Topic: Educational Gaming?

[jrlibrarian]

I'm starting on a new idea for a book, one where I examine the realm of educational gaming, mostly PC, since that's what I grew up with, and comparing that to my experiences going back to those games as an adult, in addition to games that I never experienced as a kid. I want to see whether these games actually hold up and could still be used as teaching tools to children today, or whether the breach between generations has been stretched to far by advancing technology.


Are there any games that stick out in your mind? I know someone's going to bring up Mario is Missing and that lot, but I'm thinking more widespread. So far, I have Carmen Sandiego, Jumpstart, Reader Rabbit, and ClueFinders. Maybe throw Timon and Pumbaa Typing in there for a laugh. 

[Pixelated Pixies]

The latest episode of Retronauts covers this topic and the group discuss the merits of Minecraft as an educational game. In terms of the game providing young people with tools that engender spacial awareness and basic mathematical skills, it's definitely a game which could be used as a teaching resource.

[MegaByte]

All of the MECC games -- The Oregon Trail, Word/Number/Super Munchers, etc.
Super Solvers series
The Incredible Machine
Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing
Encarta MindMaze

[NWR_insanolord]

I spent a lot of time in grade school playing Math Blaster, Treasure Math Storm, Number Munchers and Word Munchers.

[BranDonk Kong]

Holy **** I forgot about Math Blaster and Word Munchers, those were awesome!

[ShyGuy]

The school district I work in still uses Age of Empires in some high school classes. Or was it Civilization? I should check the file server.

[ThomasO]

Logical Journey of the Zoombinis

[lolmonade]

Math Wizard on Amiga was my parents' frail attempt at providing me educational gaming when I was young.





Other than that, this list has pretty much every education game I played as a kid.


Now excuse me while I go look for a way to play Odell Down Under.

[ShyGuy]

Simcity and Donkey Kong Jr. Math!

[Ceric]

The Dr.Brain Series.
Spell-a-Saurus (http://youtu.be/SS_3iSvi8HE I didn't hear the audio but this is the game)
What MegaByte said.

Had fun with Super Solvers Midnight Rescue.

[Shaymin]

New Super Luigi U really enhanced my vocabulary of profanities.

In all seriousness, a modern Jeopardy game could work for facts that could encourage further reading.