Oregon Trail is a good game for older kids. But some scenarios may be over the heads of small children.
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Oregon Trail
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Is it age appropriate?
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Not age appropriate for kids under 7, age appropriate for kids over 9; suggested age 9. -
Is it any good?
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Common Sense says
Relive history by managing a family's wagon trip out west.
Why We Rated This 
for Ages 9 and Up
The good stuff
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Educational value:
What to watch out for
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Violence:
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What Parents Need to Know
This review of Oregon Trail was written by Jinny Gudmundsen
Parents need to know that this iPhone/iPod game is based on the classic PC simulation game The Oregon Trail, which was popular in classrooms from the 1970s to the present. It has a minigame about hunting game for food where you shoot cute animals by tapping them with your finger. When you hit them, they jump up and then are replaced with a drumstick. There is no blood shown. Characters can die in the game, including members of your family.
Families Can Talk About
Talk to your kids about the media in their life. We have more tools and tips that can help
- Families can talk about whether this game helped to explain history. Did it make you feel as if you were part of the wagon train? Do you think this game plays well on this platform? Which of the minigames was your favorite and why?
More on Oregon Trail
What’s the Story?
In THE OREGON TRAIL for the iPhone/iPod Touch, you join a historic wagon train traveling westward in the 1800s from Missouri to Oregon. You make all the decisions during the trip, including when to rest, what route to take, and what supplies to bring. In the process of traveling across the country, you can talk to characters and play 8 fun minigames that make great use of the device's touch screen and its motion sensors.
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Is It Any Good?
This highly polished game is easy to play, a delight to look at, and offers hours of gameplay. The game is easy to play with submenus dropping down from the top of the screen. There are plenty of interesting characters to talk with and some are famous including a young Custer and Samuel Morse. Many of these characters offer you extra quests. The integration of the eight minigames also helps to keep the gameplay fresh. Some involve timing your touches to do something like hammering a nail to fix the wagon or shooting an animal. While others involve rotating the device to use the accelerometer to accomplish things like panning for gold.
The only annoying flaw in the game is its long load times. Even so, The Oregon Trail is worth playing because it brings history alive and it offers a lot of depth, clocking in at 2-3 hours per game.
ClosePublisher’s Details
Released on 3/9/2009, price $4.99, not online enabled
ESRB rating: NR
ESRB rating: NR
Our Members Say
Most Recent Reviews
- I rate this title on for age 10 and give itMy concerns are:
- Excessive violence
- My highlights are:
- Educational
- Safety isn't an issue
- Easy to play
Good for older kids
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