| Math Blaster for 1st Grade | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Knowledge Adventure |
| Publisher(s) | Knowledge Adventure |
| Series | Blaster Learning System |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | 1999 |
| Genre(s) | Edutainment |
Math Blaster for 1st Grade is a 1999 educational video game in a line of educational products originally created by Davidson & Associates and continued by Knowledge Adventure. The game was re-released in 2000 as Math Blaster Mission 2.
The Blaster gang, consisting of Max, G.C. and Mel, visit the Intergalactic Zoo, where they must lure out the animals to do exercise, which they do through cards which they collect by completing maths minigames.
The minigames teach skills including counting, equalities, measurement, sorting, addition and subtraction, time telling, story problems, money and logic.
SuperKids suggested that "although the activities included in Math Blaster for 1st Grade are not all that different from those encountered in similar programs for this age range, the settings are imaginative and likely to amuse most 1st grade users". [1] Cyber-Reviews wrote that the game "offers the same great graphics, animation and sound effects found in the other "Blaster" series of educational CDs with arcade-style games and activities". [2] Kids Domain was positive to the game in their review. [3] The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences wrote: "The record keeping is comprehensive and the graphics, sounds and navigation features are all unusually good...the variety of activities and the excellent design make this program a real winner". [4]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Math Blaster for 1st Grade | Computer Educational Title of the Year | Nominated [4] |
JumpStart was an educational media franchise for children, consisting mostly of educational games, produced by JumpStart Games. The series originally consisted of a series of educational PC games but had since expanded to include workbooks, direct-to-video films, mobile apps, and other media, including a massive multiplayer online game located at JumpStart.com, that were launched on March 10, 2009.
The Learning Company (TLC) was an educational software company founded in 1980 in Palo Alto, California and headquartered in Fremont, California. The company produced a grade-based line of learning software, edutainment games, and productivity tools. Its titles included the flagship series Reader Rabbit, for preschoolers through second graders, and The ClueFinders, for more advanced students. The company was also known for publishing licensed educational titles featuring characters such as Arthur, Scooby-Doo, Zoboomafoo, and Caillou.
Davidson & Associates, Inc. was an American developer of educational software based in Torrance, California. The company was founded in 1984 by husband-and-wife Bob and Jan Davidson, the latter of whom led the company as president until January 1997. Specializing in the production of edutainment software, the company was acquired by CUC International in February 1996 and served as the base for CUC's CUC Software division, being made responsible for the sales and distribution of the combined company.
The Blaster Learning System is an educational video game series originally created and published by Davidson & Associates, but is now owned and published by JumpStart, after the two companies were acquired and merged by CUC Software. Titles in the series have been produced for several computer systems, video game consoles, and as standalone handheld units. Originally, the series simply learned mathematics, but eventually expanded to other subjects, such as language arts (reading) and science. Because the first Math Blaster series was so popular, Davidson made Reading Blaster in 1994, which also went on to be a hit.
ClueFinders is an educational software series aimed at children aged 8–12 that features a group of mystery-solving teenagers. The series was created by The Learning Company as a counterpart to their Reader Rabbit series for older, elementary-aged students. The series has received praise for its balance of education and entertainment, resulting in numerous awards.
Nightmare Ned is a 1997 computer game for Microsoft Windows that was developed alongside the animated series of the same name. The game was based on a concept by Sue and Terry Shakespeare. It was released on October 7, 1997.
JumpStart 1st Grade is a personal computer game created by Knowledge Adventure in 1995 intended to teach a first grade curriculum. It was reissued in 1999 with new box art, was updated significantly in 2000, and was replaced with JumpStart Advanced 1st Grade in 2002, which was later replaced with JumpStart 3D Virtual World: Trouble in Town. The original 1995 version was the first appearance of Frankie, a brown, anthropomorphic dachshund dog who would go on to become the mascot of the JumpStart series.
Anastasia: Adventures with Pooka and Bartok is a Fox Interactive puzzle video game based on the 1997 animated film Anastasia. Released on November 25, 1997, it was produced by David Wisehart. Wisehart also served as voiceover director. The game had an estimated budget of US$800,000.
Early Learning House is a collection of four main educational video games and two compilations for the Windows and Macintosh platforms, developed by Theatrix Interactive, Inc. and published by Edmark software. Each different game focuses on a particular major learning category with selectable skill settings for preschooler, kindergarten and elementary learners. Millie's Math House (1992) on mathematics, Bailey's Book House (1993) on language, Sammy's Science House (1994) on science, and Trudy's Time and Place House (1995) on history and geography. A spin-off, Stanley's Sticker Stories (1996), sees players create animated storybooks with the series' characters. Millie & Bailey Preschool and Millie & Bailey Kindergarten each contain the combined activities from two of the four software products. In addition the programs can be configured by an adult mode to suit students with special needs. Most of the activities in every game have two modes, one to allow learners to explore and try it out for themselves and the other for learners to follow specific tasks set by the game characters. Learners also have the option to print pictures of creative activities and record sounds in phonics activities. Later the games were re-developed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Learning Technology and re-published by The Learning Company with newer graphics and additional activities.
Madeline is a series of educational point-and-click adventure video games which were developed during the mid-1990s for Windows and Mac systems. The games are an extension of the Madeline series of children's books by Ludwig Bemelmans, which describe the adventures of a young French girl. The video-game series was produced concurrently with a TV series of the same name, with characters and voice actors from the show.
The Arthur video games franchise was a series of learning and interactive story video games based on the American-Canadian children's TV show Arthur. The games were released in the 1990s and 2000s for PlayStation and Windows and Mac OS computers.
The massive success and popularity of Blue's Clues, a children's educational television series by Nickelodeon, has led to a variety of educational video games and web browser games based on the show. Most of the PC CD ROM-format titles were developed and published by Humongous Entertainment.
Disney Learning: Winnie the Pooh comprises three titles: Winnie The Pooh Toddler, Winnie the Pooh Preschool and Winnie The Pooh Kindergarten. They are point-and-click educational video games developed and published by Disney Interactive and based on the Winnie the Pooh franchise. The titles were shipped by BAM! Entertainment.
Reader Rabbit's 1st Grade is an educational video game, part of the Reader Rabbit series, developed by KnowWare and published by The Learning Company on January 14, 1998. The game was re-released on the Nintendo Wii by Graffiti Entertainment on May 4, 2010.
Math Rabbit is a 1986 video game that serves as a spin-off to the Reader Rabbit edutainment series. It was made by The Learning Company for MS-DOS and Apple II. A Deluxe version was released in 1993 for MS-DOS, Macintosh, and Windows 3.x. Then in 1997, the game was remade for Windows and Macintosh as Reader Rabbit's Math 1. The final remake for Windows and Macintosh in 1998 is Reader Rabbit's Math Ages 4-6, with a personalized version released in 1999.
Math Blaster! is a 1983 edutainment video game, and the first entry in the "Math Blaster" series within the Blaster Learning System created by Davidson & Associates. The game was developed by former educator Jan Davidson. It would be revised and ported to newer hardware and operating systems, with enhanced versions rebranded as Math Blaster Plus! (1987), followed by New Math Blaster Plus! (1990). A full redesign was done in 1993 as Math Blaster Episode I: In Search of Spot and again in 1996 as Mega Math Blaster.
Math Blaster Jr. is a 1996 educational video game, aimed at ages 4–7. The game was re-released as Math Blaster: Ages 4 - 6 in 1997.
Blue's 123 Time Activities is a 1999 educational game developed and published by Humongous Entertainment. The game works on Windows 95 and above, and on System 7.5.3 to Mac OS X Tiger. It was the third game in the Blue's Clues video game series, in turn based on the television series of the same name.
JumpStart Preschool is a 1995 educational video game and third installment of the JumpStart franchise by Knowledge Adventure, after JumpStart Kindergarten (1994) and JumpStart 1st Grade (1995). It would later be re-released as JumpStart Preschool on August 26, 1998 and superseded by a new title JumpStart Advanced Preschool in 2002. It is also known as Jump Ahead Preschool in Europe.
JumpStart Toddlers is a 1996 educational video game, the fourth within the JumpStart franchise. An enhanced version was released in 2000.
 | This video game–related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |