Amazon Trail II

Amazon Trail II
Developer(s) The Adventure Company
Publisher(s) MECC
Series The Oregon Trail (spinoff)
Platform(s) Mac/Windows
Release date(s) 1996
Genre(s) Simulation[1][2]

Amazon Trail II is a simulation video game developed by The Adventure Company and published by MECC for the Mac and Windows.[3] It was released in September 1996.[4] The game is a spin-off of The Oregon Trail.

It is the second video game in the Amazon Trail video game series, succeeding The Amazon Trail and preceding Amazon Trail 3rd Edition.[5]

It was included in a games bundle with the Quantex 5500,[6] and in the Trail Mix Social Studies Bundle with Oregon Trail 3rd Edition and MayaQuest Trail.[7] The Quantex QP6/333 M-1c package also included the game in its software package.[8]

Production

The aim of this educational video game is to teach players about the "culture, ecology, and history of the Amazon River".[5]

The game was donated to the The Strong Museum of Play.[9]

The bulk of new content to The Amazon Trail series is not added in this game, but rather to its own sequel The Amazon Trail 3rd Edition: Rainforest Adventures.[10]

Richard D. Thompson was the game's video director.[11]

Plot

The game starts with a mysterious incident at the Museum of Ancient Art, which results in the player ending up in the Amazon.[12] Players are then sent to find a local cure to a disease,[13] with the end goal being to reach the city of Vilcabamba.[14]

Gameplay

Featuring "the same gameplay and educational styling"[15] as The Oregon Trail, players take a virtual trip up the South American Amazon River.in a canoe[5] in an interactive learning journey.[16] The game has 3 levels of difficulty.[17] Players receive points by remaining healthy, using their recources wisely, and conversing with characters correctly.[17] The best players have their names put into a high score list.[17] A fishing meter shows how hard the harpoon is thrown when fishing.[17] Tour guides ask the player questions which they must respond to further the game.[17] The game includes four river guides, 17 assignments, and 50 characters.[17]

Critical reception

Janice Reutter wrote in the Science and Children journal that the game is " an exciting, adventurous journey" with "attractive graphics", "mysterious and intriguing sound effects", and "beautiful 3D...scenes".[17] The Boston Herald favourably compared it to its "pretty simple" and "not very attractive" predecessor Amazon Trail, deeming it a "good buy for families who don't yet have Amazon Trail".[18] Computer Shopper said a software package that included the game was a "great starting point for the first-time buyer".[8] The Washington Post's review included testomony from their "kid software tester" Sarah Phillips, who said that parts of the game could be "pretty neat" or "extremely frustrating".[19] MECC deemed it "one of the most compelling interactive adventures ever".[20] TESL-EJ described it as "wonderful" and "imaginative".[21]

References

  1. ↑ "Computer-Assisted Language Learning: An Overview".
  2. ↑ "Advantages and Limitations of CALL". web.warwick.ac.uk. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  3. ↑ Penix-Tadsen, Phillip (2016-02-12). Cultural Code: Video Games and Latin America. MIT Press. ISBN 9780262034050.
  4. ↑ Buckleitner, Warren (2001-03-01). The Complete Sourcebook on Children's Software. Children's Software Revue. ISBN 9781891983054.
  5. 1 2 3 Software and CD-ROM Reviews on File. Facts on File, Incorporated. 1997-01-01.
  6. ↑ Inc, Future US (1999-07-01). Maximum PC. Future US, Inc.
  7. ↑ Leppert, Mary; Leppert, Michael (2001-01-01). Homeschooling Almanac 2002-2003. Prima Pub. ISBN 9780761528562.
  8. 1 2 "Quantex QP6/333 M-1c: Quantex ups the entry-level ante.(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)". 1999-03-01.
  9. ↑ "109.10725: Amazon Trail II: Science & History | video game | Educational Software | Video Games | Online Collections | The Strong". www.museumofplay.org. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  10. ↑ "The Personal Computer Museum, Brantford, Ontario, CANADA - Recycle, donate, and browse your old computers, electronics, video games, and software". www.pcmuseum.ca. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  11. ↑ "The Artistic Team".
  12. ↑ "Amazon Trail II". Metacritic. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  13. ↑ "Amazon Trail II (PC)". IGN. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  14. ↑ "Amazon Trail II (Game) - Giant Bomb". www.giantbomb.com. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  15. ↑ "The Oregon Trail - Edutainment's First Video Game Hit - Apple II". Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  16. ↑ CD-ROMs in Print. Meckler. 2001-01-01. ISBN 9780787633561.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Amazon Trail II - ProQuest". search.proquest.com. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  18. ↑ "Kid tech.". 1997-03-30.
  19. ↑ "Keep on Trackin'". 1997-03-14.
  20. ↑ "Amazon Trail II | Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium". www.mecc.co. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  21. ↑ "Oregon Trail II". www.tesl-ej.org. Retrieved 2016-09-08.

Further reading

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