5 examples of games with an educational twist
From the dystopian corridors of Rapture to the iconic plateaus of Hyrule, video games can keep us entertained for hours on end.
However, entertainment is not the only thing video games can achieve. Sometimes, education comes along for the ride, without us even noticing.
While some games might seem like they were made specifically to have fun, others can provide a clear view of certain entrepreneurial and social roles, such as game developers.
Without further ado, here are 5 examples of games that can really educate you more than you’d think.
1. Game Dev Tycoon
(Source: Greenheart Games)
Have you ever wanted to be a video game developer? In this simulator, you’re in the 1980s, trying to turn a profit while making video games in your garage. Eventually, your company grows. Time goes by. Technology evolves, and new platforms become available.
Here, you’ll learn how to manage a budget, deal with both success and failure, communicate with the media, and, overall, develop your entrepreneurial skills, while also learning about video game History.
2. Poly bridge
(Source: Dry Cactus)
Designing bridges might look simple at first, but once you begin to understand the mechanisms involved in them, they can get really complicated, really easily.
“Poly bridge” teaches you problem-solving and architectural design while remaining challenging and fun for everyone, guiding you through the entire process.
3.Kerbal Space Program
(Source: Squad)
Space, the final frontier. Difficult to reach in real life, but not so much in video games. In this stellar indie simulator, you are tasked with designing a spaceship to explore new worlds across the solar system.
Not only that, but you also need to calculate the angle of entry into the atmosphere, the trajectory of the ship, and a lot of different variants.
Those help people understand concepts such as gravity, orbit, and even natural sciences by setting foot where no one has been before.
4. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes
(Source: Steel crate Games)
The premise is simple: there’s a bomb on the table, and it needs to be defused. One person handles it with care, but they don´t have the manual. That one is in the hands of the expert (or experts), who don’t have access to the bomb.
Make a couple of wrong moves, and the bomb explodes.
The player’s mission, should they decide to accept, is to defuse the artifact together as a team.
This helps people improve their communication skills, teamwork, and logical thinking while being in a controlled, stressful environment.
5. Stardew Valley
(Source: ConcernedApe)
Eric Barones’ gaming debut is one of the best farming simulators ever, and it keeps getting updates ten years after its debut. Despite the cozy nature of the game, which encourages you to take your time, Stardew Valley teaches you the ins and outs of being a farmer.
You’ll learn how to take care of crops, which vegetables and fruits are in season, which ones are not (by drying them in your field if you don’t pick them up), how to manage the stock, take care of your animals, and more.
After exploring these 5 games, one thing is clear: video games are powerful learning tools. They can really teach us about different topics without us noticing. Even complex skills, such as social development, Economics, or even video game development itself, can become more palatable when taught via gaming.
Think about it next time you boot “Sid Meier’s Civilization” for a quick run!
And stay tuned! we’ve heard about some other very promising games coming up.