Video: Diabetes + Dinosaurs = Edutainment?
There will always be some game developer trying to make "edutainment" games that are both informative and fun. Some even succeed in their aim, but for every Oregon Trail or Math Munchers there are a dozen more that are utterly terrible. But it looks like developer Game Equals Life may have managed to strike the right balance of learning and fun with their upcoming game The Magi and the Sleeping Star, a diabetes education game that makes the medical condition a part of the gameplay.
Wait, what? Yes that's right, in the game your character has diabetes, and by balancing your blood sugar with healthy foods and the right amount of carbs you become more powerful. If your blood sugar gets too high or too low your powers are weakened, or even nullified. That actually sounds like a pretty good gameplay mechanic to me, not to mention actually helping to teach people about how to balance their diet in the process. Add in the fact that the game doesn't seem to take itself too seriously like some other edutainment games do, and I think this one might turn out to be a pretty fun game.
The Magi Tests Your Courage, Skill and... Blood Sugar? [IndieGames]
NaviFairy
Posted to Video Games on 23 April 2009
· Comments (3)
Other stuff like this: diabetes, edutainment, indie, the magi of the sleeping star
And this after the poor sales of that other health education game involving dinosaurs, Bronkie the Asthmatic Bronchiasaurus.
As an educational tool, heck yes. I think this is rad and I hope nothing but the best for the people putting it together!
Awesome! I'm all for the idea of edutainment. Academic subjects (and health education) are actually usually really, really interesting and cool, but learning about em in a classroom can just suck out all the fun.
Thats why I think using video games as an educational tool has a lot of potential!
Truthfully, this game still looks pretty meh, but it's a step in the right direction. It's my dream to someday use my major in social psychology, learning and cognition, and minor in Japanese, to help bring really fun and interesting educational games to the western world :)