Release date(s) 1984 Initial release date 1984 Publisher MECC | Genre(s) Educational Developer MECC Platform Apple II | |
Apple ii mecc jenny s journeys
Jenny's Journeys is an educational video game by Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC), released on the Apple II in 1984. Intended for users from age 10 and upwards, it allows players to navigate from Jenny's car to her destination by using a compass while reading a map.
Contents
Production
This game was part of a group of video game titles with which MECC entered the "home software market" in the mid-1980s. The purpose of Jenny's Journeys was to provide a real-world context for children to apply their map-reading skills. In InCider, it is explained that this type of "role-play simulation" video game specializes in teaching kids how to follow instructions.
Plot
The main character is a woman named Aunt Jenny. She needs help on a trip to Lake City. Players control a car and direct where the car will travel to next, allowing them to reach the destination successfully. The game has three levels of difficulty.
Critical reception and legacy
The Jenny's Journeys video game received generally favorable reviews from users, with praise given for the game's educational content in terms of geography and orientation, as well as for the realistic-for-the-time computer simulations on screen.
Regarding the educational content, Curriculum Review said the game has a "sound educational purpose and efficient method of operation". Creative Computing wrote that the game "reinforces map reading and cognitive skills". In fact, the game has been used in schools to teach children about maps and compasses. As a result, the game has earned a cult status among scholars. Computers, Thinking, and Social Studies wrote that the game is appropriate for social studies classes. Meanwhile, Educational Resources for Microcomputers found that the game "makes good use of the computer's ability to create simulations".
Jenny's Journeys ranked 8th in “Top Ten” Software Products for 1984–85 School Year (units sold) by that specific publisher.