swiftlyhistory

[swiftlyhistory]

Oregon Trail review

You are probably thinking, what the heck is the Oregon Trail game? Trust me, I was also in the same boat as a non-American. The Oregon Trail was made by MECC in 1974, to teach children what life was like on the trail. The user has to survive on the path by hunting with ammunition, purchasing bullets and hunting for wild animals along the way. Your family members can die from anything, including snakebite, measles, cholera, and typhoid. But also, from simple facts of broken legs. The family would hold a brief funeral and then would be on their way.

From my experience playing in the 21st Century, it was undoubtedly an instructing adventure. The character that you chose at the beginning determined the difficulty level. The game starts by the player receiving x amount of money to buy oxen, food, clothing, spare parts and ammunition. When the user starts the trial, the game gives you a series of options for a question, such as a river crossing, in which you have to choose an alternative. There are tabs at the top that say the distance travelled and where you are, and health and food supplies stop to ask questions to do with this. You could also check the map, go hunting or try to exchange something for something.

It was challenging to play because the game kept lagging, and the graphics were horrific. However, when it was first introduced, it was ingenious because it allowed for a whole way of learning. Visual and interactive learning was a new prospect. The game tasks history and implements it in a totally different way[1]. Where an alternative narrative can be found, and brings about a cultural discussion[2]. If not for gaming, it might have been silenced for even longer.

Moreover, I found it to simplify history. Where the game is practical and helps the user understand the basics of what life was like for Americans. With the game being the starting basis for knowledge, it allows them to go on to further understand the trail.

See below what the Oregon Trail looks like now!

[1] “Introduction: What Is Historical Game Studies?,” accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/13642529.2016.1256638?needAccess=true&role=button.

[2] Ibid.

[3] What the Oregon Trail Looks Like Today From Above, 2016, accessed December 7, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4qGnEI2-Wg.