Yesterday I inexplicably developed a craving for these spectacular educational action puzzle games that I vaguely remembered playing when I was younger. It took me a few hours and certain Dark jedi Google powers to discover the name of this software series: Super Solvers. It took me a few moments more to discover that they are now abandonware and thus up for grabs if I could find a download site that actually had them.
After more frustrating hours with various file sharing programs and more Googling I finally happened upon a site that offers free old games with a participation credit system. 2 small clicks and I had amassed plenty of bandwidth credit to download the entire series. I've spent the last couple of hours playing Gizmos and Gadgets, the most edutaining way to learn basic science concepts that I've ever found.
You wander around in a the Shady Glen Tech Center, finding the best parts possible to build various vehicles which you then use to pwn the Master of Mischief in a series of races.
As you wander around you solve different sorts of science puzzles to unlock each door
while putting evil robot chimps to sleep with strategically thrown soporific bananas and stealing parts back from them. Once you have the ideal parts for the target vehicle you pop back to your workshop, assemble the whole thing, paint and decal it to turn it from basic craft to SUPER AWESOME craft, and take it out on the field. I was particularly proud of my bright fucking red blimp and the yellow sailplane with the "racing bee" decal.
There are 3 sections to the tech center (aircraft, automotive, and alternative energy) and with each successfully completed race the difficulty level and complexity of the next vehicle increases. The chimps get more evil, the puzzles get harder, the parts get harder to find, but it just makes the whole thing more fun.
The best part of this is that there's this whole series of 8 or 9 games. Each one teaches you things in a different subject area and is slightly different than all the others. As far as I can tell they're all set up in 2-D sidescrolling format, but who cares about that when you're learning??!
Okay, okay, I'd prefer something a bit more awesome than the onboard sound card midi soundtrack, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Al least it plays such classics as In the Hall of the Mountain King and has truly memorable sound effects.
Trivia: I am the nerdiest sort of video game nerd, apparently.
After more frustrating hours with various file sharing programs and more Googling I finally happened upon a site that offers free old games with a participation credit system. 2 small clicks and I had amassed plenty of bandwidth credit to download the entire series. I've spent the last couple of hours playing Gizmos and Gadgets, the most edutaining way to learn basic science concepts that I've ever found.
You wander around in a the Shady Glen Tech Center, finding the best parts possible to build various vehicles which you then use to pwn the Master of Mischief in a series of races.
As you wander around you solve different sorts of science puzzles to unlock each door
while putting evil robot chimps to sleep with strategically thrown soporific bananas and stealing parts back from them. Once you have the ideal parts for the target vehicle you pop back to your workshop, assemble the whole thing, paint and decal it to turn it from basic craft to SUPER AWESOME craft, and take it out on the field. I was particularly proud of my bright fucking red blimp and the yellow sailplane with the "racing bee" decal.
There are 3 sections to the tech center (aircraft, automotive, and alternative energy) and with each successfully completed race the difficulty level and complexity of the next vehicle increases. The chimps get more evil, the puzzles get harder, the parts get harder to find, but it just makes the whole thing more fun.
The best part of this is that there's this whole series of 8 or 9 games. Each one teaches you things in a different subject area and is slightly different than all the others. As far as I can tell they're all set up in 2-D sidescrolling format, but who cares about that when you're learning??!
Okay, okay, I'd prefer something a bit more awesome than the onboard sound card midi soundtrack, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. Al least it plays such classics as In the Hall of the Mountain King and has truly memorable sound effects.
Trivia: I am the nerdiest sort of video game nerd, apparently.
VIEW 23 of 23 COMMENTS
toothpickmoe:
I passed out moments after the "I want that game" exchange.
toothpickmoe:
Excellent. I hope you'll also be forthcoming with all sorts of tip and tricks?