Educational Video Games

Cosmos Chaos! is an educational RPG that uses robots and Pokémon-style battles in an attempt to improve vocabulary skills in elementary-aged students, and specifically combat the slump in standardized test scores among fourth graders. Players explore ten different environments, collecting 45 new vocabulary words in each level, and then using the words to solve problems, battle robots, and complete quests. There are more than 100 original characters to meet, and Cosmos Chaos! is designed to offer more than 24 hours of gameplay. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide

Cookie Monster and Big Bird headline this educational-themed collection of mini-games aimed at preschoolers. As the title suggests, the focus on this title is on enhancing a youngster's counting, number identification, pattern recognition, and shape identifying skills through a series of whimsical activities. Explore five areas of the carnival, from the grandstand and rides to the petting zoo, concession stand, and the arcade. Also included is a Cookie Monster-themed "jumbo click stylus," allowing young hands to more easily interact with handheld's touch-screen interface. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Sesame Street's Elmo and Zoe host this educational-themed collection of mini-games aimed at preschoolers. Youngsters will explore an aquarium, savanna, jungle, forest, and the arctic in search of animals to befriend. Featured activities are designed to enhance letter identification, letter sounds, word families, and basic literacy skills, with a dynamic difficulty setting automatically adjusting itself based on the child's performance. Also included is a Elmo-themed "jumbo click stylus," allowing young hands to more easily interact with handheld's touch-screen interface. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Mentor InterActive's educational series for children returns with new animated books and interactive activities. Once again, the series is geared to enhance a child's skills in the areas of phonics, fluency, vocabulary, phonemic awareness, and comprehension. This is primarily accomplished through reading or listening to the featured stories, taking quizzes, drawing pictures, and more. Statistics in each area are tracked over time, allowing parents to monitor their child's progress and skill development. The content is based on the "Foundations to Literacy" program licensed from the University of Colorado's Center for Spoken Language Research. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Designed to help high-school students prepare for the dreaded SAT test, FutureU: The Prep Game for SAT was developed in collaboration with test-preparedness gurus Kaplan and features sections devoted to each of the three R's. The Reading portion helps players build vocabulary, identify themes, and use context clues, the Writing section focuses on grammar and usage, and the Math portion deals with algebra, geometry, and statistics. FutureU measures progress as players navigate each subject's core concepts, and the game also provide test-taking tips such as time management, when to skip questions, and how to weed out bad multiple choice options. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide