Learning with Leeper: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|1983 educational video game}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = Learning with Leeper

| image = Learning with Leeper cover.jpg

| italic title =

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| developer = [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra On-Line, Inc.]]

| state =

| publisher = Sierra On-Line, Inc.

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| platforms = [[Apple II]], [[ColecoVision]], [[Commodore 64]], [[Atari 8-bit]], [[ZX Spectrum]], [[Tandy 1000]]

| developer = Sierra On-Line, Inc.

| released = 1983

| publisher = Sierra On-Line, Inc.

| genre = [[Educational video game|Educational]]

| distributor =

| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]

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| platforms = ColecoVision, Commodore 64

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| released = {{Video game release|}}

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| genre = Educational (preschooler), single-player, third-person

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}}

'''''Learning with Leeper''''' is a 1983 [[educational video game]] developed and published by [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra On-Line, Inc.]]. It is similarSimilar to ''[[Learning with FuzzyWOMP]]'' (1984), it teaches [[color|colours]], [[number]]s, and the [[Latin alphabet|alphabet]] to players.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vF8EAAAAMBAJ|title = Black Enterprise|last = Ltd|first = Earl G. Graves|date = 1984-09-01|publisher = Earl G. Graves, Ltd.|language = en}}</ref> It reuses the character from the Sierra On-Line game ''[[Lunar Leepers]]''

==Gameplay Development ==

"A Brighter Future For Early Learning Through High Tech" asserted that, in 1984, several commercial software developers had decided that "there is a market for children as young as three" in the gaming space. ''Learning With Leeper'' is one such game that attempted to appeal to this segment.<ref>{{Cite journal|last = Behrmann|first = Michael M.|date = 1984-01-01|title = A Brighter Future For Early Learning Through High Tech|journal = The Pointer|volume = 28|issue = 2|pages = 23–26|doi = 10.1080/05544246.1984.9943002|issn = 0554-4246}}</ref>

Mobygames described the gameplay:<ref>http://www.mobygames.com/game/colecovision/learning-with-leeper</ref>

== Gameplay ==

{{quote|In Lunar Leeper, one of Sierra's earlier arcade games, players had to rescue prisoners on a planet's surface while avoiding the "Leepers", who would leap into the air in an attempt to grab them, and one of the Leepers feature in this game. Similar to Learning with FuzzyWOMP, the player can select one of four games, by moving the Leeper to the icon and pressing the fire button to select it.

The game is played with a [[joystick]]. Players navigate the Leeper icon across the menu screen to choose a minigame.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jqA0AAAAMAAJ|title = The Computer As a Paintbrush: Creative Uses for the Personal Computer in the Preschool Classroom|last = Beaty|first = Janice J.|last2 = Tucker|first2 = W. Hugh|date = 1987-01-01|publisher = Merrill Publishing Company|isbn = 9780675205238|language = en}}</ref> The four available choices are symbolized by a [[dog]] (counting), [[balloon]] (shape matching), [[frog]] (hand-eye coordination), and overturned [[paint]] can (creativity).<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QZFVAAAAMAAJ|title = Personal Computing|date = 1983-01-01|publisher = Personal Computing Magazine|language = en}}</ref> The game does not record performance scores.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Vy4QAQAAMAAJ|title = Software Reviews on File|date = 1986-01-01|publisher = Facts on File, Incorporated|language = en}}</ref>

==Reception==

Clockwise from the top, the first game encourages the player to select a series of bones that match the number of dogs on the left side. In the second, the player matches a series of items at the bottom of the screen (including letters, shapes, people, and three-letter words) with the one shown on a platform. In these first two games, the correct answer will flash if a wrong one is given.

''Learning with Leeper'' was well received,{{Citation needed|date=December 2015}} gaining the award for "1984 Best Educational Video Game/Computer Game" at the 5th annual [[Arkie Awards]] where judges described it as "a painless way for youngsters to learn such tricky concepts as counting and shape recognition". It was predicted that children who had not yet learned to read would still have "a fine time" with the game and that the game's "Painting" segment would "be a spur to youthful creativity".<ref>{{cite journal |last1= Kunkel |first1= Bill |author-link1= Bill Kunkel (gaming)|last2= Katz |first2= Arnie |author-link2= Arnie Katz|date= February 1984 |title= Arcade Alley: The 1984 Arcade Awards, Part II |journal= [[Video (magazine)|Video]]|volume= 7|issue= 11|pages= 28–29|issn= 0147-8907}}</ref>{{rp|29}} Personal Computing wrote that children should enjoy the title,<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NFRRAAAAYAAJ|title = The Digest of Software Reviews: Education|date = 1984-01-01|publisher = School & Home CourseWare, Incorporated|language = en}}</ref> while Betsy Staples of Gifted Children Newsletter explained "all in all, we think [it] is an excellent package" due to being aesthetically pleasing, attention-holding, and educational.<ref name=":0" />

In regard to creating a [[Software cracking|softkey]] for the game, ''[[Computist|Hardcore Computist]]'' Issuewriter Marco Hunter wrote: "The three things you can count on in this life are death, taxes, and Sierra On-line nibble counts. With this in mind, I tackled Learning with Leeper, a recent educational release from Sierra. I quickly discovered that, as usual, the disk is normal [[Apple DOS|DOS 3.3]]. This means it is easiliyeasily copied with COPYA."<ref>Hunter, Marco. "[https://archive.org/stream/computist-scan-13/issue13#page/n9/mode/2up/search/learning+with+leeper Softkey for Learning With Leeper]". ''[[Hardcore Computist]]''. Issue 13. 1984.</ref>

In the third game, players have to make their way through a maze while they are assisted by a caterpillar. The mazes are randomly generated. Finally, the fourth one has players paint a series of pictures ranging from a house and mountains to a human figure.}}

Math and Science for Young Children argues the game can be utilised by children for one-to-one kinesthetic and perceptual-motor experiences.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tfEJAAAAQBAJ|title = Math and Science for Young Children|last = Charlesworth|first = Rosalind|last2 = Lind|first2 = Karen K.|date = 2012-10-22|publisher = Cengage Learning|isbn = 978-1133712060|language = en}}</ref> Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective gave the game a rarity score of 3, and a Historical Importance score of L.<ref>{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ecuoBQAAQBAJ|title = Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective|last = Dillon|first = Roberto|date = 2014-12-03|publisher = Springer|isbn = 9789812873415|language = en}}</ref> Reaching Students Through Computers: A New Therapy for Learning and Playing deemed it a "very simple program".<ref>{{Cite journal|last = Sisson|first = Lee Hansen|last2 = Mayfield|first2 = Shirley A.|last3 = Entz|first3 = Susan|date = 1985-03-01|title = Reaching Students Through Computers: A New Therapy for Learning and Playing|journal = Journal of Reading, Writing, and Learning Disabilities International|volume = 1|issue = 3|pages = 61–83|doi = 10.1080/0748763850010311|issn = 0748-7630}}</ref>

==Critical reception==

In an episode dedicated to ColecoVision titles, [[Angry Video Game Nerd]] said "it's one of the most juvenile games I've ever played", noting that each of the four games are simplistic and primitive.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBMO8F1I-h4</ref>

In regard to creating a softkey for the game, Hardcore Computist Issue wrote "The three things you can count on in this life are death, taxes, and Sierra On-line nibble counts. With this in mind, I tackled Learning with Leeper, a recent educational release from Sierra. I quickly discovered that, as usual, the disk is normal DOS 3.3. This means it is easiliy copied with COPYA.<ref>https://archive.org/stream/computist-scan-13/issue13#page/n9/mode/2up/search/learning+with+leeper</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

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[[Category:1983 video games]]

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[[Category:Educational video games]]

[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]

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[[Category:Single-player video games]]