My first memory of playing educational games in class started with the game “sparkle” in 2nd grade. We played that until fifth grade, when we started playing kahoots. At the very end of the year, we started using Blooket. Starting middle school is when Gimkit started growing in popularity with games like Don’t Look Down, Snowbrawl, and Tag which are some of the many games included in the platform. As I’ve gone back to the old games I would also like to add that Kahoot is not how a lot of people remember it. There are now interactive games similar to Blooket and Gimkit, as well as a character you can decorate, but unlike both Gimkit and Blooket, there is no drive to play Kahoot more because there is nothing to work for as all of the characters you can be in Kahoot are free of charge. All in all, some games that were overshadowed before, are now trying to step back in the spotlight by becoming more like the other games and following their path instead of coming up with new ideas to get a headstart in the long run when the leading competitors get to the idea first. Either way it’s always fun to reminisce and look back on how far we’ve come with classroom games.

Kahoot!

A lot of people have had their first experience with online classroom games with Kahoot. It was simple, you could get go to a website, type in a. game code, and load in. From their you answered questions to try and get on top of the podium. It was very exhilarating and not all advanced or complicated, but it made memories for a lot of people. I know some teachers still use it, but it definitly is not as popular as it used to be in say 2019-2021. Now Kahoot does have other game modes than the “classic” as it’s referred to now, but in order for it to regain what it used to be, it needs new ideas, and somethig that will make it pop. Which is exactly what Blooket did.

Blooket

Blooket is very similar to Kahoot, but it gives you something to work for. You can buy blooks from the item shop and then use them in game as well as name tags, backgrounds, and pieces of clothing/hair to put on your custom blooks. Another drive that was less substantial to the game’s popularity was levels. You could earn a new clothing piece to put on your blook all the way until level 100, when the levels maxxed out. Another factor that helped Blooket rise to the heights it did, was the variety of different games you could play on the site. Some favorites are, Crypto Hack, Deceptive Dinos, and in the beginning Gold Quest. These new innovative ideas are really the reason Blooket was so popular from about 2021-2023. The only that stopped it was new games from the other side of town.

GimKit

GimKit was established in 2017 and was actually made by a high schooler named Josh Feinsilber. It was made to resemble Blooket, once he actually got serious with the project, and was not at all popular until 2023-present day (as of February 2024). The difference with how Gimkit was made and how Kahoot is trying to come back is that GimKit’s “games” that it has on the platform are more engaging to children. The game SnowBrawl slightly resembles the popular game Fortnite, the game Don’t Look Down is a parkour/skill-based game that let’s kids race to the finish line while collecting energy by answering questions. You can also buy “Gims” which are characters that you but with gimcoins that you earn by getting XP which is obtained by leveling up which happens when you play a lot. Unlike Blooket, it wasn’t a random draw of items and there is no rarity. It’s just how you express yourself which I think was a risk to take considering one of Blooket’s main drives were winning the Blook lottery and getting legendaries, chromas, etc., etc. It worked out though and players are always striving to get the new Gims and playing the games.

While we don’t know what’s next for online classroom games, we do know that these games will only keep continuing to grow and improve with new updates, new games, new drives, and new sites. I can only guess that by the year 2030, we will have an entire new set of games and the ones I’m mentioning now will be left in the dust.