Adventure Academy is essentially ABCmouse with a pre-teen facelift. It's a social world wearing a game costume, designed to trick kids into doing an extra hour of reading and math. For parents of homeschoolers or kids who need a dopamine hit to engage with academics, it's one of the best tools in the kit.

It’s not a 'real' game in the sense of Minecraft or Zelda—the gameplay is mostly a delivery vehicle for quizzes and videos. However, the ability to decorate a house and level up an avatar provides enough of a hook to keep the 'brain rot' at bay while they actually learn something. Just be ready for the occasional technical hiccup and a monthly bill.