Pony Express Rider

Summary
An educational adventure game where the player takes the role of a rider for the famous Pony Express, delivering important mail to Sacramento, California in 1861.

Game Design
Illustrated backgrounds and hilariously hammy real live actors (no real horses though; probably didn't fit in the studio). Rider POV in "quasi-3d" for the riding simulation. The educational content is categorized as "Social Studies" with a focus on events leading up to the American Civil War. Living conditions in the 19th century, slavery, abolitionist and feminist movements, emigration, westward expansion and struggles of Native Americans are all at least briefly covered. Not bad for a kids game about a postal service that lasted less than two years!

Gameplay
The players point-and-click their way through various towns and express stations. Objects may hide information or puzzles and clicking on people plays a small scene. This way different stories unfold, for example a North-vs-South spy adventure or a Swedish immigrant family's journey to California. Additional educational content is relayed through letters, quotes, newspapers, and short descriptive texts (including some information about horses and famous riders of the Pony Express). Puzzles are mostly based around deciphering various codes (e.g. Morse, Native American Sign Language, Semaphore). A diary contains codes, maps, a dictionary and collected information. Interacting is largely optional, though "hero points" are rewarded for the completion of puzzles. Leaving a station, the graphics change and the riding simulation starts. If the rider runs into bandits, there is a shoot out, but since this is a game for children only the hats of the bandits are targets and nobody gets hurt. Shooting can be practised at various locations throughout the game.

Riding Mechanics
Arrow keys (or mouse), space to jump. The horse will refuse if you want to go somewhere where you shouldn't (like off a cliff) and will bring you eventually to the next stop. If you run into something on the trail, some shooting or a puzzle will happen. Delivery time will be adjusted according to delays and converted to hours for a more realistic result. On modern PCs the game sadly runs way to fast, so the riding cannot really be appreciated.

System Requirements & Compatibility
Microsoft® Windows® 95, 486/66 or faster or Pentium 8 MB RAM 15 MB free hard drive space 256-color monitor Double speed CD-ROM drive 8-bit sound card and speakers Mouse Recommended:Pentium with 16 MB RAM

Mostly works with Windows 7 in compatibility mode, though riding and shooting are much to fast.

Accessibility
No subtitles.