Polygon’s Computer Lab week: Looking back on the best edutainment games

Illustrations: Kyle EllingsonPolygon

Chances are that you played video games in the computer lab when you were first introduced to this hobby. To Oregon TrailYou can find more information here Number munchersEdutainment gaming offered both a bit of education and the pleasure of playing. Computer labs were a gateway to the medium of games, providing access to technology that not every household had — especially in the ’80s and ’90s, before smartphones became standard.

Some of the computer games we played ignited our passion for competition. The Impossible Quiz. We were also encouraged to make virtual copies of some of our wildest fantasies, such as in the game “Virtual Reality” Sim CityAnd Roller Coaster Tycoon. And then there were the forbidden games — Doom, Warcraft III, and oh-so-many graphing calculator ports — to be enjoyed with discretion, or with the rare blessing of a Cool Teacher.

With the increasing availability and widespread acceptance of technology in every aspect, computers labs will no longer feel revolutionary or essential. They still provide a key service to the needy, though — namely, students who would rather be gaming. Every one of these students is honored this week and we celebrate the legacy of their games played in the old computer labs.