1996.5

The picture of Mother Goose on the original game box was actually Roberta Williams herself in costume, with the two children pictured beside her being her own children—a personal touch that reflected the game’s family-friendly origins.3 Contemporary reviews praised the game highly, with Compute! magazine declaring “I can’t think of a better way to teach kids the classical nursery rhymes.”5

Story Summary

The game opens with Mother Goose explaining that all of the nursery rhymes in Mother Goose Land have become completely mixed up.6 Characters from classic rhymes have lost essential items needed to complete their stories—Humpty Dumpty may be missing his wall, Little Bo Peep her sheep, and Old King Cole his pipe or bowl. The land is in disarray, and only a brave young visitor can set things right.7

Players take on the role of a child character whose appearance and name can be customized at the start of the game.4 Upon entering Mother Goose Land, players discover the full extent of the chaos: familiar nursery rhyme characters wander about unable to complete their stories without their missing items. The player’s mission, should they choose to accept it, is to “fix mixed up rhymes” by finding scattered objects throughout the land and returning them to the appropriate characters.8

As players explore the various locations of Mother Goose Land—including houses, fields, castles, and other storybook settings—they encounter beloved characters like Old King Cole, Little Miss Muffet, Jack and Jill, and many others.3 Each character is missing something vital to their nursery rhyme, and the player must use observation and memory to match the correct items with the correct characters. The game features 18 different nursery rhymes to restore, providing ample content for young players.9

When a player successfully returns an item to its rightful owner, the game rewards them by playing the complete nursery rhyme with animated visuals and lyrics appearing on screen.9 This educational reward system teaches children the classic rhymes while providing satisfying feedback for correct matches. The game concludes when all 18 rhymes have been restored to their proper state, bringing harmony back to Mother Goose Land.3

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

Mixed-Up Mother Goose was designed from the ground up to be accessible to young children who had not yet learned to read.10 Unlike Sierra’s other adventure games of the era, which relied on text parsers requiring typed commands, the original 1987 AGI version featured a simplified user interface that lacked the traditional text parser entirely.10 This made it one of the few Sierra AGI games that could be played entirely without typing.

The game utilizes keyboard controls to move the player character around the screen in eight directions, with simple key presses to pick up and drop items.8 Later versions, particularly the 1991 VGA remake, introduced a point-and-click interface that made the game even more accessible to young players who struggled with keyboard navigation.10 The controls are deliberately minimal—players can walk, pick up one item at a time, and interact with characters, making the gameplay loop intuitive even for preschool-aged children.11

Structure and Progression

The game presents Mother Goose Land as an open world that players can explore freely from the beginning.3 Unlike linear adventure games, there is no set order in which players must solve the rhymes—they can wander the land and tackle challenges in whatever sequence they prefer. This non-linear structure accommodates young children’s tendency to explore randomly rather than follow a predetermined path.

  • Exploration Phase: Players navigate through various screens representing different locations in Mother Goose Land, including villages, countryside, castles, and homes.8
  • Item Collection: Players locate items scattered throughout the land; notably, items are randomly placed in different locations each time a new game is started, ensuring replay value.6
  • Character Matching: Players must determine which item belongs to which character, requiring memory of the original nursery rhymes.9
  • Rhyme Completion: Successfully matching an item to a character triggers the animated nursery rhyme sequence as a reward.9

Players can only carry one item at a time, adding a simple inventory management element that requires children to think about which item to bring where.6 A map of Mother Goose Land is included to help players navigate the various locations, particularly helpful in later versions of the game.4

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core puzzle mechanic involves matching items to their corresponding nursery rhyme characters.3 While this may seem simple, it requires players to have some familiarity with the classic rhymes or to experiment through trial and error. As walkthrough author ASchultz noted, Old King Cole “may be a merry old soul, but he sure is stingy with points and fussy for order,” suggesting that some characters require specific items in specific sequences.12

One interesting design choice noted by players is that “I’m 99% certain an item can’t be found in the right place to begin with,” ensuring that players must always engage with the exploration and delivery mechanics rather than finding items already in place.12 The randomization of item placement means that walkthroughs can only provide character locations and item requirements, not fixed item positions, encouraging genuine exploration over rote memorization.6

The game is intentionally designed without fail states or death sequences—players cannot lose or die, making it a safe space for young children to learn at their own pace.10 This “Lighter and Softer” approach distinguished it from Sierra’s main adventure game catalog, which was notorious for frequent and often humorous player deaths.10

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

Mixed-Up Mother Goose received enthusiastic reviews upon release, particularly from publications focused on family and educational computing. Compute! magazine offered high praise, with their reviewer stating “I can’t think of a better way to teach kids the classical nursery rhymes.”5 The game’s combination of entertainment and education was seen as exemplary for its time, setting a standard for children’s software.

The game’s commercial success validated Sierra’s decision to expand beyond their core adventure game audience into the children’s educational market. By 1995, the various versions of Mixed-Up Mother Goose had collectively sold over 500,000 copies, making it one of Sierra’s best-selling educational titles.1

Modern Assessment

Modern players and retrogaming communities continue to hold Mixed-Up Mother Goose in high regard. On MyAbandonware, the original 1987 version maintains a rating of 4.41/5,13 while the 1991 VGA version scores 4.94/511 and the Deluxe version earns 4.26/5 from 34 votes.14 User reviews frequently emphasize nostalgia, with one commenter noting it was “one of my two favorite games as a small child (the other was ‘Big Bird’s Funhouse’).”13

GOG.com wishlist discussions describe it as “a true hidden gem, and a great game for kids,” with users sharing memories of playing it on school library computers.15 User reviews comparing it to modern indie games note that titles like The Spirit and the Mouse “hearkened back to the simplicity of a 90s educational adventure game from my childhood ‘Mixed Up Mother Goose’ where you need to help each member of a storybook town.”16

Aggregate Scores:

  • MobyGames (1987 version): 7.2/103
  • MobyGames (1991 version): 4.2/59
  • MobyGames (VGA version): 4.3/5 (9 ratings)2
  • MyAbandonware (1987): 4.41/513
  • MyAbandonware (1991): 4.94/511
  • MyAbandonware (Deluxe): 4.26/5 (34 votes)14
  • IMDB: 6.4/1017
  • GameFAQs (Deluxe): “Great” rating (8 ratings)4

Development

Origins

Mixed-Up Mother Goose emerged during a period of significant growth and experimentation at Sierra On-Line. Roberta Williams, already famous for creating the King’s Quest series and other pioneering adventure games, turned her attention to creating content for a much younger audience.18 The project represented Sierra’s recognition that the home computer market was expanding to include families with young children who needed age-appropriate software.

The game was developed during Sierra On-Line’s early years when the company was establishing itself as a leader in innovative graphic adventure games.19 Ken Williams, Sierra’s co-founder, later reflected on this era: “I felt we were running a ‘club’ where our job was to build cool product for people who had bought from us before.”20 Mixed-Up Mother Goose represented an expansion of this philosophy to include the children of Sierra’s existing customer base.

Production

Development of the original 1987 version utilized Sierra’s AGI (Adventure Game Interpreter) engine, the same technology powering the early King’s Quest games.21 However, the AGI implementation for Mixed-Up Mother Goose was notably simplified, removing the text parser that was standard in other AGI titles to accommodate non-reading players.10

The PC version was not completed until late fall 1987, causing delays in planned ports to other platforms.22 Developer Allen McPheeters was initially assigned to port the game from PC to Apple IIe during summer 1987, but because the PC version remained unfinished, he departed Sierra in December 1987 before the port work could begin.22

Development Credits:2

  • Designer: Roberta Williams
  • Programmer: David Slayback
  • Artist: Gerald Moore
  • Composer (Original): Amenda Lombardo
  • Composers (VGA Version): Ken Allen, Mark Seibert, Amenda Lombardo
  • CD-ROM Voice Cast: Daniel Aldante, Brittany Benov, Nancy Bickley, Darby Bree Cogburn, Bill Davis, Paul De Pledge, Robert Fischbach, Chris Hoyt, Chris Iden

Technical Achievements

The original 1987 version ran on the AGI engine, Sierra’s first adventure game interpreter supporting animated graphics and sound.21 AGI used a 160x200 virtual resolution with 16 colors, and the game supported various graphics modes including CGA and Hercules on DOS systems.8

The 1990 SCI remake represented a significant technical upgrade, utilizing Sierra’s newer SCI (Sierra’s Creative Interpreter) engine with enhanced graphics and improved sound support including Sound Blaster and AdLib compatibility.23 The source archive notes this version featured “Sound Blaster support, and enhanced graphics” while still using EGA resolution rather than VGA.23

The 1991/1992 VGA version was particularly significant as it became Sierra’s first ever CD-ROM title.2 This version featured VGA graphics (320x200 with 256 colors), complete digitized speech, enhanced MIDI soundtrack, and improved animations—a “totally rewritten version of the original.”2 The transition to CD-ROM allowed for voiced nursery rhymes, adding an important audio learning component for pre-readers.

Technical Specifications

Original AGI Version (1987):23

  • Graphics: CGA, EGA, Mono, Tandy, Hercules
  • Sound: PC Speaker, AdLib, Roland, Sound Blaster, CMS
  • Media: Floppy disk
  • File Size: ~274 KB (DOS version)24
  • Copy Protection: None23

SCI Version (1990):23

  • Graphics: CGA, EGA, Mono, Tandy (no VGA)
  • Sound: PC Speaker, AdLib, Roland, Sound Blaster, CMS
  • File Size: 1.1 MB
  • Copy Protection: None

VGA CD-ROM Version (1992):2

  • Graphics: VGA (256 colors)
  • Audio: Enhanced MIDI, Complete digitized speech
  • Media: CD-ROM
  • Input: Keyboard, Mouse
  • Players: 1 Player

Deluxe Version (1995):14

  • Resolution: 640x480 (SVGA)
  • Media: CD-ROM with bonus audio CD
  • Platforms: Windows 3.x, Macintosh

Version History

VersionDatePlatformNotes
OriginalNovember 1987DOS, Atari STInitial AGI release1
Amiga1988AmigaPlatform port3
Apple IIgs1988Apple IIgsPlatform port3
Apple II1990Apple IILate platform port3
Enhanced (SCI0)1990DOSRemade using SCI0 system, improved graphics5
VGA/CD-ROM1991-1992DOS, Windows, FM TownsVGA graphics, voiced rhymes, Sierra’s first CD-ROM2
Deluxe1995-1996Windows, MacSVGA graphics, bonus audio CD, new musical arrangements5

AGI/SCI Interpreter Versions:21

Game VersionInterpreterTypeNotes
1987 OriginalAGI v2/v3AGISimplified interface, no text parser
1990 EnhancedSCI0SCIEGA graphics, enhanced sound
1991 VGASCI1SCIVGA, CD audio support
V 1.011SCISCIVersion number noted in archive23

Technical Issues

Modern compatibility issues have been reported for the Deluxe version, which remains locked at 640x480 resolution and may require DOSBox or winevdm to run properly on contemporary systems.14 Mac users have reported encountering errors stating “You can’t open the application ‘Mixed Up Mother Goose’ because it may be damaged or incomplete.”14

Technical documentation notes that “of all the AGI games, it is unknown whether MH1, MH2 and Mixed Up Mother Goose have a debug mode or not. MUMG probably doesn’t even though its words.tok file has all the debug words contained in it.”21

Cut Content

An Atari ST version labeled “Classic’s Reillustrated” was announced but ultimately cancelled before release.5 This would have been an enhanced version for the Atari ST platform, but no further details about its planned features have survived.

Easter Eggs and Trivia

  • Box Art Cameo: The picture of Mother Goose on the original game box is actually Roberta Williams herself dressed in costume, with the two children beside her being her own children.2
  • Space Quest V Reference: The game is humorously referenced in Space Quest V, where a death message tells the player: “Looks like you’ve been spreading yourself a bit thin lately. Perhaps you’d like to try one of our less challenging games like ‘Mixed Up Mother Goose?‘”5
  • Dunce Cap: In the VGA version, a dunce cap becomes visible in the schoolhouse after helping Mary with her lamb.10
  • Debug Mode Mystery: Unlike most AGI games which have accessible debug modes, Mixed-Up Mother Goose’s debug functionality remains unverified despite debug words being present in its words.tok file.21

Bugs and Quirks

  • Fiddlers Three Bug: In certain versions, the Fiddlers Three will inexplicably leave if brought to the castle without first obtaining the pipe and bowl.10

Voice Cast

(VGA CD-ROM Version, 1992)2

CharacterVoice Actor
Various CharactersDaniel Aldante
Various CharactersBrittany Benov
Various CharactersNancy Bickley
Various CharactersDarby Bree Cogburn
Various CharactersBill Davis
Various CharactersPaul De Pledge
Various CharactersRobert Fischbach
Various CharactersChris Hoyt
Various CharactersChris Iden

The CD-ROM version featured complete digitized speech with voiced nursery rhymes, making it accessible to pre-reading children while also providing educational value through audio-text association.2

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

Mixed-Up Mother Goose proved to be one of Sierra’s most commercially successful educational titles, selling over 500,000 copies by 1995.1 The game earned the 1991 Software Publishers Association Excellence in Software Award for Best Early Education Program, validating Sierra’s expansion into the children’s software market.5

The game’s success established a template for Sierra’s educational game development, leading to the creation of the Sierra Discovery Series (1991-1993) which included titles like EcoQuest and Pepper’s Adventures in Time.25 Ken Williams’ philosophy of building “cool product for people who had bought from us before” extended to creating quality children’s content for the families of Sierra’s core audience.20

Collections

Mixed-Up Mother Goose appeared in several Sierra compilation releases:

  • The Roberta Williams Anthology – Included two versions of the game, providing players access to both the original and enhanced editions.5
  • The Lost Mind of Dr. Brain CD Sampler (1995) – Included a demo of Mixed-Up Mother Goose Deluxe.26

Fan Projects

The game has been preserved through various emulation and abandonware communities. Modern players can access the game through emulators supporting AGI and SCI engines, with ScummVM providing compatibility for Sierra’s adventure game interpreters.21 The game maintains an active presence on abandonware sites where it consistently receives high user ratings and nostalgic commentary.11

  • Game Manual: Included with original release, providing basic instructions and nursery rhyme background4
  • Color Map of Mother Goose Land: Included free with the Deluxe version to help players navigate the game world4
  • In-Game Hint System: Later versions incorporated contextual help for young players

Critical Perspective

Mixed-Up Mother Goose occupies a unique position in Sierra’s catalog as one of the company’s few titles designed specifically for very young children. While Roberta Williams is primarily remembered for mature adventure games like King’s Quest, Laura Bow, and Phantasmagoria, this title demonstrates her versatility as a designer capable of creating engaging content for audiences of all ages.10

The game’s significance extends beyond its commercial success to its role in demonstrating that quality adventure game design principles could be adapted for educational purposes. By removing death states, simplifying interfaces, and providing positive reinforcement through animated rhyme sequences, Williams created a template that influenced children’s educational software development. As one retrospective user noted, the game remains “playable by a preschooler with lots of assistance, a kindergartner with some assistance, or ideally by 1st graders (early readers),” demonstrating thoughtful age-appropriate design.11

The game’s three remakes over a decade—more than almost any other Sierra title—speak to its enduring appeal and commercial viability.10 Each version took advantage of technological advances to enhance the educational and entertainment value while maintaining the core gameplay loop that made the original successful. This iterative improvement approach presaged modern practices of updating successful educational titles for new platforms and capabilities.

Downloads

Download / Preservation

Manuals & Extras

Series Continuity

Mixed-Up Mother Goose stands as a standalone educational title within Sierra’s catalog, though it spawned multiple enhanced versions over the years rather than traditional sequels. The game represents Roberta Williams’ contribution to children’s gaming and sits alongside her more famous adventure game series including King’s Quest (1984-1998), Laura Bow (1989-1992), and Phantasmagoria (1995-1996).18

The various versions of Mixed-Up Mother Goose—1987, 1990, 1991/1992, and 1995/1996—are better understood as progressive remakes rather than sequels, each building upon the original concept while taking advantage of improved technology.5 The game’s influence can be seen in Sierra’s later educational titles in the Discovery Series, which combined adventure game mechanics with age-appropriate educational content.25

References

Footnotes

  1. Wikipedia – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – release date, platforms, awards, sales figures, key personnel ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9

  2. MobyGames – Mixed-Up Mother Goose (VGA) – credits, voice cast, technical specifications, trivia about first CD-ROM title ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  3. MobyGames – Roberta Williams’ Mixed-Up Mother Goose (1987) – platform releases, user ratings, gameplay description ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  4. GameFAQs – Mixed-Up Mother Goose Deluxe – product description, features, user ratings ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  5. Alchetron – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – version history, awards, Space Quest V reference, Compute! review quote ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11

  6. Play Classic Games – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – gameplay mechanics, randomization ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  7. Sierra Gamers – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – game description, nursery rhyme premise ↩

  8. MobyGames – Screenshots – visual documentation, interface details ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  9. MobyGames – Mixed-Up Mother Goose (1991) – gameplay description, rhyme completion mechanics ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  10. TV Tropes – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – version differences, design philosophy, bugs ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  11. MyAbandonware – Roberta Williams’ Mixed-Up Mother Goose (VGA) – user ratings, age appropriateness quote ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  12. GameFAQs – Walkthrough by ASchultz – gameplay tips, item placement observations ↩ ↩2

  13. MyAbandonware – Roberta Williams’ Mixed-Up Mother Goose (1987) – user ratings, nostalgic comments ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  14. MyAbandonware – Mixed-Up Mother Goose Deluxe – technical issues, compatibility information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  15. GOG.com – Wishlist Discussion – user memories, “hidden gem” quote ↩

  16. GOG.com – The Spirit and the Mouse – user comparison to Mixed-Up Mother Goose ↩

  17. IMDB – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – user rating ↩

  18. HistoryLink.org – Sierra On-Line History – Roberta Williams career context ↩ ↩2

  19. Museum of Play Archives – Sierra On-Line Collection – company history, game development context ↩

  20. Sierra Gamers – Ken Williams – quote about Sierra’s development philosophy ↩ ↩2

  21. ScummVM Wiki – AGI Specifications – AGI engine details, debug mode information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6

  22. MobyGames – L. Allen McPheeters Profile – development timeline, Apple IIe port details ↩ ↩2

  23. Internet Archive – Mixed-Up Mother Goose SCI v1.011 – technical specifications, version information ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  24. RomsFun – Mixed-Up Mother Goose – file size information ↩

  25. Adventure Gamer Blog – Pepper’s Adventures in Time – Sierra Discovery Series context ↩ ↩2

  26. Internet Archive – Lost Mind of Dr. Brain CD Sampler – demo inclusion ↩

  27. Internet Archive – CD-ROM Version – preservation download ↩

  28. Sierra Gamers – Manual PDF – game manual ↩

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