A Nostalgic Adventure#

Origins and Purpose#

Oregon Trail was first released in the early 1970s by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium, better known as MECC. The idea of the game was to teach school children about the trails, challenges, dangers, and the life of pioneers in the 19th century. The goal of the game is to take a group of people all the way from Missouri to Oregon.

Popularity#

During the 70s, 80s, and even 90s, school kids loved playing this game. Getting your turn to have a go was something many kids looked forward to. Oregon Trail became one of the biggest selling video games of all time. Interestingly, it was released on nearly every computer capable of playing it.

Gameplay#

Starting the Journey#

For the time, Oregon Trail offered players a whole lot to do. To start, you had to name the four people in your party, which makes you more attached to them. You would then decide what supplies to purchase, ranging from food, ammo, wagon parts, clothes, and more. The game involves a lot of trial and error, and the more you play, the better you understand which supplies are best to start with.

Challenges and Obstacles#

As you make your way to Oregon, you will face many challenges similar to those old pioneers in the 19th century. You will have to deal with river crossings, severe weather conditions, and members of your party getting sick and dying. There is also a shooting section where you can hunt animals for trade or your own benefit. When you come to a town, you can stop to talk to people, make trades, buy supplies, and more. The idea is to get to the end of the game with as many party members as possible and achieve a high score. Getting to the end with all four party members still alive is quite the challenge.

Modern Resurgence#

Continued Popularity#

Saying that Oregon Trail has had a bit of a comeback in the last decade feels odd as many schools still have the game. Many kids learned about the game thanks to YouTube and its continued presence in popular culture. For example, Teen Titans Go did a whole episode based on the Oregon Trail. The game has been released many times and has even been turned into the zombie-themed, Organ Trail, which is a lot of fun.

Conclusion#

While Oregon Trail is a game that a lot of people have strong nostalgic feelings for, it is important to note that as an actual game, Oregon Trail is fun and well-crafted. The team at MECC did a fantastic job, and many people still enjoy this game to this day.