Math Rabbit Explained

Math Rabbit
Developer:The Learning Company
Publisher:The Learning Company
Series:Reader Rabbit
Platform:Original
Apple II, MS-DOS
Deluxe
MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, Mac
Reader Rabbit's Math 1
Windows, Mac
Reader Rabbit Math Ages 4–6
Windows, Mac
Released:1986: Original
1993: Deluxe
1997: Math 1
1998: Math Ages 4-6
1999: Personalized
Genre:Educational video game
Modes:Single-player

Math Rabbit is a spin-off of the Reader Rabbit educational video game series. It was published by The Learning Company in 1986 for MS-DOS and Apple II. A Deluxe version was released in 1993 for MS-DOS, Mac, and Windows 3.x. In 1997, a remake was released for Windows and Mac as Reader Rabbit's Math 1. The final remake for Windows and Macintosh was published 1998 is Reader Rabbit's Math Ages 4-6, with a personalized version released in 1999.

Gameplay

The game takes place in a circus and teaches addition, subtraction, and counting in four different games, each of which with multiple difficulty settings.[1] [2] The game is for ages 4–8.[3] The four games are:

  1. Clown's Counting Games - the player is required to count with a number as a guide to pitch the tone of the musical instrument.
  2. Tightrope Game - the player has to help Reader Rabbit match a picture of objects with a displaying number and discard the pictures that don't match.
  3. Circus Train Game - the player has complete a sequence of numbers each being added to a particular number.
  4. Mystery Matching Game - the player has to match turn over cards and find matching pictures of items and corresponding numbers.

Since Math Rabbit Deluxe, the games were retitled "Calliope Counting Game", "Tightrope Show", "Sea Lion Show", and "Balloon Matching Game", respectively, but the game objectives and rules remain the same.

Development

The game was originally designed by Teri Perl and programmed by Aaron Weiss. Upon the release of the Deluxe edition, Bill Dinsmore, The Learning Company president and chief executive officer, said: "With the release of Reader Rabbit 1 and Math Rabbit for Windows, we now offer five Windows educational software products that help to develop important learning skills".[4]

The original art of Math Rabbit was done by Analee Nunan. For Math Rabbit Deluxe 256 color VGA graphics were applied. The original music and sound composition were done by Teri Perl and Aaron Weiss. For Math Rabbit Deluxe, AdLib soundtracks were composed.

The activities teach numerical relationships to young users. It has a scope, sequence guide, and lab pack.[5]

Reception

Critical reception

The program received highly positive reviews from critics. In particular, the Chicago Sun-Times championed it in seven articles.

The Los Angeles Times said the game was "sweet", though Millie's Math House made it "look kind of buttoned-down".[6] FOGG praised the easy-to-use gaming interface, and The Washington Post said it is "entertaining"[7] while incorporating valuable lessons into "colorfully fun graphics".[8] Superkids described the game as "excellent" and said it was a great first introduction to educational video gaming for the target audience.[9] Don Crabb, writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, recommended the "outstanding"[10] software for the 1989 holiday season[11] and noted it was among the "high-quality educational software sold",[12] and that it was one of the best educational releases for offering a "solid instructional model" for teaching kids the fundamentals of mathematics[13] through "smoothly" integrating the gaming and learning[14] without "bogging them down in mindless mathematical trivia",[15] such as by teaching geometry at a very early age.[16] Computer Shopper said the product was "remarkably good software",[17] and positively compared its depth and carde gameplay to Power Rangers ZEO PowerActive.[18] PC Mag said the game "moves beyond" Stickybear Numbers and Math and Me due to its customization options.[19] Computer Gaming World in 1994 stated that "Math Rabbit is very easy to use, and accommodates different learning styles. It's a fun program kids can really count on".[20]

Commercial performance

It is the seventh most popular in the education category sold across eleven Software Etc. stores in the Washington area in the week ending on August 23, 1995.[21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fogg . Frank E. . December 1997 . Math Rabbit Deluxe Software Review . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160918162512/http://www.fogg.cc/reviews/software/review06.htm . September 18, 2016 . September 18, 2016 . Frank's Place (www.fogg.cc).
  2. News: Rosenberg . Ronald . November 20, 1994 . Children's educational software still an exploding market . 92– . Boston Globe . Learning . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111747/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/doc/290711505.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov%2020,%201994&author=Ronald%20Rosenberg,%20Globe%20Staff&pub=Boston%20Globe%20(pre-1997%20Fulltext)&edition=&startpage=&desc=Children%27s%20educational%20software%20still%20an%20exploding%20market . March 4, 2016 . ProQuest Archiver.
  3. Web site: Fitzpatrick . Sharyn A. . November 17, 1994 . READER RABBIT TRIO NOW AVAILABLE ON CD-ROM! . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160918160841/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/READER+RABBIT+TRIO+NOW+AVAILABLE+ON+CD-ROM!-a015869946 . September 18, 2016 . September 18, 2016 . The Learning Company . Fremont, California . PR Newswire Association LLC via Gale, Cengage Learning via Free Online Library . TM-LW -- SJ001 -- 6076.
  4. Web site: Fitzpatrick . Sharyn A. . February 16, 1994 . TWO AWARD-WINNING RABBITS, 'READER RABBIT 1' AND 'MATH RABBIT', NOW APPEARING IN WINDOWS! . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160918160532/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TWO+AWARD-WINNING+RABBITS,+'READER+RABBIT+1'+AND+'MATH+RABBIT,'+NOW...-a014812804 . September 18, 2016 . September 18, 2016 . The Learning Company . Fremont, California . PR Newswire Association LLC via Gale, Cengage Learning via Free Online Library . TM-LW -- SJ001 -- 6076.
  5. Book: https://books.google.com/books?id=EEzQStXtyw4C&pg=PA193 . The Latest and Best of TESS: The Educational Software Selector . 1991 . Educational Products Information Exchange (EPIE) Institute . 9780916087159 . 1991-1992 . Hampton Bays, New York, 11946 . 193 . 3. Software Descriptions: Mathematics: Basic Skills: 5) Math Rabbit . 91-72635 . Univ. Press of Mississippi via Google Books.
  6. News: Sunila . Joyce . October 15, 1993 . SOFTWARE REVIEW: Education Made Fun: New computer programs employ adventure and games of skill to help youngsters learn math. . en-US . Los Angeles Times . Technology and the Internet . live . January 2, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160918164301/http://articles.latimes.com/1993-10-15/news/va-46204_1_math-software . September 18, 2016 . 0458-3035.
  7. News: Sussman . Vic . November 1, 1987 . A Guide For Parents Series: Education Review . R09GUI . The Washington Post . 0190-8286 . Document wp00000020011118djb102ooh . . Partially available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210029/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1351956.html..
  8. News: Oldenburg . Don . 10 December 1991 . Computers; Merry Software ... (For Kids' Entertainment and Education) . C05MER . The Washington Post . Document wp00000020011110dnca01fb9 . . Partially available at https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210138/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1099417.html..
  9. Web site: 1996 . Software Review of Math Rabbit: The Learning Company's Math Rabbit Deluxe . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160920130325/http://www.superkids.com/aweb/pages/reviews/math1/mrabbit/merge.shtml . September 20, 2016 . September 18, 2016 . SuperKids . Knowledge Share LLC.
  10. News: Crabb . Don . September 1, 1991 . Reader flummoxed by glitch in software . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20100108035034/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4070806.html . January 8, 2010 . HighBeam Research.
  11. News: December 3, 1989 . Crabb's bottom line . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20171109022733/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3973366.html . November 9, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  12. News: Crabb . Don . December 13, 1992 . Holiday Computer Gift Suggestions . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210201/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4145312.html . November 8, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  13. News: Crabb . Don . October 13, 1991 . Offspring does parent proud // Aiming for slightly older kids, Reader Rabbit 2 hits mark . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20070605043008/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4077460.html . June 5, 2007 . HighBeam Research.
  14. News: Crabb . Don . June 23, 1991 . Math Blaster Plus! makes math fun for kids . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210056/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4060253.html . November 8, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  15. News: Crabb . Don . December 3, 1989 . Gifts for the computer-lover . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108205954/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3973365.html . November 8, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  16. News: Crabb . Don . November 12, 1989 . This educational software's a joy to use . dead . Chicago Sun-Times . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108205642/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3970034.html . November 8, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  17. Terra . John . September 1, 1996 . Reader Rabbit's Reading Development Library 3. (Learning Co) (Software Review)(Brief Article)(Evaluation) . dead . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170814063620/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18593199.html . August 14, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  18. Kawamoto . Wayne . November 1, 1996 . Power Rangers ZEO PowerActive Math. (Saban Entertainment's educational software) (Software Review)(Brief Article)(Evaluation) . dead . Computer Shopper . https://web.archive.org/web/20171108210233/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18794668.html . November 8, 2017 . HighBeam Research.
  19. Trivette . Donald B. . February 14, 1989 . Fun with Math: Introducing Your Child to the World of Numbers . After Hours: Education . . en . . 442 . Google Books.
  20. Haverstock . Mark . January 1994 . Reviews: Math Rabbit . live . Kids & Computers . Computer Gaming World . 114: "Covering Interactive & Multimedia Entertainment" . 138–139 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230929205602/https://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_114.pdf . September 29, 2023 . Computer Gaming World Museum.
  21. News: August 28, 1995 . BESTSELLERS . dead . The Washington Post . https://web.archive.org/web/20180504225349/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-853518.html . May 4, 2018 . HighBeam Research.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Math Rabbit".

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