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JumpStart
Series logo used from 1996 to 2011
Genre(s)	Edutainment
Developer(s)	Fanfare Software (1994–1995) JumpStart Games (1995–2023)
Publisher(s)	JumpStart Games
Creator(s)	Barton Listick
Platform(s)	Windows, Mac, Game Boy Color, PlayStation, Wii, DS, Mobile app
First release	JumpStart Kindergarten November 14, 1994
Latest release	JumpStart Academy Preschool & Kindergarten January 22, 2019

JumpStart (known as Jump Ahead in the United Kingdom) was an educational media franchise created for children, primarily consisting of educational games. The franchise began with independent developer Fanfare Software's 1994 video game JumpStart Kindergarten. The series was expanded into other age groups and beyond games to include workbooks, direct-to-video films, mobile apps, and other media under the ownership of Knowledge Adventure, which later assumed the name JumpStart Games.

A JumpStart online virtual world was officially launched on March 10, 2009, offering a blend of educational content and entertainment experiences. On June 13, 2023, JumpStart Games announced the closure of the company and that they would end support for both their JumpStart and Math Blaster series on June 30, 2023.

History

The origin of the JumpStart franchise can be traced back to its inaugural game, JumpStart Kindergarten, developed in 1994 by the independent developer Fanfare Software and published by Knowledge Adventure. This marked the inception of a series aimed at merging education and entertainment. Fanfare Software, recognized for developing JumpStart Kindergarten, along with subsequent titles such as JumpStart Preschool and JumpStart 1st Grade, was acquired by Knowledge Adventure in 1995. This acquisition expanded the franchise's scope, enabling it to include higher-grade levels and subjects, fostering its educational growth.

The franchise embraced the digital landscape with the launch of JumpStart 3D Virtual World in 2009. This marked a significant shift, allowing the franchise to expand into online worlds, mobile apps, and other digital formats. Notably, the introduction of features such as Progress Reports and Adaptive Learning further personalized the learning experience for individual players. The franchise's flexibility and commitment to merging education with entertainment contributed to its relevance in modern learning methodologies.

On June 13, 2023, JumpStart announced the discontinuation of the franchise, with support ending on June 30, 2023. Despite its closure, the legacy of JumpStart endures as a pioneering example of edutainment. The franchise's innovative approach to integrating education and entertainment continues to influence the educational media landscape.

Plot and gameplay

The gameplay of the JumpStart series revolves around blending education and entertainment in a cohesive manner. Each game features interactive tasks embedded within engaging narratives, encouraging players to assist animated characters in solving challenges. The focus is on creating an enjoyable and goal-oriented experience that promotes both learning and entertainment.

Players engage in various activities that align with school curriculum requirements, aiming to reinforce academic concepts in an enjoyable and memorable manner. Each game within the franchise typically encompasses a storyline where players interact with characters and the game environment to progress through challenges and activities. This narrative-driven approach motivates players to participate and explore while learning.

The JumpStart series covers a wide range of subjects, including math, language arts, science, and geography. The games require players to solve problems, complete puzzles, answer questions, and perform tasks that align with grade-level expectations. Progress is often tracked within the game, allowing monitoring of advancements and accomplishments.

The franchise's educational goals are reflected in its gameplay mechanics. Players actively engage with content, applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills to overcome challenges. The narrative serves as a vehicle for delivering educational content interactively. The franchise aims to make learning dynamic and engaging for young learners.

JumpStart games use various mechanics, including interactive quizzes, puzzles, exploration, and problem-solving activities. These mechanics are intertwined with educational content, creating an environment where learning occurs while having fun. The games incorporate reward-based systems to incentivize progress and achievements, enhancing player engagement.

Educational goals

The core philosophy of the JumpStart franchise revolved around merging education and entertainment to create engaging learning experiences. JumpStart utilized a three-fold approach to cater to different audiences and learning goals:

1. Grade-Based Products: These products covered curriculum topics specific to a single year of elementary or secondary school.
2. Subject-Based Products: Focusing on specific topics, these products provided in-depth learning experiences.
3. Learning Products: These offerings introduced foundational concepts while immersing players in new interactive worlds.

The franchise incorporated educational methodologies such as JumpStart Assessment Technology, JumpStart Adaptive Learning Technology, and JumpStart Tutor Technology. These techniques aimed to customize skill levels, adapt difficulty levels based on player abilities, and provide assistance to overcome obstacles. Through collaboration with children's advisory teams, educators, and experts, JumpStart aimed to balance educational content and gameplay, fostering an effective learning environment.

Products in the franchise

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (March 2017)

Compilations

Reception

Critical reception

JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster and Spelling Bee were notable for allowing users to edit the math problems or words used in gameplay. Carolyn Handler Miller of Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment, wrote that the series "found just the right balance between storyline and other demands of educational titles". The series has reputation for providing "safe, age appropriate" games for children. The Houston Chronicle praised the series for "offer many and varied academic activities, plenty of play-oriented pursuits, incentives to spur and reward achievement and all the interactive trimmings – cool characters, great 3-D graphics and snappy sound effects", describing the World Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade as superlative pieces of educational software.

Commercial performance

Knowledge Adventure made $35 million in sales in 1994 by selling titles such as JumpStart Kindergarten and Bug Adventures.

JumpStart Kindergarten was the 8th most popular title in the CD-ROM category in the Washington, D.C. area in the week ending October 14, 1995, and 9th in the week ending May 4, 1996. Throughout 1997, JumpStart Toddlers took in over $4 million. In the first half of 1997 four of the top five educational titles for Windows were JumpStart products, while four of the top ten DOS/Windows home education titles were JumpStart. Two of the top selling retail CD Roms of August 1997 were JumpStart products (5th and 6th), after Microsoft Windows 95 Upgrade, Norton Utilities, Myst, and Viruscan. JumpStart 1st Grade (3rd), JumpStart Adventures 3rd Grade (4th), JumpStart 2nd Grade (5th), JumpStart Kindergarten II (6th), JumpStart Preschool (7th), JumpStart Adventures Fourth Grade (8th), JumpStart Toddlers were within the top-selling educational software across 13 U.S. software retail chains in the week ending September 19, 1998. Jumpstart Preschool (2nd), Jumpstart First Grade (3rd), Jumpstart Kindergarten (7th), and Jumpstart Second Grade (8th) were among the top-selling home-education software across 13 software retail chains in the week ending May 1, 1999.

By 2002, the series sold over 13 million units.

As of 2024, the JumpStart series remains available for purchase on the ZOOM Platform.

Awards and nominations

As of 2017, the series won over 300 awards.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (March 2017)

References

1. "Knowledge Adventure Acquires Fanfare Software". August 9, 1995. Archived from the original on March 15, 2017. Retrieved March 14, 2017.
2. "Virtual World Games for Kids — Online 3D Virtual World – JumpStart". Jumpstart.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
3. Seiler, Joey. "JumpStart Passes 15 Million Session, Now Going Live". Archived from the original on 2011-04-10. Retrieved 2023-08-18.
4. "Adaptive Curriculum Games for Kids - Activities & Worksheets - JumpStart". 13 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-06-13. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
5. "KNOWLEDGE ADVENTURE ACQUIRES FANFARE SOFTWARE - Free Online Library". www.thefreelibrary.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
6. ^ "Learning's the Thing; New Direction for Kids' Software". 1995-10-17. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
7. "JumpStart Introduces Online and Mobile Learning Adventures Featuring DreamWorks Animation Franchises". 2012-10-09. Archived from the original on 2018-07-28. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
8. ^ Spring, Joel (2012-03-22). Education Networks: Power, Wealth, Cyberspace, and the Digital Mind. Routledge. ISBN 9781136583438.
9. "Adaptive Curriculum Games for Kids - Activities & Worksheets - JumpStart". www.jumpstart.com. Archived from the original on 2022-03-23. Retrieved 2023-06-15.
10. ^ Miller, Carolyn Handler (2014-06-27). Digital Storytelling: A Creator's Guide to Interactive Entertainment. CRC Press. ISBN 9781135044459.
11. "The JumpStart Learning System". 1 March 2000. Archived from the original on 1 March 2000.
12. Knowledge Adventure (3 September 1999). "JumpStart 1st Grade 2000 User's Guide" – via Internet Archive.
13. http://images.knowledgeadventure.com/school/teachermaterials/1247566.pdf Archived 2017-03-23 at the Wayback Machine
14. "JumpStart Adventures Jump Start 2nd Grade - Win31-Mac (Eng)" – via Internet Archive.
15. "JumpStart Adventures Jump Start 3rd Grade - Win31-Mac (Eng)" – via Internet Archive.
16. "JumpStart Adventures 3rd Grade: Mystery Mountain - The Cutting Room Floor". tcrf.net.
17. ^ Knowledge Adventure (3 September 1996). "JumpStart Adventures 4th Grade: Haunted Island" – via Internet Archive.
18. https://archive.org/details/JumpStartAdvancedPreschool5.62
19. "JumpStart 1st Grade Math v1 - Win31-Mac (Eng)" – via Internet Archive.
20. ^ "Mobile Games – Download Free Mobile Games – Knowledge Adventure". www.knowledgeadventure.com. Archived from the original on 2017-05-20. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
21. "JumpStart Jet Pack – Free Online Math & Reading Games for Kids – Knowledge Adventure". www.knowledgeadventure.com.
22. "World of JumpStart". www.jumpstart.com. Archived from the original on 2017-06-02. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
23. "CTREX Product Review". reviews.childrenstech.com.
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25. "JumpStart Study Helpers Math Booster Game Review". Commonsensemedia.org. March 2004. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
26. "JumpStart Study Helpers Spelling Bee Game Review". M.commonsensemedia.org. 2003-08-15. Archived from the original on 2014-03-27. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
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31. "Touching home". Chicago Sun-Times. December 14, 1997. Archived from the original on 2018-06-12.
32. "Microsoft Sets its Sights on the Educational Software Market.(Originated from Daily News, New York)". 1997-09-17. Archived from the original on 2016-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
33. "Top Software". tribunedigital-orlandosentinel. Archived from the original on 2017-03-20. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
34. Inc, Ziff Davis (1997-11-18). PC Mag. Ziff Davis, Inc. {{cite book}}: |last= has generic name (help)
35. "BESTSELLERS". 1998-10-05. Archived from the original on 2016-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
36. "Bestsellers". 1999-05-17. Archived from the original on 2016-10-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
37. "Jumpstart Advanced, Next Generation Of Grade-Based Software, Now Available From Knowledge Adventure". vugames.com. May 29, 2002. Archived from the original on May 7, 2003. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
38. "ZOOM Platform - DRM-free Games. Retro re-releases and more!".
39. "Reviews & Awards - JumpStart". www.jumpstart.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-22. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
40. "JumpStart Spanish - Parents' Choice".
41. "JumpStart Adventures 6th Grade - Parents' Choice".
42. "2000 Awards Category Details JumpStart Phonics Learning System". interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
43. "JumpStart Languages - Parents' Choice".
44. "JumpStart Study Helpers: Spelling Bee - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
45. "JumpStart Reading with Karaoke - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
46. "JumpStart Reading With Karaoke - Parents' Choice". Archived from the original on 2015-07-31. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
47. "JumpStart World-Kindergarten: Parents' Choice".
48. "JumpStart World: First Grade - Parents' Choice".
49. "JumpStart World: Second Grade - Parents' Choice".
50. ^ "TDmonthly - Award-Winning Toys".
51. "2008 Entro Honor Roll" (PDF).
52. Rev. James G.W. Fisher (March 11, 2008). "The Toy Man™ Seal of Approval New Inductees - 2008".
53. ^ "2008 Entro Honor Roll". {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
54. "iParenting Media Awards - Outstanding Product 2008 - JumpStart". Archived from the original on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
55. "The Toy Man Award of Excellence 2008 - JumpStart". Archived from the original on 2014-03-28. Retrieved 2014-03-27.
56. "Jumpstart 3D Virtual World: The Legend of Grizzly McGuffin - Sealed Approval Winner".
57. "JumpStart 3D Virtual World: Quest for the Color Meister - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
58. "JumpStart 3D Virtual World: Trouble in Town - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
59. "JumpStart 3D Virtual World: My First Adventure - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
60. "JumpStart Advanced Preschool World Premium Edition - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2021-05-21. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
61. "National Parenting Seal of Approval - JumpStart". Archived from the original on 2023-02-12.
62. "JumpStart.com - Sealed Approval Winner". Archived from the original on 2015-09-20. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
63. "JumpStart - Sealed Approval Winner".
64. "2013 ON for Learning Award - JumpStart". Archived from the original on 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-05-19.

External links

• Official website
• JumpStart series at MobyGames

• JumpStart
• Video game franchises
• Phonics curricula
• Children's educational video games
• Video game franchises introduced in 1994
• Video games developed in the United States