Oregon Trail 5th Edition, The: Adventures Along the Oregon Trail
© 2001 The Learning Company
Sometimes you have to take two steps back to take one step forward. That holds true for this "new" version of Oregon Trail, which is actually based on the older, more stable second edition of the game; one of the last products produced by the respected Minnesota publisher, MECC. Children start their trek westward by typing in their name, profession and the names of people in their party. They then navigate through a series of complex menus to purchase supplies and stock their wagon. Unfortunately, some of the flaws with version two have also been carried into this edition. Children often overload their wagon, and the program doesn't help them visualize what they have. Kids also have trouble with some of the phrases like "caulk the wagons" and "ford the river". Along the trail, it is possible to hunt, fish and interact with characters. So what's different? At each main break in the adventure, children can listen to campfire stories about three real life children who actually traveled the Oregon trail. Our testers loved these vignettes and felt like they helped them better understand what the journey was really like. The children's journal is also on the CD as a PDF file, which makes good reading. Despite its flaws, this edition of Oregon Trail is the best yet, and a great way to experience American history.
$24.95, Win, Mac
Teaches: US history