The Best One Yet

The Best Idea Yet 🐂 Oregon Trail: Tricking Kids into Liking School Since 1971

Feb 17, 2025

Discover the captivating history of the iconic video game that helped engage young learners while teaching them about American history. Uncover how three student teachers transformed education with a simple yet groundbreaking idea. Learn about the game's $6 billion journey, including its potential collaboration with Barbie. The challenges of making history fun in the classroom are also explored, emphasizing innovative teaching methods. Finally, reflect on the game's lasting legacy and its significant influence on modern educational software.

45:36

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Quick takeaways

The Oregon Trail was created as an innovative educational tool by three student teachers, revolutionizing how history is taught in classrooms.

Despite its humble beginnings, the game evolved into a cultural phenomenon, generating over 65 million copies sold and influencing educational technology.

Deep dives

The Origin of the Oregon Trail Game

The podcast outlines the inception of the Oregon Trail game, created by three young teachers in 1971, Don Rawich, Bill Heinemann, and Paul Dillenberger. Initially conceived as an interactive learning tool for students, the game sought to make history engaging and immersive. Don's innovative approach involved transforming traditional lessons into an interactive experience using a teletype machine, which was a revolutionary concept at the time. Within a tight timeframe of just ten days, the trio developed the foundational code and gameplay mechanics that would later become the beloved Oregon Trail.

Intro

4min

Uncovering the Oregon Trail: A Journey of Innovation and Impact

2min

Engaging Young Minds: The Struggle of Teaching History

2min

Reviving History: The Oregon Trail Game

12min

The Legacy of Oregon Trail

29min

Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet here: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/

Pop quiz: What’s the longest-running video game in history? It’s not Pac-Man or Donkey Kong or even Pong… it’s The Oregon Trail. A true pioneer (and we don’t just mean the ones in the covered wagons), the Oregon Trail has sold more than 65 million copies (that’s more than the Beatles’ White Album) and it spawned an “edu-tainment” industry now worth over $6B. But this wholesome game was created by three Minnesota student teachers, without a single thought towards making money… which is exactly why Oregon Trail made so much of it. Find out why this iconic game is a textbook MVP (Minimum Viable Product)… how an acquisition by Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful” almost led to a collab with Barbie… and why the Oregon Trail is the best idea yet.

Subscribe to The Best Idea Yet for the untold origin stories of the products you’re obsessed with, and the bold risk takers who brought them to life.

Episodes drop every Tuesday, subscribe here: https://wondery.com/links/the-best-idea-yet/

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