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Oregon Trail is turning 40 this year

by David Quilty Jan 25th 2011 at 9:00PM

Oregon Trail


You may not have heard about it lately, but the classic game Oregon Trail is turning 40 years old this year. Initially developed as an educational game for a history class in Minneapolis, Oregon Trail was released to the public in 1971 developed for mainframe use starting in 1971, and it was later released for the Apple II computer. As an educational tool, players take on the identity of a wagon train leader bringing settlers from Missouri to Oregon in 1848, using their problem-solving skills to help their group survive disease and food shortages along the way. Points are rewarded based on how well one did at these jobs and keeping their family members alive until the end of the journey.

For fans of the game, back in August we found a clever trailer for the sweding of Oregon Trail, but for those of you looking to hearken back to a simpler time in computer gaming, you can give the game a try by either downloading the iPhone/iPod touch version from the App Store for US$0.99 or by playing the original Apple II version online at Virtual Apple.

Oops! Yes, that should have read 1971, not 1981. While the game itself was originally designed starting in 1971, the MECC Apple II version was first published in 1978. Our apologies for the confusion.



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You may not have heard about it lately, but the classic game Oregon Trail is turning 40 years old this year. Initially developed as an...
 

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23 Comments

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Danielle

I played this game in 6th thru 8th grade it was cool even back then. I have it on my cell phone now and it's not even a i phone. there was also a fish game we played can't remember what it was called. it was cool too.

January 26 2011 at 6:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
old enough to remember

We bought this for our kids to play on our Tandy 2000!

January 26 2011 at 3:28 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Alex C

Everyone in the 30-40 crowd was having a heart attack. "Wait a minute, am I really that old? . . . No, it looks like I'm not and this is just one big misunderstanding. Phew!"

January 26 2011 at 11:35 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sloan

The released the game several years before the platform it was released on existed? That was a truly revolutionary game..

January 26 2011 at 11:19 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
telltheinformer

The Apple II wasn't released until 1977, so how could a game have been released for it in 1971?

January 26 2011 at 1:12 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Waffletower

There is a veritable grease fire of pedantry here. I wish it was entertaining but unfortunately it isn't. Stop spraying water (and fire) as you aren't helping matters ... I think David Quilty is the only one with some baking soda, but he seems to have misplaced it.

January 26 2011 at 12:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Joe

I think they meant 1981, not 1971...

January 26 2011 at 12:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ulyssesric

First, it's Apple ][ (or Apple //), not Apple II.

Second, this game might be 40 years old, but the "Apple ][ game Oregon Trail" is definitely less then that -- the Apple ][ computer itself was introduced to public in 1977.

January 25 2011 at 11:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
funkywitdasystm

The first Apple II version of The Oregon Trail was an Integer BASIC type-in adaptation in Creative Computing's May-June 1978 issue.

- wikipedia

January 25 2011 at 11:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Paul Daniel Ash

Haha. God, blog-writing is brutal. No, you can't just fix the date and have it all make sense. The beatings will continue until quality improves...

January 25 2011 at 11:35 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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