Platformer games used for educational purposes?
September 18, 2010 10:08 AM Subscribe
Are there any examples of platformer games used for educational purposes?
LittleBigPlanet comes close, but in a more freeform way. I'm interested to know of any examples that attempt to teach particular topics (say, boolean logic, or anatomy, etc.)
LittleBigPlanet comes close, but in a more freeform way. I'm interested to know of any examples that attempt to teach particular topics (say, boolean logic, or anatomy, etc.)
I'm not sure what you mean by LBP coming close but not being freeform enough: you could definitely create a level to teach those topics. If you need LBP to be just a little more freeform, LBP2 comes out in a couple of months and will allow you much more flexibility in level creation to create levels that don't even resemble a platformer at all if you desire.
posted by GleepGlop at 12:22 PM on September 18, 2010
posted by GleepGlop at 12:22 PM on September 18, 2010
Best answer: There were two DOS games I loved in about 1993. Math Rescue and Word Rescue.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 12:42 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 12:42 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Gleep: Sorry, I meant that LBP *is* freeform, and therefore doesn't teach specific topics, but could be customized to do so.
posted by gwint at 1:12 PM on September 18, 2010
posted by gwint at 1:12 PM on September 18, 2010
Would The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis count? My kids played the crap out of that game.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:27 PM on September 18, 2010
posted by Thorzdad at 2:27 PM on September 18, 2010
Mario Teaches Typing
Odell Down Under
the Blaster series
Oregon Trail
And another series I can't remember the name of... there were at least math and english versions and it was centered around using math/english to earn better parts for different vehicles you were to race against some other guy. Man, what were those called?
posted by cmoj at 4:15 PM on September 18, 2010
Odell Down Under
the Blaster series
Oregon Trail
And another series I can't remember the name of... there were at least math and english versions and it was centered around using math/english to earn better parts for different vehicles you were to race against some other guy. Man, what were those called?
posted by cmoj at 4:15 PM on September 18, 2010
If I understand what you're looking for correctly, this class of games is sometimes called edutainment. The Reader Rabbit, Dr. Brain, and Pajama Sam series come to mind.
posted by thatdawnperson at 5:14 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by thatdawnperson at 5:14 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
The Super Solver Adventures series.
Of these, I recommend:
Treasure Mountain
Treasure Cove
Midnight Rescue
Outnumbered
and Operation Neptune
Treasure Mountain and Treasure Cove are the most basic, in terms of both gameplay and educational level. Midnight Rescue (reading) and Outnumbered (math) are a little more advanced, but they're very similar games. I could never remember which took place at the TV station and which took place at the school. Operation Neptune is the most advanced; the math problems are much more complex (IIRC it had some problems that relied on the interaction of units and some basic algebra problems), and the gameplay can get downright HARD.
I also played Treasure Mathstorm, but I know I didn't like it. I can't remember the specific reason, but I think the gameplay was flawed in some way.
posted by clorox at 7:38 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Of these, I recommend:
Treasure Mountain
Treasure Cove
Midnight Rescue
Outnumbered
and Operation Neptune
Treasure Mountain and Treasure Cove are the most basic, in terms of both gameplay and educational level. Midnight Rescue (reading) and Outnumbered (math) are a little more advanced, but they're very similar games. I could never remember which took place at the TV station and which took place at the school. Operation Neptune is the most advanced; the math problems are much more complex (IIRC it had some problems that relied on the interaction of units and some basic algebra problems), and the gameplay can get downright HARD.
I also played Treasure Mathstorm, but I know I didn't like it. I can't remember the specific reason, but I think the gameplay was flawed in some way.
posted by clorox at 7:38 PM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
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Captain Novolin taught kids about diabetes. Terrible.
Wally Bear and the No! Gang taught kids about drugs being bad. Terrible.
posted by griphus at 11:01 AM on September 18, 2010 [1 favorite]