Zoombinis
You are now entering the neutral nostalgia section of the slideshow. We begin with the educational puzzle series Zoombinis, which started in 1996 and lay dormant from 2002 to 2015. Then, the nonprofit TERC brought its first installment to tablets, Macs, and Windows. Like Earthworm Jim, I best know this game through web browser emulators (though I also had it on CD as PC gods intended).
Zoombinis is a good game for babies. “Zoombinis” the creatures are mouthy, Smurf-y blueberries with hair, and baby players have to ace increasingly difficult puzzles to shepherd them back to their hometown, Zoombiniville. Even if you’re not a baby, there is still time to brave difficult forest paths and winding roads—Zoombinis is available on Steam for $9.99
