The Oregon Trail Game Can Teach You an Important Life Lesson

The Oregon Trail is an engaging game created by Bill Heinemann, Don Rawitsch, and Paul Dillenberger in 1971. While the trio had no expectations for its success, millions of copies of this game have been sold, many remakes released by various development teams.

Most of us have grown up playing computer games, and Oregon Trail is one many remember because of its simulation elements and funny quotes.

The best thing about this game is its simplicity. Children could quickly understand its concept. But it also subtly teaches some life lessons, which is a cool quality of any video game worth its salt.

In this post, we get into the life lessons the Oregon Trail taught a generation of gamers.

Life Lessons The Oregon Trail Game Teaches You

#1 There is Nothing Wrong with Failing and Trying Again

Well, the first time you have played this game, you might have loaded your wagon with tons of bullets and food. A few minutes into the game, you realize a wagon full of these many supplies will only make you slow.

And by the time you make some progress, the wagon’s axles break, and your party dies in the water, road, field, or local fort. It’s at that time when you realize that even after failing, you can start again.

So, this game teaches us that it’s okay to fail. The more you try, the more you will learn and fail less. Failure doesn’t matter as long as you are willing to start again.

#2 Always Pack Extra Clothes

Packing extra clothes might not sound important, but actually, it is. For instance, you might get dysentery or cholera in the game. And even worse, a thief might steal your clothes. In short, you never know when you might need extra clothes.

You should be prepared for unforeseen situations, not just in the game, but also in real life. Either your suitcase might disappear, or something else could happen. At that time, you will be glad if you are prepared with some backup clothes.

#3 You Need More Horsepower

While playing the Oregon Trail, you might have noticed that if you have 9 yokes (18 oxen and a dozen of roses), you can effortlessly get to the finish line.

It means that the more you put into something, the better and faster you can complete it. With better and bigger resources, you can achieve your goals.

#4 Keep Your Eye on the Biggest Game

In the Oregon Trail game, hunting is key to survival. A variety of game appears in the hunting grounds, but not all game is worth killing. Shooting rabbits is not worth the effort. They are small, run fast, and don’t have much meat.

In the game, killing around eighteen rabbits will give you only a single deer’s worth of meat.

Deers are comparatively slower and bigger. If you shoot two deers, it will keep you full during your one hunting trip. Similarly, two deers equal one buffalo or bear, which is even bigger. You can successfully shoot them with one bullet.

Going for a quick kill rarely pays off as much. One must put their energy and time into something bigger.

#5 Expect the Unexpected

Life is full of surprises, and so is the Oregon game. When you are on the trail, you cannot know what will actually happen there. Maybe a thief could steal your oxen, or you could get bit by a snake.

The Oregon Trail can teach you to expect the unexpected because nothing goes as perfectly as you have planned. And when you are ready to face anything, you deliver your best.

#6 Always Have Spares

It’s never a bad idea to own a spare of something because sooner or later, you might find a use for it. When you are playing, you should be mindful of picking at least two spare parts of things that you think will break or you will run out of on the trail.

#7 Leave Early

Leave early because you can always waste time, but you can’t get it back. Also, departing early will increase your chances of winning.

As far as the real-life Oregon Trail is concerned, traders always left early in May or June. That’s because leaving in July might bring early snow.

If you apply this lesson to your life, you will realize that leaving early comes with many benefits. Whether you want to watch movies with your friends or go to the office, you must leave early to avoid unnecessary delays.

Concluding Thoughts

The Oregon Trail is one of the most entertaining educational games of all time. No wonder it provides players with some solid lessons.

To experience the lessons the game teaches in a new light, visit https://classicreload.com/oregon-trail.html to play Oregon Trail for free on your browser.