Cross Country USA was definitely one of my all time favorite games as a kid. I often played it during computer class in elementary school. At the time, I did not even realize that it was an educational game; it was simply fun to drive around. Then my class got a new computer teacher who actually knew the educational value of the game and handed each of us a commodity list to help us figure out what to do.
In this educational and entertaining computer game, you as the player must drive an eighteen wheel truck across the country (hence the title Cross-Country USA) to load cargo and make deliveries in over one hundred cities.
This enjoyable game taught students how to apply geography knowledge in real life by doing things such as planning routes and reading maps as well as trying to maintain a budget. If my memory serves me correctly, the weather in the game changed so you could find yourself driving through rain or snow. The game also changed from day-time to night-time. Also, the player could also choose to stop at a gas station or go into a diner during the game. If you ever got tired or bored playing the actual game (although that is highly unlikely), you could also gain some entertainment by having a conversation with the computer by typing into the small screen that was close to the center of the dashboard.
It
is truly a wonder as to why this game has been discontinued. Cross-Country USA was very popular with schools across the nation and has been a part of my childhood, as well as many others, from the time where video games and computer games were at their very best. Cross-Country USA is definitely a must have game for children and adults alike for not only its educational value on geography, but also for the enjoyable and entertaining gaming experience it gives to the player. A fantastic game such as Cross-Country USA will never be forgotten. It may have been an educational game, but it was surely one of the best ones.
