23 Educational Games From The '90s That Actually Go Hard

    Did they ever find Carmen Sandiego?

    Let's step into my time machine for a trip down memory lane, shall we? Back to a simpler time of carefree, childlike wonder. Yes, I'm talking about the '90s. Unless you weren't a child in the '90s, in which case this won't have the desired nostalgic effect on you.

    If you were a kid in the '90s, there's a good chance you had a weekly computer class in school where you learned how to type and spent precious minutes reviewing math and history lessons dressed up in blocky, brightly colored graphics. Remember looking for Carmen Sandiego or trying to survive the Oregon Trail?

    So get ready for a big ol' wave of déjà vu, because here are the educational games from the '90s that were actually pretty damn fun:

    1. Oregon Trail II (1995)

    2. The Carmen Sandiego Series (1985-Present Day)

    The Chief addresses the player in the Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego

    3. Number Munchers (1990) & Word Munchers (1991)

    4. Math Blaster! (1993)

    The control panel of a spaceship, with a window that asks for the sum of four plus five

    5. Scooter’s Magic Castle (1993)

    A face on a portrait is magically altered in the Scooter's Magic Castle game

    6. Putt-Putt Travels Through Time (1997)

    Putt-Putt the car talks to a pink car towards the end of the game

    7. The Magic School Bus Series (1994-2011)

    Ms. Frizzle's classroom, which serves as a hub world for the game

    8. The Incredible Machine (1993) & The Incredible Machine 2 (1994)

    9. Logical Journey of the Zoombinis (1996)

    A mini-game in which the player has to make pizzas with Zoombinis

    10. Mission: T.H.I.N.K. (1997)

    Morty Maxwell addresses his Metal Minions at the start of the game

    11. Mario Teaches Typing (1992)

    Mario jumps through a level, the player controlling him by typing the prompted letters

    12. Lemmings (1991)

    Lemmings dig their way out of an underground tunnel system to complete the level

    13. Treasure Mountain! (1990)

    The title screen of the game, featuring the title and an adventurer waking toward the base of a mountain

    14. Spelunx and the Caves of Mr. Seudo (1991)

    The beginning of the first level of the game, with a door on which is written Spelunx

    15. Castle of Dr. Brain (1991)

    A corridor in a castle, with a sign informing the player about what is around them, such as a door with a combination lock

    16. Museum Madness (1994)

    The robot MICK states that it needs new batteries

    17. Pajama Sam: No Need to Hide When It’s Dark Outside (1996)

    Pajama Sam stands in a creepy forest unafraid of the dark

    18. JumpStart Games

    A level from the JumpStart game for 6th graders

    19. Eagle Eye Mysteries (1993)

    Jake and Jennifer Eagle sit in their treehouse, welcoming the player

    20. Star Wars: DroidWorks (1998)

    A jawa gives the player instructions on how to complete a particular level

    21. The Treehouse (1991)

    An opossum walks down a path near musical notes and computer components

    22. Time Riders in American History (1992)

    The title screen for the game, with the title floating in space over the earth

    23. Disney's Math Quest with Aladdin (1997)

    Genie and Iago talk to Aladdin, Jasmine, and Abu in the game's intro

    Which educational games got you through the '90s? Let me know in the comments!