Habitat Heroes (www.HabitatHeroes.com)
© 2009 Habitat Heroes
Designed in Austrialia, this MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) is designed to introduce conservation to elementary age children. The program lets you adopt an animal from an endangered species list and then create your own virtual world in which it can live. It is paid for by sponsors, and offers virtual money in exchange for your friends' email addresses. The avatar creation idea is creative. Because there are a limited number of endangered animals available in the real world, there are also a limited number of avatars allowed in each world. So, for example, only 3600 members can choose a black rhino for an avatar. In the game, children can chat with other avatars via chat boxes at the "Watering Hole", and online chats are monitored, but parents also have the option to limit use of this function with a safe chat. We were able to easily register and create an avatar (a rare sea turtle) although the navigation felt sluggish. The site allows children to explore the different continents by touring a virtual map. Each continent has its own games. For example, in Africa they can play Water Wheel, a game in which players construct an irrigation system in an African village. Each game allows the child to earn "creature cash" for resolving environmental challenges, which can then be used to purchase food, clothing, and more for their avatar. The creators of the Flash-based site are seeking corporate sponsors, whose logos appear in specific areas of the site. There are no subscription fees. Visit www.habitatheros.com.
Internet Site, Windows, Mac OSX
Teaches: science, conservation, ecology