Wikipedia

Amazon Trail II

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

Amazon Trail II
Cover art
Developer(s)The Adventure Company
Publisher(s)MECC
SeriesThe Oregon Trail
Platform(s)Windows, Macintosh
Release1996
Genre(s)Simulation[1][2]
Mode(s)Single-player

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 The Oregon Trail 3rd Edition and MayaQuest: The Mystery Trail.[7] The Quantex QP6/333 M-1c package also included the game in its software package.[8]

Production edit

The aim of this educational video game is to teach players about the "culture, ecology, and history of the Amazon River".[5] Richard D. Thompson was the game's video director.[9]

The game was donated to The Strong National Museum of Play.[10]

Plot edit

The game starts with a mysterious incident at the Museum of Ancient Art, which results in the player ending up in the Amazon.[11] Players are then sent to find a local cure to a disease,[12] with the end goal being to reach the city of Vilcabamba.[13]

Gameplay edit

Featuring "the same gameplay and educational styling"[14] as The Oregon Trail, players take a virtual trip up the South American Amazon River in a canoe[5] in an interactive learning journey.[15] The game has 3 levels of difficulty.[16] Players receive points by remaining healthy, using their resources wisely, and conversing with characters correctly.[16] The best players have their names put into a high score list.[16] A fishing meter shows how hard the harpoon is thrown when fishing.[16] Tour guides ask the player questions which they must respond to further the game.[16] The game includes four river guides, 17 assignments, and 50 characters.[16]

Critical reception edit

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".[16] 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".[17] 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 testimony from their "kid software tester" Sarah Phillips, who said that parts of the game could be "pretty neat" or "extremely frustrating".[18] MECC deemed it "one of the most compelling interactive adventures ever".[19] TESL-EJ described it as "wonderful" and "imaginative".[20]

References edit

  1. ^ "Computer-Assisted Language Learning: An Overview". Archived from the original on 2016-10-18.
  2. ^ "Advantages and Limitations of CALL". web.warwick.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-06-07. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  3. ^ Penix-Tadsen, Phillip (2016). Cultural Code: Video Games and Latin America. MIT Press. ISBN 978-0-262-03405-0.[page needed]
  4. ^ Review, Children's Software (2001). The Complete Sourcebook on Children's Software. Children's Software Revue. ISBN 978-1-891983-05-4.[page needed]
  5. ^ a b c Software and CD-ROM Reviews on File. Facts on File, Incorporated. 1997. p. 635.
  6. ^ Inc, Future US (1999-07-01). Maximum PC. Future US, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ Leppert, Mary; Leppert, Michael (2001). Homeschooling Almanac 2002-2003. Crown Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0-7615-2856-2.[page needed]
  8. ^ a b "Quantex QP6/333 M-1c: Quantex ups the entry-level ante.(Hardware Review)(Evaluation)". 1999-03-01. Archived from the original on 2016-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. ^ "The Artistic Team".
  10. ^ "Amazon Trail II: Science & History". www.museumofplay.org. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  11. ^ "Amazon Trail II". Metacritic. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  12. ^ "Amazon Trail II (PC)". IGN. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  13. ^ "Amazon Trail II (Game) - Giant Bomb". www.giantbomb.com. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  14. ^ "The Oregon Trail - Edutainment's First Video Game Hit - Apple II". Archived from the original on 2016-09-14. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  15. ^ CD-ROMs in Print. Meckler. 2001. ISBN 978-0-7876-3356-1.[page needed]
  16. ^ a b c d e f g Reutter, Janice (1997). "Amazon Trail II". Science and Children. 35 (3): 59. ProQuest 236906679.
  17. ^ "Kid tech". 1997-03-30. Archived from the original on 2016-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  18. ^ "Keep on Trackin'". 1997-03-14. Archived from the original on 2016-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  19. ^ "Amazon Trail II | Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium". www.mecc.co. Retrieved 2016-09-08.
  20. ^ "Oregon Trail II". www.tesl-ej.org. Retrieved 2016-09-08.

Further reading edit

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