A spin-off, Yukon Trail, was also created. Oregon Trail is typical of a successful educational video game: it provides accurate knowledge while also entertaining the students. Originally released for the home computer, it has more recently been ported to new devices such as the iPhone. The game has been revised many times since, but the essence of the game remains the same: the player is responsible for leading a party of pioneers from Missouri to Oregon, facing the same challenges that real-life Americans did on the trail in the mid-to-late nineteenth century. With the help of two other student teachers, he created one of the most enduring and iconic of all kids’ games: Oregon Trail. In 1971, Don Rawitsch, a student history teacher from Carleton College, decided to create a computer game to explain a certain aspect of American history to his young students. As the use of home computers and consoles for gaming has grown more widespread over the last thirty years, the demand for kids’ video games has expanded as well. That said, however, there has long been a demand for games which specifically cater to children.

Eventually parents’ desire to protect children from certain games led to the creation of a ratings system, the ERSB, in 1994. The 1990s saw an increase in controversy over adult themes and violence in video games. Only later would games with more mature content and themes, such as Mortal Kombat and Doom, enter the mainstream of gaming. Pong, Space Invaders, Pac-Man, Super Mario Bros., etc., contained no objectionable material which parents might has sought to shield their children from.

Within that broad definition, there are a great many subcategories of children’s games.īefore looking at the history of games specifically designed for children, it should be noted that most popular early arcade and home games would probably be considered as appropriate for children as adults. They naturally avoid too-complex rule systems and are designed to be aesthetically appealing to certain age brackets. They feature age-appropriate content, with no realistic violence or inappropriate themes. Such games are often, but need not necessarily be, educational in nature.

Kids’ games include any video game designed to be played by children.

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