The Oregon Trail Deluxe (Game)

The Oregon Trail Deluxe

GAME » on 1992

An updated revision of the classic 1985 edutainment game The Oregon Trail, featuring a reworked mouse-based interface and higher-quality graphics and sound.

Game Images Reviews Related Pages

EditHistoryPage info

Overview

The Oregon Trail, sometimes known as The Oregon Trail Deluxe, and not to be confused with the original 1985 game nor several of the later installments of the same name, is an educational historical strategy-simulation game developed and published by MECC for Macintosh computers and DOS PCs in 1992, with a Windows PC CD-ROM re-release in 1993.

An enhanced revision of the 1985 Apple II game of the same name, The Oregon Trail features a new mouse-based interface, higher-quality graphics, synthesized music, revamped mini-games (such as the hunting mini-game, which is now a point-and-click shooter), and several gameplay updates (such as an updated occupations, perishable vs. non-perishable food, a log that keeps the history of the player's travels, and a weight system where carrying too much supplies slows the group down). The Windows version also features new voice acting.

As with the original, the game tasks players with completing an arduous 2,000-mile wagon trek through the titular Oregon Trail (from Independence, Missouri to the Willamette Valley in Oregon) in the year 1848 while maintaining a healthy count of supplies and preparing themselves for various situations and misfortunes.

Much of the game was later revised with the game's full-fledged sequel, known as Oregon Trail II (Game). It also received multiple re-releases, bundling both Windows and Macintosh versions together in a single CD-ROM, with the last re-release in 1997 by SoftKey (under the Learning Company brand). The DOS version was also re-released by SoftKey (under the MECC brand) in CD-ROM format in 1996 as The Oregon Trail: Classic Edition, despite the screenshots in the jewel case showing the DOS version of the original Oregon Trail.

The MECC 1992-93 Education Catalog shows that the game was originally planned to have a networked multiplayer version as Wagon Train 1848, with up to 30 computers playing together as a single wagon train. It is unknown if this version was actually released, or it's lost media.

Gameplay

Occupations

As with the original game, players can choose multiple difficulty levels to represent the leader's "occupation", allowing them to earn a higher score bonus if they start with less cash for supplies. There are several new and updated occupations, with some now giving a bonus perk that prevents certain catastrophic events (such as death).

Bankers start with the most amount of cash, at $1,600. However, they have no final score bonus.
Doctors and Merchants start with a high amount of cash, at $1,200. Doctors are more likely to keep the party alive and healthy, at the cost of having no final score bonus. Merchants simply have a +50% final score bonus.
Blacksmiths, Carpenters, and Saddlemakers start with a moderate amount of cash, at $800. Both Blacksmiths and Carpenters have a +100% final score bonus and are more likely to keep the wagon repaired. Saddlemakers simply have a +150% final score bonus.
Farmers and Teachers start with a low amount of cash, at $400. Farmers are more likely to keep oxen alive and healthy, and have a +200% final score bonus. Teachers, being the most difficult occupation in the game, simply have a +250% final score bonus.

Similar Games

No games found