Dysentery never looked so good: The Oregon Trail has gotten free DLC on PC
The latest remake has received a free update.
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What you need to know
The Oregon Trail remake developed and published by Gameloft released just a few month ago in November 2022 and has received positive reviews in that time. It manages to keep the core survival concept of the original game while enhancing the playing experience with a improved visuals, effects, and polished mechanics.
As of today, Gameloft has released a brand new Cowboys and Critters DLC for PC and Switch, which brings several real-life adventurer’s stories into the game as well as early cryptid tales. This extra content had previously only been available on the Apple Arcade version of The Oregon Trail, but now it’s been added to the PC and Switch versions for absolutely free. You just need to buy the base game.
Here is what Gameloft says is included in the free Cowboys and Critters DLC:
Windows Central’s take
The Oregon Trail video game has always been one of those titles that manages to border on the line between actually being a fun, educational game and one that everyone lovingly mocks because of how difficult it is as asurvival game. Regardless, it holds a lot of nostalgia for anyone who grew up playing it and it’s fun to revisit today in this remake.
It’s interesting to note that the original Oregon Trail game released in 1971 on an HP 2100 microcomputer and was intended as an educational tool. A student teacher named Don Rawitsch and two of his fellow students created the program as a way to teach an 8th-grade history class about the difficulties on the trail. Somewhat ahead of its time, it soon became an instant classic that would go on to find its way on several generations of computers after that as it became one of thebest PC games of all time.
The free Cowboys and Critters DLC continues in the same spirit as the original game by providing real stories from history for players to engage with. It continues to be one of the most successful educational tools that manages to also entertain.
The Oregon Trail | See at Steam
Embark across the prairie with your party on your way west. There are many dangers and you’ll have to see if you can keep everyone alive by providing enough food, medicine, and other necessities.
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Self-professed gaming geek, Rebecca Spear, is one of Windows Central’s editors and reviewers with a focus on gaming handhelds, PC gaming, and laptops. When she isn’t checking out the latest games on Xbox Game Pass, PC, ROG Ally, or Steam Deck; she can be found digital drawing with a Wacom tablet. She’s written thousands of articles with everything from editorials, reviews, previews, features, previews, and hardware reviews over the last few years. If you need information about anything gaming-related, her articles can help you out. She also loves testing game accessories and any new tech on the market. You can follow her@rrspearon X (formerly Twitter).
