Frog Fractions

Frog Fractions is a browser based point and click based mock edutainment game that (spoiler alert) changes game genres very quickly much to the surprise of the player. The game begins as a supposed game that appears to teach fractions, only for the fractions to mean nothing. The player also experiences a schmup, text based journey, visual novel, DDR-like styled game just to name a few changes. The developer had created this as a way to entertain his friends but ended up creating something that became a indie-success. Frog Fractions 2 was later kickstarted and released via Steam under a fake name. The game became an inspiration to many developers that came across this gem. Many took this as a format and guidance of how to create something to re-create a very specific emotion. 

Philips Hue

Philips Hue lightbulbs are colour changing LED lights that can be controlled via a smartphone app. The light can either be a single colour of a spectrum of different colours. The lights are designed to also be adjusted to the appropriate amount of light your eyes need during each stage of the day. Recently, the lightbulbs have also been able to sink with different games you can play which supports the ambience of the environments you are experiencing in-game. The lights not only help with your general mood while at home as it is designed to make you feel more comfortable, the lights also boast that they are cost efficient and don’t create as much heat. 

Magic school explores inside the earth

The Magic School Bus Explores Inside the Earth was a edutainment point&click video game targeting primary school aged students. The player explores 7 different locations and in time, learns how the environment has produced different material based on location. Each location also has its own unique set of mini games that help fulfil the objective of the game. The bus itself is also a HUB where players can play mini-games such as cooking rocks and cleaning objects found from the several different locations. The games were popular and were often rated very highly as its delivery of information has a great balance of being both educational and entertaining. 

The ClueFinders 

ClueFinders was an educational video game that plays as a point&click. The game was aimed at primary school aged students with its focus on “multi-subject by grade” programs. Each different game was aimed at a different year level and had different activities within the story that focuses on Maths, Comprehension, Problem Solving and Spelling. The developer wanted to ensure that players would actually be able to learn from the educational aspect of the game so they introduced a system called ADAPT. Assessing Abilities, Developing Skills, Adjusting Levels, Providing Help, Tracking Progress.

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing

Mavis Beacon is an application software designed to teach touch typing via mini games that involve speed typing and reaction based learning. The application teachers and encourages good hand and finger placement as well as typing accuracy. Mavis Beacon presents a solution to a  problem in 1987 of needing to adapt to new technology being a much more common place in society. This program ended up being used in many schools and homes and it also allowed for teachers and parents to be able to track results. 

Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1996)

Carmen Sandiego was a popular edutainment video game that plays like a strategy/point&click-side scroller. The game was popular across classrooms and at home helping students develop skills in comprehension, problem solving and social awareness. Carmen Sandiego was so popular that it even had its own TV show and eventually a Netflix adaptation. The game itself helped to encourage the forward motion that games itself can be more than just a source of entertainment, but also something that can be used as a learning device.