Critical response and legacy Carmen Sandiego

the series whole has been met critical acclaim, although of games released after broderbund sold learning company have received mixed bad reviews.

a review mr. bill & lela mr. bill s adventureland review says of 1996 game in world carmen sandiego? teaches knowledge of world geography , cultures, electronic database research skills, map reading , deductive reasoning. game became popular there whole series of them out now: in usa, in time, etc. s great game , 1 used in schools today. 1991 document 3 instructional approaches carmen sandiego software series outlined 3 ways in carmen sandiego series utilized in educational context: turning teacher instruction gamified cooperative/competitive experience, linking discrete academic topics, , not playing in entirety isolating segments lessons on particular items. 1994 journal article impact of computer-based adventure game on achievement , attitudes in geography j. h. wiebe , n. j. martin found there no significant differences in recall of geography facts or attitudes between teaching methods of computer game in world carmen sandiego? , non-computer-based board-style geography game . kotaku explains duality of franchise thus: in concept, [is] light edutainment game. in practice, [is] gateway rest of world.

the educational technology handbook says series engage[s] youth in tracking elusive villains across earth . suggest many games in franchise ...hold child s interest putting them in touch real-life places , events in way no formal history or geography lesson can match . barbie mortal kombat: gender , computer games suggests software games in world carmen sandiego? challenge ideas of gender stereotypes in regard games, due hav[ing] equal appeal boys , girls . in 2001, los angeles times said sophisticated recent titles have hard time competing carmen sandiego, grand dame of teaching kids in world . stanford paper why in world carmen sandiego success? todd brown explained long-lasting appeal of series: ultimately, keyfactor of success carmen series has been cultural. designers able appeal children, boys , girls, developing experience everyone. goals, conversations, intrigue, suspense, learning geography... it’s there. furthermore, did without shoving geography lesson down kids’ throats , without talking down them either . quoted elliott, said don’t use small words. kids short not stupid , , concluded treating children intelligent little people are, designers had no need hide them fact playing , learning @ same time. kids knew. beauty of carmen sandiego kept playing anyway.