Dysentery, Typhoid and Snakebites: The Early Days of 'Oregon Trail'

One of the most iconic computer games of your youth was actually created before computers existed. The first version was essentially played on a typewriter. Whaaaat?

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[GrantGarber]

This is the very first game I played on a computer...in the library!!!

[boycrazygirl]

As a student teacher I can appreciate the dedication to helping/pleasing your students.

[andrewpreston]

I got the original floppy disks, box, and instructions for less than $2.00 at savers!

[Gymoodmess]

Trail to oregon, oregoon, oregown, oregasp, oregich, etc...

[thedalewardens]

Egads! I remember playing this on the terminal (aka no monitor!) I am pretty sure I have some printouts of the games (we got to keep them) stashed away with old elementary school papers. We played it on the MECC system... Well done Minnesota boys!

[killersushi]

Having dysentery then playing the game and getting IRONY!!

[MacbthPSW]

"One of the most iconic computer games of your youth was actually created before computers existed." Computers definitely existed in 1971, but *personal* computers didn't; guess that's what you meant.

[frenchjr]

When I was in grammar school we did a weeks long project that was related to Oregon Trail. This was back in the mid 1980s. It wasn't on the computer though. We did have the software and were the only classroom in all of Mendocino County to have computers. And this was only because they were owned by our teacher.

[bobross]

my dad took a gap year to wait for them to outphase using the paper cards in computer science in colleges and start virtualy coding he became fluent in C, Binary, a little 4tran (not 4chan) and other languages and actually became smarter from less college XD

[enricofermi]

I have died of dysentery after watching this video.

[badpiggies]

At my private elementary school our teachers had us play a notebook RPG version of this game

[cbsabhwhejejdjdvkxnzebnekx]

It's ironic that Pressman released an Oregon Trail Card Game, which really brings the Franchise back to its roots as a board game format. Yes, the card game is difficult and so is the computer game. You have to work your way around the probability to really like this game.

[RXTV]

my whole family died....but I MADE IT!! WHOPPPEEEE!!!