Research-backed game lineage

The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail is included in the Series Atlas after independent recognition and an authoritative game-by-game roster audit. Editions, simple ports, DLC, bundles, canceled projects, and cameo-only appearances are excluded.

17 curated games 1971–2021 release span 0 connected branches
The Oregon Trail coverOregon coverThe Oregon Trail coverThe Oregon Trail coverThe Oregon Trail Deluxe cover

Release chronology

The complete path.

Ordered by researched series position, then original release date. Ports, DLC, and duplicate editions are intentionally excluded.

17 games in this lineage

01 The Oregon Trail cover
Mainline1971

The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail is a computer game originally developed by Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinemann, and Paul Dillenberger in 1971 and produced by the Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC) in 1974. The original game was designed to teach school children about the realities of 19th-century pioneer life on the Oregon Trail. The player assumes the role of a wagon leader guiding his or her party of settlers from Independence, Missouri, to Oregon's Willamette Valley on the Oregon Trail via a covered wagon in 1848.

Dec 3, 197182/100
02 Oregon cover
Remake1980

Oregon

After MECC began collecting the Apple II versions of its various timeshare programs, including Oregon and many others, they instituted a new method for distributing the Apple II versions of its software to Minnesota schools – by assembling collections of the programs on floppy disks. One of the first releases in 1980 was Elementary Volume 6, containing five social studies simulation games, one of which was OREGON. Elementary Volume 6 soon became MECC’s most popular product for the Apple II. The 1980 version of Oregon was a much simpler game than the 1985 version, lacking many of the features that people now associate with the game. The 1980 version is very similar to the original text-only version that people played on teletype machines in the 1970s. The main feature that distinguishes the 1980 version from its text-only predecessors is that the shooting activities include simple graphics. There is also a crude map available to indicate your progress

Dec 31, 1980
03 The Oregon Trail cover
Remake1985

The Oregon Trail

The famous and iconic 1980s graphical version of the game where settlers travel west, featuring dysentery, river crossings, and an entire family of characters.

Sep 1, 198567/100
04 The Oregon Trail cover
Remake1990

The Oregon Trail

MECC released a DOS version of The Oregon Trail that was essentially identical to the Apple II version. However, the graphics had to be redrawn for the DOS version, using a different color palette and a slightly different resolution – and therefore screen shots of the DOS version are slightly different than the corresponding Apple II screen shots.

Dec 31, 1990
05 The Oregon Trail Deluxe cover
Remake1992

The Oregon Trail Deluxe

The version of Oregon Trail released in 1992 for DOS and Mac, published by Minnesota Educational Computing Consortium (MECC).

Dec 31, 199280/100
06 Oregon Trail II cover
Mainline1995

Oregon Trail II

Oregon Trail II is an educational video game and a revised version of the original 'The Oregon Trail'. It was redesigned with the help of American Studies PhD Wayne Studer. In contrast to the original version of the game, Oregon Trail II made an effort to include greater roles for women and racial minorities.

Feb 13, 199570/100
07 Africa Trail cover
Mainline1995

Africa Trail

Africa Trail is an educational computer game developed by MECC and published by The Learning Company. The gameplay resembles that of MECC's other "Trail" games, in which players must prepare for a long journey, choose their traveling companions, and make it safely to their destination. In Africa Trail, players must travel across Africa via bicycle. The game includes a Multimedia Resource Tool to allow players to make their own journal and presentation of the journey.

Dec 31, 1995
09 The Oregon Trail: 4th Edition cover
Mainline1999

The Oregon Trail: 4th Edition

The Oregon Trail: 4th Edition is a resource management simulation where you lead a wagon party westward across America in 1848, starting from Independence, Missouri. Make tough decisions to manage supplies and overcome obstacles as you journey toward the frontier. Select two companions to travel with you—if both abandon the journey, the game ends. At towns and landmarks, explore locations using full-motion video or 3D graphics to interact with the environment and gather information for your expedition.

Dec 31, 1999
10 The Oregon Trail: 5th Edition cover
Remake2001

The Oregon Trail: 5th Edition

The Oregon Trail: 5th Edition is a remake of The Oregon Trail II. It was published and released in 2001 by The Learning Company, and included some of the enhancements from The Oregon Trail: 3rd Edition and The Oregon Trail: 4th Edition.

Apr 1, 2001
11 The Oregon Trail cover
Mainline2009

The Oregon Trail

The Oregon Trail is a strategy video game developed by Gameloft New York and Gameloft Shanghai and published by Gameloft. It was released for Java ME-based mobile phones in 2009; a high-definition version was later released for iOS the same year. The game was then ported to DSiware, followed by a number of other mobile operating systems and devices. The game was followed by two sequels: The Oregon Trail: Gold Rush and The Oregon Trail: American Settler.

Mar 11, 2009
13 The Oregon Trail: 40th Anniversary Edition cover
Mainline2011

The Oregon Trail: 40th Anniversary Edition

Relive a part of American history and a slice of gaming history at the same time as a classic frontier adventure blazes a new trail on Wii. In the middle of the 19th Century, America is headed West, chasing the promise of a new life. Load up the wagon and set out from Independence, Missouri, making your way to Oregon City on a trail full of adventure. Face the challenges of the wide-open frontier as you battle the elements, hunt and fish to feed your family, and more.

Dec 9, 201180/100
14 Organ Trail cover
Mainline2013

Organ Trail

A zombie-themed parody of The Oregon Trail.

Jan 10, 201370/100
15 The Oregon Trail cover
Remake2018

The Oregon Trail

A Target-exclusive handheld recreation of the popular classic game.

Mar 1, 2018
16 The Oregon Trail cover
Remake2021

The Oregon Trail

Experience The Oregon Trail like never before. A modern twist on the trials and tribulations of the road to Oregon, this official successor to the global phenomenon will immerse players in exhilarating journeys ranging from the historically accurate to the totally extreme.

Apr 2, 202176/100
17 The Oregon Trail: Boom Town cover
Mainline

The Oregon Trail: Boom Town

Get ready to experience life as a pioneer in this reimagining of the classic game, The Oregon Trail! A game that combines adventure, simulation, and settlement survival. Build, grow, craft and harvest as you turn the small frontier village, of Independence Missouri, into a thriving boom town! Dysentery, Cholera, Typhoid and snakes - oh my! Help Settlers survive the dangerous journey west in this re-imagining of the classic game, The Oregon Trail! Help pioneers survive the trail, and prepare for their dangerous journey across the Oregon Trail and outfit settlers with all the supplies they need to survive! Follow the progress of the Pioneers as their wagons forge the way west across America’s frontier on their way to a new life. The wagons may call for supplies along the way, so be ready to collect resources and send them food, tomatoes, corn, eggs, medicine, clothes or whatever else they need to survive. Challenge your survival skills as you fix your wagons and face the harsh desert conditions. Create the town of your dreams in this town-building simulator game! Start with building marketplaces, shops, and saloons on your own land. Upgrade with a port, rail station, museum, or even a university for your villagers. Arrange and rearrange your layout. Add decorations, design, upgrade and monuments to make your town beautiful. As you level up, new buildings are unlocked, opening exciting new possibilities. With hard work and creativity, you can truly build the Independence of your dreams! Design, Manage and grow your very own frontier boom town in this farming and city building simulator inspired by the classic game The Oregon Trail! Plant, collect, and harvest crops, raise and care for a variety of farm animals on the land, build stores, factories and more as you help prepare pioneers for their journey west along The Oregon Trail. The town of their dreams is in your hands! Go beyond your own town to participate in a wide variety of weekly and seasonal events. You can connect with your friends or family, join a clan, and compete or collaborate in special challenges. Are you ready? Do you have the skill, foresight, and creativity to turn Independence into a Boom Town? Hopeful settlers are gathering in Independence, counting on you to make their dreams come true. The journey begins when you join this thrilling town-building simulator game—The Oregon Trail: Boom Town!

Release date TBA

Sources and method

Built from the public record.

Membership is researched from external official and independent sources. Mainline games, direct spin-offs, remakes, remasters, and standalone expansions are included; DLC, simple ports, duplicate editions, compilation-only duplicates, rumors, cancellations, and cameo-only crossovers are excluded.

  1. database The Oregon Trail collection — IGDB

    IGDB maintains a distinct collection record for The Oregon Trail and supplies the authoritative roster used for membership verification.

  2. reference List of best-selling video game franchises

    The independent catalog recognizes The Oregon Trail as a multi-game franchise and supports its inclusion in this major-series research sweep.