1up spoke with Gameloft’s vice president of production, Julien Fournials about their remake of the MECC classic Apple II game Oregon Trail that was one of the highlights from computer lab back in elementary school.

When asked about the remakes updated:

We chose to go with a cartoony style for the updated version of the game. As you probably recall, the graphics for the original Oregon Trail were quite old, pixeled and grainy. A cartoony style seemed to be the best choice to take the edge off and allow for a wider range of animations. We have also zoomed in closer to the characters, so you can see the events unfold. For example, rather than being told in a message that a bear has attacked someone, you can see the bear come out of nowhere and maul a party member, in a humorous manner of course.

Any other changes?

It was important for us to stay true to the core storyline, but also update it for today’s gamer whose expectations are a bit higher. Buying specific items and supplies at the shop has been removed. This was done to make the game more accessible to the casual player. We replaced the specific items with general stats such as Supplies and Food. This way the user only has to manage a few resources and focus on keeping the party healthy and moving towards Oregon.

New mini games – offering more places where the player must make a decision; events (bandits, bears); alternate routes; and being able to see your party on screen.   Hunting is now objective driven with an increasing level of difficulty as the player progresses. The controls were designed to allow the player to move and shoot in any direction. Animals were given AI to react to the player.

There are a total of five mini-games – Hunting, Fishing, River Crossing, Rafting and Repairing mini-games, all of which will have new levels to unlock as an incentive to complete each objective.

We have also added various difficulty levels to make the game slightly more casual.

Could this remake be considered an educational game?

All the locations were taken from the actual historic sites from the Oregon Trail (also found in the original game). Throughout the game, players will be given various facts about the Oregon Trail and the landmarks they visit. Although some elements were added merely for entertainment value, this remake can be considered a very fun educational game for today’s audience.

Historical figure Marcus Whitman is also featured in the game, and journeys along the Oregon Trail during the same time players do. Marcus Whitman was an American physician and missionary in the Oregon County who started a mission in 1836 that became a stop along the Oregon Trail. He also led the first large party of wagon trains along the Oregon Trail, establishing it as a viable route for the thousands of emigrants who used the trail in the following decade.