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How The Oregon Trail Took Over Computer Labs in the '80s and '90s
By Alvin Ward
In the 1980s and 1990s, computer classrooms across the country taught kids about the perils of dysentery and crossing rivers in wagons with The Oregon Trail, an instructive—and morbid—text-based adventure game.
In this episode of Throwback, join Mental Floss editor-in-chief Erin McCarthy as we set off to discover the true story behind this pioneering simulation. BYOO. (Bring Your Own Oxen.)
Be sure to head here and subscribe so you don't miss an episode of "Throwback," where we explore the fascinating stories behind some of the greatest toys and trends from your childhood.