 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Oregon Trail
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire
- Price: $.99
- Category: Educational Games
Common Sense Media says
Relive history by managing a family's wagon trip out west.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that The Oregon Trail is an educational simulation game about what it was like to be a pioneer traveling west in the 1800s. It includes in-app purchases that are required to get the most out of the game. You join a historic wagon train traveling westward from Missouri to Oregon and 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. This app 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.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn about the history of the American westward expansion of the 1800s by participating in this adventure simulation from the point of view of a pioneer family traveling by wagon train from Missouri to Oregon. Kids learn interesting historical facts about life on the road, such as what pioneers ate for breakfast and what materials they used to repair their wagons. Kids also make decisions about how to deal with emergencies such as illness and hunger. The Oregon Trail offers lessons not just in history, but also in resiliency and decision-making.
Subjects
- Language & Reading
- Math
- Science
- Social Studiescitizenship, cultural understanding, history
- Arts
- Hobbies
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoningdecision-making
- Creativity
- Self-Direction
- Emotional Developmentdeveloping resilience
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Responsibility & Ethicslearning from consequences
- Tech Skills
- Health & Fitness
What's it about?
Kids playing The Oregon Trail guide a wagon trail of settlers west across the American frontier by tapping the screen to interact with buttons and menus. Kids respond to random events such as sick family members, manage supplies and money, and decide how fast to go and which routes to take. Decisions have permanent consequences that affect whether the wagon train makes it to Oregon. Players “win” if the settlers complete the journey.
Is it any good?
The Oregon Trail is a highly polished simulation game that's easy to play, a delight to look at, and offers hours of gameplay. The game's submenus drop down from the top of the screen, allowing kids to make decisions easily. Interesting characters to talk fill this world 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 biggest disappointment about The Oregon Trail is the addition of in-app purchases. It feels particularly greedy because 1) the app is not free to begin with, and 2) it's difficult to be competitive without making a purchase, so it doesn't truly feel optional. Other than that, The Oregon Trail is a great way to bring history alive; and it offers a lot of depth, clocking in at 2-3 hours per game.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn about the history of the American westward expansion of the 1800s by participating in this adventure simulation from the point of view of a pioneer family traveling by wagon train from Missouri to Oregon. Kids learn interesting historical facts about life on the road, such as what pioneers ate for breakfast and what materials they used to repair their wagons. Kids also make decisions about how to deal with emergencies such as illness and hunger. The Oregon Trail offers lessons not just in history, but also in resiliency and decision-making.
Subjects
- Language & Reading:
- Math:
- Science:
- Social Studies: citizenship, cultural understanding, history
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning: decision-making
- Creativity:
- Self-Direction:
- Emotional Development: developing resilience
- Communication:
- Collaboration:
- Responsibility & Ethics: learning from consequences
- Tech Skills:
- Health & Fitness:
How kids will learn
Kids learn about the hardships settlers faced by participating in simulated westward migrations. This approach teaches history in a fun and compelling way that appeals to a wide variety of users. Decisions kids make have permanent consequences: For example, if a settler's cholera isn't treated, the person could die. Kids also meet famous historical figures, such as inventor Samuel Morse. There are five difficulty levels, and kids can play the scenario many times to try different strategies. The journey is never the same twice.
How parents can help
- Steer kids toward other media (such as art, books, and movies) exploring the American westward expansion.
- Tour a historical museum or, if you live near one, a local pioneer village.
- Show:
- All members
- Parents
- Teens & kids
Kid, 11 years old
March 9, 2011
AGE
have to read
easy gets boring after a while
Was this review useful?
|
|
Teen, 13 years old
February 3, 2011
AGE
TO EASY
It is far to short I beat it 5 times in a week
What other families should know:
Was this review useful?
|
|
| Category: | Educational Games |
| Platforms: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire |
| Price: | $.99 |
| Publisher: | Gameloft |
| Version: | 1.7.4 |
| Release date: | January 25, 2010 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 2.2.1 or later, Android 2.1 or later |
Contact us to give us more feedback on our learning ratings.
Review It
Screenshots
1 of 3
2 of 3
3 of 3
Great alternatives handpicked by our editors
More from Common Sense Media
Top advice and articles
