I've recommended Civilization IV to several kids already, but I wanted to make a post inviting all of you to check it out.
Civ IV is a strategy game in which you build an empire to "stand the test of time." The Egyptian Pharaoh Hatshepsut(Rebecca K's personal favorite ) is just one of the leaders you can choose from - there's also Gandhi, George Washington, Bismarck, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and many more. Civ IV is a marvelous game because it forces you to think strategically and match your human intelligence against the computer's articial intelligence. And the best part is that you get to learn about history in the process!
The original Civilization game, which I played as a 6th grader, definitely played a key role in kindling my love of history, and even taught me the meaning of words such as "partisan."
If you're interested in trying out Civ IV, you can download the demo from
this site.
