Educational software - July '97

Windows 95

CyberTris

Author: Moraffware
Registration: Freeware
Rating:

Moraff's CyberTris is a game similar to 2D Tetris with colourful graphics, lively music and a two-player option.

In CyberTris you attempt to fit multiple different falling blocks into matching gaps in the bottom rows. Once you have completed a number of lines you progress to more challenging levels -- where the blocks fall faster and you have less time to react.

Exploding blocks that destroy every block they touch is an added twist. Other features include two complete image sets, board sizes ranging from 6x14 to 50x70, high scores and 16 million colours.
CyberTris helps develop spatial awareness, advance planning and quick decision making. Great value.

by Alan Hilvert-Bruce

Go-Moku 95 is a Windows version of Go-Moku, also known as "five-in-a-row". With excellent music and simple rules, this game is addictive. Your aim is to get five in a row before the Go-Moku Master blocks your lines off and beats you to it. Easy? Not! You'll need to plan ahead before you make any move.

Go-Moku 95 features unlimited undo/redo which enables you, if you lose, to return to a point in the game where you think you can win and play it from there. Other pluses are hints, comments, autoplay, replay, artificial intelligence and in-game help.

Windows 3.1

Age: Years 11 and 12 NSW
Skills: Biology, chemistry and physics
List price: Biology -- $295 for two years; Chemistry -- $175 for one year; Physics -- $175 for one year
From: Memory Banks (03) 9770 1615
Publisher: Memory Banks (03) 9770 1615
System requirements: 386 or higher, 640Kb RAM, two High Density floppy drives or one floppy drive, hard disk, Windows version needs VGA.
Relevance to Australia:
Suitability for schools:
Friendliness:
Multimedia:
Overall value:

Personal Tutor Science and Maths packages are the only computer packages available that are designed for the Australian Year 11 and Year 12 Science and Maths syllabus.

Written by practising teachers and developed and manufactured by the Australian company Memory Banks, the software covers the entire one- and two-year courses. Tailored to the course requirements in different states they are available for the New South Wales HSC, Victorian VCE, and courses in Queensland and Western Australia.

Students can use the software throughout the year to reinforce classwork, or for exam revision. Because even one mark in the exam CAT can determine whether or not students gain entry to their first choice of course and career, this software is particularly useful as a strategy to boost marks.

As well as at home, teachers in over 70 Australian schools comprising 8000 students are using Personal Tutor courses in class to reinforce their students learning and to provide more individual assistance. The Personal Tutor series is also being employed by nursing students at La Trobe University, Wodonga, who use Personal Tutor VCE Biology, VCE Chemistry, VCE Physics and VCE General Maths, every week in the Human Bioscience class.

by Linda Bruce

DOS

Note: These programs are designed for DOS and may not run correctly in Windows or from within a Web browser. If you have problems running any such program we advise you make a note of the program's path, then to exit to DOS mode and try running the program off the CD from the DOS prompt.

Krazy Xmas is a Christmas version of Krazy Face designed for children aged three to nine years. You can decorate a tree and fill in nine different Christmas faces. Faces include a reindeer, Santa and many others. You fill them in by drawing on them, painting them or using one of the many stamps of facial features available within the game. Krazy Xmas will be most enjoyed by three- to six-year-olds who love painting, drawing and admiring their work.

Hangman is a variation on the traditional game where you attempt to reveal a word by choosing letters. Choose wrongly and the hangman gets one step closer to hanging you. After 10 mistakes you're dead.

This Hangman game includes the regular Hangman where one person plays against the computer, the party version of Hangman where two or more people play, and the children's version of Hangman which includes simpler words. You can also input your own lists to help your child practise their spelling. It's easy to use, fun and free.

Word Rescue is the predecessor to Apogee's Math Rescue. It's the first game to feature Gruzzles -- those mean, ugly monsters from outer space. The Gruzzles have been stealing letters from all around the world, therefore causing havoc in everybody's daily life. Imagine letters dropping off your name or your word processor screen! It's up to you to join Benny the Butterfly on his quest to save all the letters and return them to their words.

How do you stop a Gruzzle? Simply point at one and Benny the Butterfly will dump a pile of purple slime on it.

Word Rescue is essentially a platform game with colourful graphics and a similar feel to Duke Nukem. You can play as a male or a female character and travel through numerous settings as you search for all the words' letters.

All these shareware programs are available on this PC User Offline CD-ROM. The School PC Web page www.schoolpc.acp.com.au also has links to them.

by Alan Hilvert-Bruce

Previous PC User Offline CD's

June Education software

May Education software

April Education software

March Education software