Title: Jungle Chess
Overall Rating: A-
Source: Edmark at http://www.riverdeep.net/edmark/
Playing Time: 10 minutes and up
Software Release Date: March 22, 2002
Cost:Call 800-825-4420 for pricing or Email customers@riverdeep.ne
Operating System:Macintosh 7.5.6 or higher/Windows 95 or higher
Number of Players: 1-2
Special Equipment/Facilities Needed: None
Subject Area: Strategy/Science/Math--Fourth Grade and Up
Objectives: Explicitly Stated at Information Website as follows: (1) Develop Self-Motivated and Goal-Directed Behavior (2)Consider Alternate Outcomes and Points of View (3) Anticipate Obstacles (4) Evaluate Results (5) See How Animals Use Strategic Behaviors (6) Examine Offensive and Defensive Strategies.
Brief Description: Jungle Chess is actually one part of a three pack of games. In Jungle Chess two players play head to head, moving game pieces strategically through a playing board filled with obstacles. As with chess or checkers players are able to capture each others' pieces in order to increase their chances of winning.
Entry Capabilities Required: Basic knowledge of the concepts of chess and checkers. Ability to use a mouse to manipulate on screen game pieces.

Rating: (1-5)

Relevance to objectives: (5) This game is all about strategy and animal hierarchy. These objectives are clearly met as the game is very much a strategy chess style challenge. Players may only take pieces of animals that are weaker, not stronger, than themselves, hence teaching players of the food chain and power struggles of the jungle.
Provides practice of relevant skills:(5) This game is all practice. There is no tutorial or videos, it's just play, play, play!
Likely to arouse/maintain interest: (4) This is a game designed to teach, not a teaching tool trying to be a game. Bottom line is it's fun, and the added option of playing against a friend makes it even more enticing.
Likely to be comprehended clearly:(5) This game is pretty simple. It's 'kill or be killed' as players manuever around the game board. Not a great deal of room for confusion.
Technical quality (durable, attractive): (4) Actual version comes on a CD. Demo is a simple mouse click installation and you are ready to go.
Game: Winning dependent on player actions (rather than chance): (5) Especially if one is playing against another person. This game is designed to test strategy, and it does just that.
Simulation: Validity of game model (realistic, accurate depiction):(3) Game does not play like real chess. It's a very simplified version (each piece allowed to move one space at a time). When a player takes a piece a cartoonish animal appears and makes a sound that resembles the one that the animal would really make.
Evidence of effectiveness (e.g. field-test results): (5) After playing this game several times it evident that the game does what it sets out to do. That is it requires players to use strategy to move around the board and it teaches them about 'survival of the fittest.'
Clear directions for play: (5) All directions needed for playing the game are included within the game.
Effectiveness of debriefing: (3) The only debriefing that takes place is that you either win the game or you don't. You just have to keep playing and trying new strategies to get better.