Oregon is something of a moist Mecca. Not only because you people
flocked to my damn state from California en masse, but also because we
all grew up playing The Oregon Trail.
In an eerie case of symmetry, the original Apple II classic has
recently spawned an updated, restored sequel for Apple’s iPhone,
courtesy of cell phone gaming company Gameloft. I’m not going to say
it’s perfect, but damn if the new Trail isn’t a great way to
simultaneously relive your childhood and waste hours of your life.
The biggest difference between the original and this remake is the
platform: Given the iPhone’s reliance on its touch screen, the
fan-favorite hunting minigame is now accomplished by simply poking
animals as they appear on screen. You’d think this would make it
easier, but the slight element of chance in each of your shots balances
out the difficulty perfectly. Gameloft did hunting right. Most of you
won’t need to hear any more to rush out and snag the $5 game from the
App Store.
Gameloft also crafted an enjoyable replica of the actual traveling
experience, too. The graphics look much better than they ever did in
the original, you can still ford rivers and float down rapids, and your
lame family members will still die of dysentery every time you look at
them wrong.
With those two gold stars out of the way however, some of the
additions are slightly annoying. Gameloft obviously wanted to simulate
everything the pioneers did, so while you get to physically repair your
wagon, pick berries, and fish for food, each minigame is a similar
series of well-timed finger pokes. You won’t hate it, but it does get
repetitive.
Despite that, I heartily recommend the game to anyone who grew up on
the original. Five bucks is, like, nothing, and even if you only reach
Oregon twice, your green Lincoln has purchased 10 hours of novel yet
familiar gaming. If only Hollywood’s attempts to revive the ’80s could
be so successful.