In our last installment of Using Digital Games to Teach STEM, we covered how many of our games can foster skills in STEM. We’re still waiting for you to name a more iconic duo than video games and STEM! While we’re waiting, let’s dive into even more examples of video games that incorporate science, technology, engineering, math, and also fun. STEMF. It’s the new acronym. Get with it.
Science
via chemcaper.com
ChemCaper
ChemCaper is a chemistry adventure game designed by school teachers for students ages 10-14. ChemCaper has an emphasis on lore, narrative, and character, resulting in immersive and compelling gameplay. Players learn about chemical bonding and properties of the elements as they play as Roub Idyum, a Moon Being who, while questing to locate his people’s lost deity, receives the news that his homeland is under siege! ChemCaper is compatible with both Android and iPhone and is available on the Google Play store and App store.
via play.eco
Eco
Students take control of a delicate ecosystem in Eco. Players must make the most of natural resources to create a home and prevent a meteor from striking, all while they navigate a planet that reacts to everything they do. Eco not only teaches ecology, but a variety of other subjects too, like government and economics as players strive to help the environment flourish. Find Eco on Steam.
via beyondbluegame.com
Beyond Blue
E-Line Media collaborated with BBC Studios, OceanX, and ocean experts to create Beyond Blue, a game centered around deep-sea exploration and research. This fully voice-acted adventure allows players to act as marine biologists, use innovative new forms of technology, and appreciate breathtaking ocean views and wildlife. Students can step into the shoes of the main character, Mirai, and uncover what mysteries the ocean has to offer! Play Beyond Blue on Playstation 4, Xbox One, PC, and Apple Arcade.
Technology
via Time Tails on Steam
Time Tails
Time Tails is a point-and-click adventure game that follows the story of the two (cat) protagonists from the 80s, Ari and Zoe, as they time travel to the American Revolution. While a player engages in the narrative, a large focus of the gameplay is on 3D coordinate systems and how they work in game development software (perfect for building one’s future-facing skills in content creation!). The game also highlights a sometimes-forgotten figure in history, Sybil Ludington. Learn about American history, coding, and time travel with Time Tails, available on Steam today!
via Prime Mover on Steam
Prime Mover
Build circuit boards to solve puzzles in a sci-fi world of charming pixel art and atmospheric tunes in Prime Mover. A unique feature of this game is that all of the puzzles within it are open-ended, meaning there are no single solutions – players of all skill levels can solve the same problems in different ways. This game builds a student’s logic and computer science skills, and along the way, they might just discover a little something about the Byte of Burden! What is that? Play to find out! Find Prime Mover on Steam.
via Code Romantic on Steam
Code Romantic
How to describe prettysmart games’ Code Romantic? Half dystopian YA visual novel, half computer science learning game. Robots are threatening the last of humankind, and teenager Mina Lovelace has a lot to prove, given her last name. Beginner programmers can learn C# and problem solve as Mina, all while trying not to humiliate her in front of her crush, Leon. The developers have noted that this game is suitable for age groups allowed to read Harry Potter and Twilight. Code Romantic is available on Steam now!
Engineering
via kerbalspaceprogram.com
Kerbal Space Program
Build rocket ships and launch aliens into space! In Kerbal Space Program, players learn engineering, math, physics, and more as they design and test their own spaceship creations. Players are also in charge of their resources and crew, with opportunities to learn management skills too. Help Kerbals explore new planets and moons, and make sure they stay alive – that astrophysics thing is no joke! Play Kerbal Space Program on Steam, Xbox One, and PS4.
via Learning Factory on Steam
Learning Factory
Recipient of the Games for Change: STEM Your Game Challenge award, Learning Factory is a game about gathering data and engineering factories, all for the betterment of… catkind? Yep, that’s right – players must cater to the demands of cats as they work to master machine learning engineering. Renovate, design, and craft a way to a highly efficient factory and happy cat customers! Learning Factory is available on Steam.
Math
We didn’t forget about math! We just have a whole separate post full of math games here.
For more examples of great games that teach STEM, check out our learning game portfolio, which contains games galore for teaching STEM to all ages. If you or your organization is interested in exploring the possibility of creating a custom educational game or app of your own, be sure to reach out!
When STEM and games collide: