This is the rare educational game that actually works—no edutainment cheese, just thoughtful, research-backed history that respects kids' intelligence. It's not flashy or addictive, which is exactly the point. You're not grinding for loot; you're stepping into the shoes of a printer's apprentice in 1770 Boston or an enslaved girl fleeing to freedom, making choices and seeing consequences unfold.

The trade-off: it's slow, text-heavy, and emotionally challenging. Kids expecting Minecraft or Roblox will bounce off hard. But for families who want to use screen time for actual learning—and are ready to talk through tough historical topics—this is a gem. The fact that it's free, ad-free, and used by 140,000 teachers is the cherry on top.

Play it together, use the discussion guides, and treat it like a book club. This is screen time you can feel genuinely good about.