Video game:Atari Big Bird's Egg Catch

"Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?" With those playful lyrics, "Sesame Street" invited young children to play and learn without ever leaving the couch. After its debut in 1969, "Sesame Street" proved to be a true treasure, and changed the way people thought about educational television. Today, "Sesame Street" receives a majority of its funding from the licensing of its popular characters, such as Big Bird, Elmo, and Cookie Monster. These familiar faces appear on books, toys, and music albums, and star in a large collection of video games. Like the television show they are based on, games featuring "Sesame Street" characters entertain players while simultaneously educating them.

In 1983, the Children's Computer Workshop released multiple "Sesame Street" games for the Atari 2600. In "Big Bird's Egg Catch," gamers play as Big Bird and must catch falling eggs before they hit the ground. As players progress through higher levels, the eggs move faster and fall through chutes that are more complicated. After a certain number of levels, Big Bird counts the number of eggs he has caught. The game ends after too many eggs break or Big Bird catches them all. Developers recommended "Egg Catch" for children aged three to seven, and the game requires an Atari Kid's Controller.

Though "Egg Catch" may not seem educational, it helps children develop important skills such as spatial recognition and counting. Critics praised the game's animation, but some believed it to be too difficult for younger players. Overall, the game received positive reviews; All Game Guide gave it 3.5/5 stars, and the German gaming magazine "TeleMatch" said the game had "excellent learning value."

More than four decades after the initial release of "Sesame Street," the television show and characters remain a huge part of popular culture. Video games featuring the inhabitants of Sesame Street may not cause Tickle Me Elmo-like hysteria, nevertheless children treasure them for the fun they provide, and parents gain peace of mind from their educational value.