The launch of online mobile games to teach Indians about the struggle for freedom provides the latest example of how games can educate. What are the new games like and how do other games also show us useful lessons?
The New Games
India’s Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting announced the launch of these games. Anurag Singh Thakur revealed that Azadi Quest is the name of a series of new games that the authorities developed together with Zynga India. This was done to form part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations, and the games look at some of the key points of the country’s struggle for freedom.
However, rather than being simply a history lesson, the games also include fun gameplay that they hope will encourage gamers to give them a try. This approach to an engaging and interactive type of learning should prove successful in one of the world’s biggest gaming markets, where there are an estimated 300 million gamers presently.
These games have been launched for mobile devices, and are available for both Android and iOS users. They’ve also been created in English and Hindi, to reach as many people as possible. Match 3 Puzzle and Heroes of Bharat are the first titles to be launched with more expected in the coming months.
In the case of Match 3 Puzzle, this is a puzzle game aimed at celebrating 75 years of Indian independence as you travel through a series of levels that get more difficult as you progress. Heroes of Bharat is more about testing your knowledge, as you collect cards by answering questions on some of the lesser-known heroes of Indian independence.
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How Games Can Now Teach Us More Lessons
The power of gaming as an educational tool has been recognized for a long time, and games are often used to help teach subjects that might otherwise be considered less than attractive. It can also help to raise the levels of collaboration and competitiveness among those who are studying the subject.
We can also learn about strategies and systems when playing certain games. This explanation by Michael Shackleford on basic blackjack strategy shows us how to play the card game in an optimal way. While this is a simple card game where you look to get to 21, the way that you base your moves on a limited amount of information that’s available can make it a useful way of learning how to make decisions.
An example of how video games can show us history comes from the Assassin’s Creed series. The developers at Ubisoft have gone to great lengths to create immersive and accurate worlds based on different time periods and locations around the world. This results in gamers learning about cultures and places that they might never have encountered before.
These new games for Indian players are certain to increase knowledge and awareness of the country’s history, but it’s the fact that they’re also fun to play that gives them a great chance of reaching out and appealing to many players.