The world of gaming is vast and full of fantastic titles that not only provide entertainment, but also can educate and develop various skills.
There are also plenty of scientist games that can be a great choice for children and teenagers who love science and aspire to become physicists, chemists, or biologists in the future. Want to know a few of the most interesting ones? Put on your lab coat, and let’s get started!
Games for Aspiring Scientists
Interestingly, video games and science have a lot in common. Not everyone knows, but the first prototype games and consoles that emerged in the 1940s and 1950s were academic projects and the works of scientists. Therefore, it is safe to say that without their determination and science itself, we wouldn’t have so many great titles and advanced gaming equipment today.
Science in video game industry is not a new thing either. For years, there have been games related to, for example, space exploration that heavily rely on real scientific achievements. Even the classic and well-known game, The Sims, is based on the science of genetics (babies inherit traits from both parents). Nowadays, you can find many titles that are related to biology, physics, or chemistry. Such games can be excellent educational tools and provide fun for both children and adults. Here are a few of them:
Niche
| Release date: | 2016-09-15 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Stray Fawn Studio |
As the name suggests, Niche is a strategic game where the main goal is… survival. But interestingly, it’s not about the survival of one character but rather an entire species of small, cute creatures resembling a mix of rabbits and foxes. The game incorporates elements of roguelike and is the debut project of its developer.
With its charming graphics and simplified animations, the game appeals to a younger audience while teaching them the basics of genetics. By breeding different creatures, our task is to isolate and develop their specific genetic traits that will help them survive in a dangerous environment full of predators and changing climates.
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Ecosystem
| Release date: | 2021-03-16 |
| Genre: | Indie |
| Developer: | Tom Johnson |
If you enjoy life simulation games, are interested in aquatic themes, and intrigued by evolution, this game is for you. In this title, players have the task of creating an interactive ecosystem at the bottom of the ocean, where various aquatic creatures can survive and evolve.
In this game, you’ll have to take care of everything – shaping the terrain, managing vegetation, and controlling the populations of creatures in the ecosystem. Everything you see can mutate and evolve, creating new and interesting species constantly. Your job is to provide them with shelter, food, and control over what happens in the water.
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Portal (series)
| Release date: | 2011-04-18 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Valve |
The Portal game series is a classic example of gaming science. Although the storyline of both titles varies slightly, they share very similar mechanics and gameplay, centered around solving logical puzzles and finding a way to escape from different rooms while equipped with the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device – a device that allows you to create portals.
In the game, you need to be creative, resourceful, observant, and have at least a basic understanding of physics. Where you place portals and what forces act on your character when entering a portal (for example, gravity) directly affects how you exit the other portal and the effect you achieve. Clever placement of portals allows you to reach the highest and farthest regions of different rooms, while improper portal placement can result in falling from a great height.
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Kerbal Space Program
| Release date: | 2015-04-27 |
| Genre: | Adventure |
| Developer: | Squad |
If you ever dreamed of becoming an astronaut or a scientist at NASA, this game can help fulfill your dream and teach you a few things along the way. This title features charming graphics and is definitely one of the most enjoyable and cutest science games.
The game allows you to manage your own space program, starting from building flying machines to launching them into space. In the sandbox mode, you can freely build rockets and shuttles almost without limitations. The science mode introduces research and science points, which allow you to develop a technology tree and acquire new technologies and machine parts. The career mode, on the other hand, closely resembles real space expeditions.
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Car Mechanic Simulator 2021
| Release date: | 2021-08-11 |
| Genre: | Simulator |
| Developer: | Red Dot Games |
Science is not just about space, research, and white lab coats. It also includes engineering and mechanics, where you occasionally have to get your hands dirty! Sound exciting? Then you might enjoy the Car Mechanic Simulator.
In this game, your job is to repair cars. New vehicles constantly arrive at your workshop, requiring minor or more advanced repairs – interestingly, you’ll often have to notice the flaws yourself, disassembling various parts of the realistically recreated vehicle step by step. Successful repairs earn you a reputation, allowing you to expand your workshop and buy cars that, once repaired or upgraded, can be sold.
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Summary
Here is a list of 5 of the most interesting scientist games, according to us. But remember, this list is by no means exhaustive. There are plenty of titles that, to a lesser or greater extent, are based on science. Regardless of what game genres you like or what fields of science interest you, you’ll undoubtedly find something that suits your taste!