Edutainment: Pepper’s Adventures in Time

Yes, I have a soft spot for video games that seek to teach a little bit of something that may at some point affect our lives. One such example of a game belonging to this genre dubbed “Edutainment” is Pepper’s Adventures in Time, an adventure game released in 1993 by Sierra On-Line.

The game chronicles the adventures of a young girl named (what else?) Pepper and her dog Lockjaw. Pepper’s uncle Fred has created a time machine whose portal accidentally swallowed Pepper’s flea-bitten pet. Hoping to save her dog, Pepper is pulled into the time rift with Lockjaw. Despite getting separated in the rift, they both end up in Philadelphia in the year 1764.

This jaunt through time has come with a heavy price. Time has been altered. Its most visible effect is the mingling of 1960s elements with the life and times of Benjamin Franklin. Ever imagined how ol’ Ben would look like in a hippie getup?

It’s up to Pepper to straighten things out and, ultimately, get herself and Lockjaw back to 1993.

Ahhh, the memories. I remember playing this for three consecutive days at a time (basically because I know so little about American history that I couldn’t piece some of the game’s puzzles together). But I learned a lot, really.

Those who want to check out this video gaming gem may download it from Mark Seibert’s site. If you need help with those puzzles, I suggest you get your grubby hands on Tom Hayes’ Pepper’s Adventures in Time walkthrough.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to help a little girl save Ben Franklin from the clutches of the flower people.