Oregon Trail mobile updates a classic

by Alexander Sliwinski { May 17th 2008 at 10:22AM }

Mobile games developer Gameloft recently spoke with 1Up about its remake of the elementary school computer room classic, The Oregon Trail. Gameloft's VP of Production Julien Fournials says the game stays true to the core gameplay, but some of the micro-management is out to make it "more accessible to the casual player." Wow, we had no idea The Oregon Trail was a hardcore game?!

Fournials explains that buying specific items at the shop is out, along with other resource management, to keep players moving. New additions are mini-games, more decision making, events, alternate routes and being able to watch your party die off one by one. Yeah, but can we name the youngest kid after the elementary school bully (like we did back then) and starve him to death ... or better yet, have him die of cholera?

Tags: gameloft, mobile, the-oregon-trail

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Robert @ May 17th 2008 10:47AM

Awesome! That game was unbelievable back in the day. I don't remember much micro-management, but I guess "buying specific items" could count as that. I think I'm going to go shoot a bear for some food...

Vol @ May 17th 2008 11:11AM

For those wanting to play it again, here it is on a Virtual Apple:

http://www.virtualapple.org/oregontraildisk.html

Be sure to click on "Insert Disk 1." :-)

obo @ May 17th 2008 4:51PM

That's hilarious. Virtual Apple only works on Windows. It tells me to run Boot Camp or Parallels.

XD

goboColossus @ May 17th 2008 10:54AM

Gameloft? Can we expect a tricked out mobile to NDS release as well? XBLA Maybe?

One can only hope.

Jayslacks @ May 17th 2008 10:55AM

What's the point of playing Oregon Trail if you can't buy stuff at the shop? That was the whole damn point!

Cesaria (MKW:2621-2994-1376) @ May 17th 2008 11:01AM

Ah, this brings me back to first grade.

Walt Jay @ May 17th 2008 11:23AM

It'd be cool if they included the original version with the new mobile version.

John Morgan @ May 17th 2008 11:51AM

Complete failure! Other than the hunting, they're taking out everything that made this game memorable!

WiiFTW @ May 17th 2008 11:55AM

/is playing this in another window
/wants on DS

Please?

Tim Burns @ May 17th 2008 12:02PM

I would just like to correct that they were likely talking in regards to the many newer versions of Oregon Trail and not the original when he talked about simplifying the game, and especially the "specific items at the store" line.

In the more recent games there were specific foodstuffs, equipment, clothing, etc. They probably made it more like the older game where it was x pounds of food and x pounds of clothing.

t_m @ May 17th 2008 12:03PM

was this a US thing?

I've heard about this all over the internet for years, but I've never heard anyone in the UK mention it ever.

Personally, I spend all my computer classes playing Elite and Repton.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repton_%28computer_game%29

WiNG [Life in a Game] @ May 17th 2008 12:08PM

Considering the entire game is about a part of American history, and was installed in every classroom in the USA in the 1980s-1990s, no, it's probably not big outside of the United States.

Just like how in the United States nobody plays the hugely popular Chinese edutainment game "Crush the Tienanmen Rebels."

chez @ May 17th 2008 12:39PM

It must have been, I've never heard about this game nor does it sound the least bit interesting.

obo @ May 17th 2008 4:53PM

@chez: Do you love locking Sims in doorless rooms without toilets and watching them die? Are you 8 years old?

If you said yes to either, you'll love Oregon Trail.

chez @ May 17th 2008 6:23PM

If you can post on the internet then you've already gone beyond the age of playing The Sims.

Curtis the Claw:PSN-ctclaw @ May 17th 2008 12:18PM

It's all about going at a grueling pace with bare bones to eat.

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ May 18th 2008 12:24AM

and all in a a bare bones package apparently.

seriously, micro management was the whole point of this game it thought. how much food should i buy? will it be enough? should i stay out and hunt longer? has the kid i named after the person i hate died yet?

Shmil @ May 17th 2008 12:40PM

I'm only interested if my family members can still die of dysentery.

Obie @ May 17th 2008 5:31PM

hehe I remember that, I always died of dysentery :(

mykie @ May 17th 2008 6:42PM

As long as I can still drown my oxen, I'm happy

Veko @ May 17th 2008 7:42PM

You're a monster. A horrible monster...and so am I. >.>

I, sadly, will buy this game. Oregon trail was the only fun part of grade school.

Extra Cheese @ May 17th 2008 11:37PM

"The river is 5 inches deep. Attempt to ford it or take a ferry?"

*chooses to ford*

*SPLASH*

"All your oxen drowned, your wife died, your kids got malaria, three axles broke, and thieves stole all your food."

SoCoolCurt (PSN: KillaKornbread) @ May 18th 2008 12:27AM

lol @ Extra Cheese

that pretty much sums up the entire game. it was so frustrating but so addicting at the same time. i honestly think i never finished a complete journey. i remember i got close once but never actually beat it. maybe i should download it and try again sometime.