Math Blaster, **** yeah!

ModernGamer

Anyone remember "Math Circus?" That was an awesome game, I loved the cannonball and trapeze levels.

bradcopping

Man, how I miss Oregon Trail.
Still one of my favorite games growing up. Although I can't even count how many times I died in that game due to disease or drowning.

Mazakona

@kilikafinal: Organ trail sounds like great game, you could study the digestive system! Maybe it'll teach typing, and math, and reading! each organ could have a different theme, and in order to get out of the stomach you have to be able to type at 60 WPM with no errors. The small intestine could be math world. I'd buy that game.

ggodo

I remember when my parents brought home Math Blaster. This being my first venture into the world of educational video games, I was excited. I was expecting all the joy my SNES brought with a little touch of math in there.

Let's just say there were many miserable hours spent in front of the PC ultimately making no impact on my math skills whatsoever.

Hey_guy

@GoGoGodzilla: Gizmos and Gadgets was 90s, and I haven't managed to find it anywhere.

ggodo

sim city is a 80s game?! wow...and i only heard of 3 games on the list... organ trail. carmin sandiago. and sim city. all of which i thot were 2000 games lol

kilikafinal

Does anyone else remember an old game where you played as Lewis and Clark? I've been looking for it everywhere. Great fun from the Playing Games at School/Oregon Trail Era.

ACoBildo

@Hamsfork: I don't know why that first one wasn't a link. By the way, you need Internet Explorer or Firefox for Oregon Trail.

Hamsfork

@JustJake:

Oregon trail: www.virtualapple.org/oregontraildisk.html

Number munchers: [www.numbermunchers.org]

Hamsfork

<3 Number Munchers and Oregon trail.

I just spent 20 minutes looking for them online to no avail. I suck at interneting.

JustJake

Ahh a few titles that I remember even though I was born in the 90's.

Saigin

OMG OMG OMG NUMBER MUNCHERS!!!! how could i forget that game?! i <3 oregon trail as well and never liked reader rabbit

Shockadin

@Ad-hominem:And I have no clue why that was listed as a reply instead of a comment. Stupid comment system.

Ad-hominem

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.:

My how the young just dont grasp the oldness...

You make me feel old!

EnigmaNemesis

I went to grade school in the 90's and we still had to play most of those games. Another game I remember playing was Gizmos and Gadgets, although I think that was a 90's game. Good times.

GoGoGodzilla

I actually have a gigantic box of Apple II edutainment games (all copies) that used to be owned by one of the elementary schools in my town. You see, my cousin works as a computer teacher here (actually, I think he might have quit to be a stay-at-home dad now), and when the schools (finally) switched from Apple IIs to decent computers (this was in the early-mid 2000's) he gave me one of the systems and a bunch of games.

Jeff Paine

@adocious: Neither is Solitaire or M.U.L.E., the point of the list was games that taught people stuff, not necessarily edutainment.

Jeff Paine

This list goes to 11.

Papapishu

@adocious: It teaches you advanced reading so it can actually qualify as educational.

zoesch

Aww...that list is disappointing.
The most educational game of the 80's was Custer's Revenge.
Other than that, great list.
Very nostalgic.

Ad-hominem

Zork, while awesome, isn't educational software.

adocious

OMG Number Munchers!! Those little dudes frigging ruled!

Oh wow that was a 1980s game?
lol they were still using it at my school back in 2000 when I was in grade 3... good times though

Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.

My edutainment of choice back then was "In Search of the Most Amazing Thing"....I think it was Spinmaker or something?

Loved that game. I only got to play it every now and then on the Apple IIe at school during recess, but man, I'll never forget it. I thought it was the best thing ever.

Knoxximus (XBL/PSN)

I'd so buy an update to Oregon Trail. 1,000 grandfather clocks FTW!

Pacifist Pirate Nyo

It's all fun and games until Carmen Sandiego munched some numbers and died from dysentery.

With that and 'L', for logic and word learning, the BBC Micro and I had a good time in "eductional advancement". When I wasn't busy playing Lode Runner that is.

Kenofthedead

@AndrewDB: It's not really old, I mean it's only what, a couple decades ago? Not sure why there is an 11 on a top 10 list, but it's been while since I was in school.

Xerxes 8933A

Math Blaster, Carmen Sandiego and Sim City were the only ones on the list I played. We also had Cross Country Canada but I could never figure out why it was supposed to be fun to pretend to drive a transport truck across Canada. I grew up in the 90's though so we had Gizmos And Gadgets, Treasure Mountain/Mathstorm and The Incredible Machine.

Ethan Halko!

They forgot Apple Cider Spider, a game analogous to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle in its call for reformation in the Cider industry, specifically new guidelines ensuring minimal insect detritus during the jugging process.

That delicious glass of spider-free apple cider you had this morning? Thank Apple Cider Spider.

radiomouse

I just can't believe I played all of those games, so many hold a serious place in my heart. Maybe you can say those games made me the "hardcore" gamer I am today? Oh the good old computer bus in grade school, so many memories of these games on that bus. *tear*

MiGo316

I was the shit at number munchers, i challenge ALL of you!!!!!

Aparanoidandroi

Holy crap this list makes me feel old. I remember growing up and playing all of these games..

AndrewDB

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: "back in 2000 when I was in grade 3"

Thanks, my hip broke just reading that. :p

Anyway, win games are win. Spent many a computer class with those.

ShaggE

OMG I forgot about math munchers.

I had so much fun with that shit as a kid.

The Amazing Exploding-Man

Sim City is the only one I remember here. We had Grannys Garden, which was the height of interactive entertainment in our school. A fine game at the time, one can only imagine the laughs that would be had pulling it out to today.

johnny_ultimate

@AndrewDB:

Yea! I remember doodling on my uber old black and white mac thinking it was the best game ever. That and like one of the first flight simulators (where u had to put in the code to get the fighter jet) Man those were the days.

PhoenixAzure

I also remember Yukon trail, our whole class had a competition on who can get the most gold. I ended up taking 3rd place out of the whole class. I also played the Amazon trail which wasn't too bad, and the Africa Trail (remembered it being soooo hard i never completed it)

PhoenixAzure

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: At the risk of beating a dead horse, damn, you make me feel old.

Lightman

No Fraction Fever? NO LOGO??? What the H?

Cagmin

It was after I had finally mastered Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, Where in the US is Carmen Sandiego and Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego, I finally realized I was a total dork.

This condition has only worsened since that discovery.

AdmiralRupert

Anyone remember Kid Pix?

AndrewDB

@Xerxes 8933A:

It's been long enough that it makes me feel old.

AndrewDB

I dont think we had any of those games here in British primary schools.
The Oregon Trial looks vaguely familiar, but I remember it being called Wagons West? Can any one from UK remember that?
Also another one we had was The Crystal Rainforest.
Anyone remember that?

theTOMSTA666

@ggodo: Yeah, I've tried looking for it too, no luck. It was probably the most fun out of all those edutainment titles.

GoGoGodzilla

List with Number Muncher = List with win

vid3oman64

Lemonade Stand was probably the first computer game I ever played. Later on, in middle school, Hot Dog Stand was the order of the day.

KaneRobot

i remember spending so much time playing these games

Alchemy_Comrade

Er rather number muchers.

Told you I forgot about it.

The Amazing Exploding-Man

I downloaded Super Munchers a while back but it runs like crap on my Macbook. Not exactly sure why but I still love the game, played it whenever I had free time in computer class. Another game I remember was this math type game with snowballs. We only had a couple computers with it and we all raced to get one of those. I haven't met anyone who remembers so if this catches anyone's eye, let me know :)

Tiger-Fever

I had spent years after Carmen, tracking down and snatching up every one in her criminal operation. I was effective putting them away as, she was breaking them out.

Til finally one day, she had made a mistake. She decided to stretch her legs and go out in the world. And I was the agent to track her down. We bounced around the world. Narrowly missing her time and time again. Finally I had her location, with a mere hour left til my deadline. She was either at the bar, or in the ally. I only had time to pick one. Carmen was no drinker. So I went with the ally.

Nothing, I turned face to the bar but it was too late, I was out of time. I got the call to abort just as I saw her red noir jacket go streaking down the street.I never put that Scarlet away.

huginn

Forget Mavis Beacon - The Typing of the Dead was where it was at for typing tutor games!

Type the word the zombie has on it as it lurches towards you to shoot it! It actually made my touch-typing 100% better, it was fun and it was proper hilarious - the characters all wearing Dreamcast backpacks with keyboards instead of holding guns and the words the zombies appeared with were totally random - big dude with a chainsaw lumbering at you with 'Dibble-dabble' across his chest!

Boss-fights were awesome too, multiple-choice quizzes and timed short-story writing!

NiceMissMayonnaise

@Papapishu: Shows how well they worked at educating I guess.

NiceMissMayonnaise

Anyone remember Hammurabi Code? I played it as a kid on my Atari 800XL - it was a text adventure, but you were the mayor of a town and had to make decisions in order to provide food and wealth to your people. Kind of like a simcity thing, but no graphics. Man I loved text adventures, ZORK FTW!!

jacksbrokenego

Oregon Trail was the SHIT, and rightfully so it should be #1 on the list. Also for some reason, Math Blaster always caught my attention as well.

acez2087

@Papapishu:

They like to go one step beyond.

jello44

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.:

Yep, from the 80s, I played it when I was in third grade about, oh.. 20 some years ago..

Now I feel old too.

jello44

JAKE has died of SNAKEBITE.

interim

@Hamsfork: Thanks I just played for an hour. Stupid Typhoid!

My tombstone said, Kotaku, FUCK YEAH!

JustJake

I was about the only person in my school hardcoar enough to catch Carmen.

Ah, memories.

Frank

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: Seriously, I totally forgot that game. One of my favorites!

psychobaka

where are the new Carmen Sandiego games?With the technology of today they could make an awsomely fun and educational game. With Blu ray you don't have to just look at pictures , you can see video of the place and interact with the surroundings and have the cartoon overlays run around the city. It would be great! And all in High Def!

I also know each and everyone of those games and I miss my childhood and the world that it used to be. People are such assholes now. Or maybe it's just better to be a kid. I hate growing up.

Netnavi

@GoGoGodzilla: I remember Gizmos and Gadgets, I used to love that game.

LastFace

Yeah, screw Mavis Beacon, QWERTY was where it was at.

*

Yeah, QWERTY, you keep rockin' man.

*

Yeah, I know man, they don't use you anymore, but you shouldn't let that hurt your self esteem. Keep up the good fight.

Baramos

If I were to make a list of educational games, I would put "Leisure Suit Larry" at the very top. It taught me everything I needed to know about getting women.

NeVeRMoRe666

Oregon Trail and Number Munchers!

I never actually complete the Oregon Trail...

Do Kesubei

oregon trail is something I still play.

madhotch

Oregon trail was good. So was the 90s game Amazon Trail.

Akin

True story: Back in middle school, my main classroom was responsible for making the copies of all MECC titles for the entire district. We had a library of several 5.25 floppy organizers that held a master copy of every title that the district had a license to along with copy software that would print labels (on an Imagewriter II no less) along with a massive pile of labels and folded white boxes. I remember there were times it seemed we spent most of the day cranking out the big orders, and I was there sitting at the IIGS in the corner sliding floppies in and out of the second drive, one after another.

I think I managed to sneak myself a few copies of some choice titles.

Paul Soth

Math Blaster..played that in 4th grade in 94 and 5th grade in 95... :( I feel so old

ヨシダさん 25

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: Grade 3? how about 3rd Grade.

lordy...I feel a little old as well. that means your a youngin!

chaos_isnt_here

@PhoenixAzure:

I was a yukon trail junky...I actually taught my friends to play the card game so I could play even when I couldn't use the computer

roguemarvel

Mostyl good games for the title educational but solitaire, nope it doesn't fit

GodKiller0

@Paul Soth:

Reminds me of grade school where all games we had, we're made by the teachers...wasn't awesome, but decent

GodKiller0

Oregon Trail and Carmen Sandiego were staples in my elementary, as was Mavis Beacon. I remember playing all but 7 and 8. Picadilly Circus wasn't mentioned, but that was another fun favorite in our classroom back in the day.

MelodyKitn

Growing up in the '80s in part of the former Oregon Territory pretty much guaranteed that Oregon Trail was EVERYWHERE. Oh, how many times did I play that game... and how many times did I die of dysentery before reaching my goal....

As for Carmen, I think I played every variant available of that game. Seems a franchise ripe for a next-gen reintroduction. ;)

janai

@Ad-hominem: Even if you delete the HREF it still counts as a comment. You have to scroll to the bottom of the page to comment, or reload if you accidentally hit the reply button on another comment.

That is assuming, of course, you accidentally hit reply on a comment.

Ghede

Sure Oregon Trail and Where the (hell) is Carmen San Diego were games define what I played back in my classroom back in elementary school, but that Magic School Bus Astronmy and that game something along the lines of "Hours before Midnight" - where this weird professor gave clues and have to find him before midnight in school and kinda like a mystery game, anyone know the name? - were my favorites!

Mike's Stalker

I think I remember playing an aussie variant of the oregon trail... it was really similar in the way the gameplay worked. Other games that I remember is Carmen Sandiego and Math Blaster And Simcity. But I was born in the 1990s so I guess I'm one generation or so younger than these games.

dakimstar

I might have missed it but what about lemonade tycoon (or was it lemonade stand?) heck that was fun in the old days.
That game taught me math, supply and demand and also the importance of capitalism: the lust for money and power.

Unfortunately that game didn't tell you about the importance of paying taxes and buying a business license.

Long story short I had to take down my real lemonade stand because the kid next door told me about the importance of paying taxes and having a business license otherwise I'd be in trouble..... wait a minute. I've been duped nooooooooo!

Neko_Tech

@Gantz: Your Trusted Friend in Science.: Munchers forever!

Rebochan

No Seven Cities of Gold? Where else would we have gotten a lesson in being ignorant colonists that destroyed cultures wherever they went?

Benjo

I've still got "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" on a 5 inch floppy at my house. That game was awesome. I used to play that along with Gertrude's Secret. Good times.

Also, the show on PBS was badass. Vick the Slick was awesome.

Doomstink

This article reminds me of that game "Freedom" (at least I think that was what it was called) that we had on the computers at my elementary school for a while after everyone got bored with Carmen Sandiego and Lemonade Stand.

It was an Oregon Trail-like game where you played a runaway slave who had to get to Canada from the deep south. You would have to find safe houses and avoid getting murdered by racists and re-captured by slave hunters all while using old-timey navigation techniques to progress and folk medicine to heal your wounds. I remember it was around the time I had just figured out that you had to use pepper to avoid getting mauled by dogs when the game suddenly disappeared, never to be seen again. I can just imagine the horrified look on the face of some parent when their kid came home talking about how they got dragged back to the plantation after reaching Tennessee and had their foot cut off for trying to run away.

atarashii_123

@Akin: I remember playing Amazon Trail at a demo kiosk at a mall one day, and never seeing it again. Wonder why it didn't catch on the way Oregon Trail did.

atarashii_123

O'Dell Down Under.

They should slip this game into Spore, to bridge the gap between the cell and first land stage.

Also, there was this game I loved where you basically just take pictures of dinosaurs. I can't remember what it's called.

MeanMillz

@atarashii_123: @MeanMillz: Yeah! O'Dell was the shit! I still get the theme song in my head sometimes.

atarashii_123

My favorite educational game by an order of magnitude was Robot Odyssey, a lesser-known sequel to Rocky's Boots (which I would have loved to see on the list, but was admittedly pretty specialized) that replaced the generic 'kick things off an assembly line' mechanics with an actual adventure game, complete with some tricky multi-robot coordination puzzles. It bore about as much resemblance to actual electronics circuitry as Lemonade Stand bore to running a business, but it was still by far the most fun I had learning anything in high school.

sstadnicki

Reader Rabbit was awesome helped me learn english when i was little and moved here anyone remember gizmos and gadgets?

UlulaniGanadium

Cross Country Canada was wicked, I remember playing so much of that game. It's the only game I know of that you could stop in the middle of a darkened street in your eighteen wheeler, pick up hitchhikers and get mugged and have all your cargo stolen. When you're 10 and you can play this in class it's like reverse Grand Theft Auto yet still manages to be an awful lot of fun.

CapriceOpeth

Does anyone else remember a old game where you took the place of Lewis and Clark? It was an awesome game, but I can seem to find it anywhere.

CaryStag

Cross Country Canada was the shit. I would always end up typing speed, and getting pulled over by the police. Hit police Ouch

MarcellaBates

HA! I grew up in oregon, so Oregon trail was a mandatory game in my computer class back in the day. I always dies while fording rivers..lol

I HATED Mavis Beacon Teaches typing, especially the one where you type fast to drive your race car.

So many memories of my fat ass teacher saying "Home Row" Home Row" in every sentence.

Anyone remember Mario Teaches typing? google it..lol

ShogunAssassinX