Highlights
- Some video games, like Metal Gear Solid and Assassin's Creed, incorporate historical events and figures into their narratives, providing players with an unexpected educational experience.
- The Oregon Trail, a game designed as a teaching tool, immerses players in the challenges of pioneer life and offers a unique blend of education and entertainment.
- Games like Rock Band 4 and Rocksmith provide players with opportunities to learn real-life skills, such as singing and playing the guitar, through engaging gameplay and interactive features.
Some people look at video games as the enemy of a good education. They take away a lot of time that could be used studying or practicing a skill. However, there's nothing wrong with playing video games during one's free time.
10 Best Educational Video Games For Children
Many parents think edutainment games aren't fun for kids, but these titles will absolutely prove them wrong.
Additionally, some of these games might still end up teaching players something. The titles below are still all about entertainment, but they offer something of value as a small educational tool. This list is about games where learning comes secondary and as a surprise to the audience, so there will not be any titles whose main focus is teaching players.
While these games can provide good info and practice, it is always beneficial to do research using trusted sources and practicing under the tutelage of professionals.
7 Metal Gear Solid
Historical Facts And Information About Military Equipment
The Metal Gear series takes place in an alternate history that differs from the real world in a few key places. The game still uses historical events as the backdrop to some of its titles, particularly in The Phantom Pain, which takes place during the Soviet-Afghan War.
Unless gamers grew up in Eastern Europe or are big fans of Rambo 3, they might never have realized such a brutal war took place there in the 1980s. Other games in the franchise like to divulge information about the weapons and equipment players use through the Codec conversations.
6 Assassin's Creed
Live In History
Assassin's Creed
- Released
- November 14, 2007
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Montreal
- Genre(s)
- Open-World , Stealth , Action
Every Assassin's Creed title takes place during a certain historical period, and players even meet up with various historical figures on their journeys. They might vary slightly from who they were in real life, but the game still does a decent job of letting players know why they are important.
10 Things Stealth Assassin's Creed Does Better Than The RPG Games
Now that the dust has settled over Assassin's Creed: Mirage, where does it stand when compared to the RPG games?
Later games in the series turn the world into a virtual museum and allow players to explore the environment and more deeply study the setting. It is ultimately surprising to know that a science fiction series has done more to teach about history than a lot of other triple-A gaming brands.
5 The Oregon Trail
Learn How Hard Life On The Frontier Was
- Release Year: 1971
- Available In Multiple Editions On Many Consoles Throughout History, Including PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch
The Oregon Trail is unique for two reasons. For one, it is by far the oldest game on this list, having been first made in 1971. Secondly, it was made as a teaching tool and was designed to show kids what early life as a pioneer in the United States was like. A lot of this might get lost in the actual entertainment value of the game, though.
Either that or adapting the pioneer life to a game format just works so well because it has so much of what makes a video game interesting. There is resource management, surprising unpredictability, and a clear goal where each step of progress feels rewarding.
4 Rock Band 4
Learn How To Sing And Harmonize
Most of the skills in rhythm games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band do not translate to real-life musicianship. Drumming, at least, might help players develop rhythm and become familiar with drum beats, but without proper instruction, players might develop poor technique. That said, it is more than possible to train one's singing voice through certain video games.
The game monitors pitch and will tell players if they are singing too sharp (too high) or too flat (too low). With three microphones, players can even harmonize on tracks together and be judged on their accuracy. There is so much more to singing than simply hitting the notes, such as breathing technique, tone, phrasing, and dynamics, but it is certainly a good start.
Singing with too much tension or pushing one's voice outside a comfortable range for too long without the proper technique and warmup can do more harm to the voice than good. Anyone serious about learning how to sing should use proper resources and consider private lessons.
3 Kerbal Space Program
Learn About Space Flight
Kerbal Space Program
- Platform(s)
- PC , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S
- Released
- April 27, 2015
- Developer
- Squad
- Genre(s)
- Simulation
When one hears the word simulation, they probably assume the game is only for the most ardent lovers of a particular hobby or activity. Kerbal Space Program breaks this mold by balancing the space simulation aspects with a welcoming aesthetic and accessibility.
The game's recreation of the solar system is accurate, and some of the missions are ripped directly from history. Becoming an actual rocket scientist or an astronaut is extraordinarily difficult, but Kerbal Space Program can at least get one acquainted with the ideas behind space travel.
2 Typing Of The Dead
Learn How To Type Quickly
- Release: 1999
- Platforms: Arcade, Dreamcast, PS2, Windows, IOS
For younger people, it is easy to take for granted the ability to type efficiently. It is something most people in their early thirties and under grew up with. Some still might remember those typing classes where they were taught proper finger placement on the keyboard. While those lessons may have been boring to some, others may appreciate how well they prepare them for Typing of the Dead, a typing spin-off of House of the Dead.
6 Video Game Zombies That Can Talk
These video game zombies are famous simply for the fact that they do a little more than just groan—they can actually form words.
Instead of aiming a reticle at zombies, players have to type words as fast as possible to prevent them from eating brains. While a perfect match for Windows, the game started life in Arcades before being ported to PCs and the Dreamcast.
1 Rocksmith
Learn How To Play The Guitar
- First Release In 2011
- Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
- Rocksmith+ Subscription Service Available On Windows, IOS, And Android
Rocksmith takes the rhythm genre to a whole new level and uses a real electric guitar as the peripheral. The game's interface replicates exactly how to play each song on guitar in real life. Rock Band 3 had a pro guitar mode with six strings and multiple frets, but that peripheral was still a toy and not a real guitar.
It does not deconstruct how the songs work or teach players music theory, but it is a good start and will still have players playing these songs on an actual musical instrument. The next step would be to get some friends together and start a band.
