Awards and Praise
With over four million registered users across the fifty states and beyond, Mission US continues to earn honors and praise from educators, parents, students, and critics.
AWARDS
- 2024 Webby Awards: Official Honoree – Websites and Mobile Sites: Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (for “No Turning Back”)
- 2024 Anthem Awards: Gold Award – Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Education or Literacy Program; Silver Award – Education, Art, & Culture: Education or Literacy Program (for “No Turning Back”)
- 2024 Kidscreen Awards: Winner – Best Alternative Game (for “No Turning Back”)
- 2023 Children’s and Family Emmy Awards: Nominee – Outstanding Interactive Media (for “No Turning Back”)
- 2023 International Serious Play Awards: Gold Medal – K-12 Education (for “No Turning Back”)
- 55th Annual Public Media Awards presented by NETA: Winner – Best Educational Resources for the Classroom (for “No Turning Back”)
- 2023 GEE! Learning Game Awards: Finalist – Formal Learning/Middle+ (for “No Turning Back”
- 2021 Japan Prize: Best Work in the Digital Media Division (The Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Prize) (for “Prisoner in My Homeland”)
- 2021 International Serious Play Awards: Gold Medal – K-12 Education Category (for “Prisoner in My Homeland”)
- 2020 Teachers’ Choice Awards: Winner – Classroom Category
- 2019 International Serious Play Awards: Gold Medal – Education Category (for the updated “For Crown or Colony?”)
- 2018 Parents’ Choice Award: Gold – Mobile App (for “Up from the Dust”)
- 2018 Webby Awards: Official Honoree, Games – Social Impact (for “Up from the Dust”)
- 2017 Daytime Emmy Awards: Nominee – Outstanding Interactive Media
- 2017 International Serious Play Awards: Silver Medal – Education Category (for “Up from the Dust”)
- 2016 Games for Change Awards: Finalist – Best Learning Game (for “City of Immigrants”)
- 2016 Parents’ Choice Award: Gold – Website
- 2016 Daytime Emmy Awards: Nominee – Outstanding Interactive Media
- 2016 NETA Award for Online Educational Resource
- 2016 Webby Awards: Nominee – Website, Games
- 2015 International Serious Play Awards: Gold Medal – Education Category (for “City of Immigrants”)
- 2014 Games for Change Award: Most Significant Impact (for “A Cheyenne Odyssey”)
- 2014 Parents’ Choice Gold Award
- 2014 CODiE Awards (Software & Information Industry Association): Finalist – Best Learning Game
- 2014 Common Sense Media ON for Learning Award
- 2013 Japan Prize: Winner, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prize for Best Work in the Youth Category (for “Flight to Freedom”)
- 2013 Webby Awards: Official Honoree, General Website – Youth
- 2013 Common Sense Media ON for Learning Award
- Jay Is Games Best of Casual Gameplay 2012: Nominee – Best Point-and-Click Adventure Game (for “Flight to Freedom”)
- 2012 NETA Awards: Winner for Classroom Content in the Instructional Media category (received score 60 of 60 from judges)
- 2012 International Serious Play Awards: Gold Medal – Education Category (for “For Crown or Colony”)
- 2012 History Makers Awards: Nominee – Best Interactive Production (for “For Crown or Colony”)
- 2011 NETA Awards: Winner for Instructional Content/Learning Object in the Instructional Media category (received score 60 of 60 from judges)
SELECTED REVIEWS
Common Sense Media – 5 out of 5 stars
“powerful and compelling”
• Mission US: A Cheyenne Odyssey brings to life many of the challenges and choices that faced the Cheyenne people in the late 1800s…This is a way for kids to understand the perspective of Native Americans as they fought to retain their way of life. Also, the game presents a clear point of view that isn’t always captured in the classroom… It’s a great starting point for dialogue and a chance for kids to do a lot of critical thinking.
• Mission US: Flight to Freedom is a powerful and compelling game that forces you to make difficult decisions, just as in real life. This is a strong title that can make history come alive…This is not a frivolous edutainment title. This innovative game is designed to get you thinking and talking about challenging subjects, while learning more about American history. It’s a good one to explore and discuss as a family.
Jay is Games
“an intelligent, thought-provoking work” “highly recommended” “a must-play”
• Mission US: A Cheyenne Odyssey tackles an important period of history head-on, well-aware of its difficulty, and its success in its depiction is to be lauded… All in all, A Cheyenne Odyssey keeps up the high stands of education and fun that the previous chapters of the Mission US series promised, and while targeted towards a young audience, history buffs of all ages will find it a must-play.
• I’ve been lucky enough to cover the Mission US series ever since its first installment, and the topics they’ve chosen to cover have never been more relevant (though one sometimes wishes they weren’t…). The team has never faltered in providing deeply researched personal tales…We all have much to learn from the past, and that learning never comes easier when it can come in the form of games like [Mission US’s] City of Immigrants.
USA TODAY – 4 out of 4 stars – Kids relive history with free role-playing game
“realistic” “brilliant” “ingenious” “fascinating” “a powerful game that all kids should experience”
The branching storylines, each tied to your possible decisions, are brilliant in their diversity and ingenious in how they weave together to create the fascinating story path of this game. The story line is careful to reflect the history of the time and show it from multiple perspectives. From hearing spirituals being sung in the beginning of the game to Lucy’s haunting voice at the end recalling her journey, this is a powerful game that all kids should experience.
KOTAKU – They Made a Video Game About Slavery, And It’s Actually Good
“It’s not only an engaging video game, it’s a harrowing, illuminating look at the realities of life as an American slave…
I was struck by how effectively the game placed me in the shoes of an American slave. The precarious nature of my existence was readily apparent…
The game’s presentational simplicity forced me to use my imagination, and I imagined very scary things. This was real, I kept reminding myself, people lived this, they lived under these laws and with this kind of fear. Sneaking through the yard at night, stealing enough food from the garden to be able to survive the coming trial… I was very much in the moment. It was intense…
Mission U.S. would certainly make for an engaging classroom aid, but it’s so much more than that—it’s an entertaining, well-made adventure game, a slice of livable history that every American should play.”
Living is Learning – “Mission US Convinced me that Gaming Has a Place in the Classroom”
I have used parts of it in 7th grade Social Studies class for several years now and have been consistently impressed by the quality of the content and support materials… My students were very engaged by the game and often played it on their own at home and/or play it multiple times. They identified with the characters and had a much better understanding of the events that they “experienced” in the game. This, combined with the quality of the content, has convinced me that gaming can (and will?) have a place in education.
Forbes.com – “Let’s Get Serious About Video Games”
“Mission US: Cheyenne Odyssey” is different. It brings history to life… It plays like a smart, modern version of the “Choose Your Own Adventure” novels that I loved as a kid. I say it brings history to life because it focuses on the real, everyday decisions that one Cheyenne boy, Little Fox, has to make. It is exciting to me to imagine students learning history in such a way that they see how immediate decisions have impact not only on individual survival, but also on the trajectory of a collective future.
Parents’ Choice Awards – from Gold Award review for Up from the Dust:
“Game play is compelling; we couldn’t put it down the first time through. The entire interactive story can be completed in an hour or two, but there are so many roads not taken that players will want to revisit the game a few times to see whether bigger risks or more caution will work out best…This is a free app, but it is worth more than many full-price games on the market.”
Teachers’ Choice Awards – from the teacher evaluators’ comments:
“Students, even those who identified themselves as not liking history at all, fell in love with mission-us.org. You know you have a great product when moans of ‘NOOOOOO’ fill the room when you say it is time to move on. The content knowledge students gained from the simulations allowed for much deeper discussion than I have experienced at the fifth-grade level. I will (along with my team) definitely make mission-us.org a part of my curriculum.”
NETA Public Media Awards – from the judges’ comments:
“For me, this is a grand slam out of the park in all ways. Incorporating such serious content in an interactive game that connects students not just to gaming aspects but to the ideals, concepts, and quite honestly difficult subject matter is outstanding…The fact that there are educator resources built in, it’s age appropriate – just wow.”
Testimonials from Educators, Parents, and Students
“I can’t even express how incredible the whole of @Mission_US is. I used it with students for many years. It is moving and exceptional. I cannot recommend it enough. It is designed for students, but I love it with my heart and so have the adults I know who have played it. The teaching materials (free!) are impeccable. From awareness and basic understanding, to a multitude of writing prompts and primary sources, to connections to current events, they are amazing!”
“I just want to give your team a sincere thank you for creating the Mission US modules. I shared the lessons with my 11 year old son and he played both modules with boy characters and helped his sister with the two ‘girl’ modules…for fun! He wanted to keep playing and playing. He enthusiastically completed every piece of the modules, even the knowledge reviews…voluntarily…on his own! I have thoroughly enjoyed watching him and his sister interact with the lessons. I know they are both better off for having completed them. I highly recommend your team’s Mission US to any family with middle school-aged students.”
“Dear Mission US, Thank you so much for creating your website! Your games are super fun. I am a 6th grader and, your games made me love history more and made me want to learn a lot more about history! Completing your missions made me feel like I was in that part of history, and was part of it. But now that I have completed all of your missions, and watched all of the videos, I have nothing to do after school. So because me and many other kids love history, PLEASE, make a 4th, and 5th, and 6th mission,and on and on, and on. PLEASE!!!!!! Thank you sooooo much!”
“I have used parts of it in 7th grade Social Studies class for several years now and have been consistently impressed by the quality of the content and support materials… My students were very engaged by the game and often played it on their own at home and/or play it multiple times. They identified with the characters and had a much better understanding of the events that they “experienced” in the game. This, combined with the quality of the content, has convinced me that gaming can (and will?) have a place in education.”
“I’ve been using MUS in my 7th grade social studies class for about 4-5 years. An excellent engagement tool with an abundance of supporting resources! I constantly introduce the wonderfulness of MUS to teachers! Thank you!”
“I’m 12 and I really like both of your missions I have completed them. I’m wondering if you could make more, though,the sad thing is that most schools don’t teach in this way…The textbooks just don’t engage kids. if my school would put this in the classroom kids might like history more.”
“I teach United States History to new immigrant students (ELLs) at The Brooklyn International High School in Brooklyn, NY. I can’t tell you how much I LOVE your simulations and what an asset it has been for my ELL students. What a way to bring the history alive for them and give them more context than I’m able to provide. They struggle with the games but stick with it and enjoy while learning and reinforcing the concepts and ideas we talk about in class… Thank you for the assistance to my class and my students in learning and enjoying US history.”
“I have really enjoyed using these activities with my students… We did each part, discussed it, and I used several of the resource work-sheets to check for comprehension. This is also a great way to teach perspective. Each student shared what they did, the decisions they made, and their fate and perspective… ALL students, regardless of their academic level, were totally engaged throughout the entire time we used this activity. I hope you will do another in the upcoming years.”
“I simply wanted to write and thank you for creating such a truly wonderful and immersing mission about the American Revolution. My 8th graders absolutely loved playing today, and at least one went straight home and finished the whole mission. My last period class was so completely absorbed in the mission that I think I could have left and they wouldn’t have noticed for a good half hour… It shows many different perspectives regarding the tensions and eventual conflict, and kids don’t even realize how much they’re learning. Kudos to you all!”
“I’ve been playing mission-us since I was in 8th grade and right now I’m currently a junior. I really enjoy all four missions because it helps you get a feel of the historical era people in the past had dealt with. I also like how we get to choose certain paths for the characters. I really hope this program continues to make different missions because I enjoy all of them.”
“Just wanted to say thank you for putting together this wonderful website and having it free of charge too! My son (11yrs old) is homeschooled and he has been enjoying the missions all day today. The only problem I have with it is that I can’t get him to stop for other subjects!!! Design and mechanics of the missions are so well done and the educational subject matter is presented in an interesting and engaging way. Love it! Keep up the great work and thank you again.”
“I am an educator from Oklahoma and a Cheyenne… I appreciate your efforts of providing a perspective of the Cheyenne in Mission 3. Often times, our perspective is omitted or minimized in US history. I taught US history and I believed students should always learn as many perspectives as possible… I would certainly forward this to teachers and, history teachers in particular.”
“I teach 4th grade in CO and this addresses our learning targets in ways I would never be able to reach my students through any other typical medium. THANK YOU! This ‘game’ was totally amazing! It teaches history in an empathetic way– I can’t WAIT to use it in my classroom next year!!! I love the simple, but real graphics, the authentic voices, and the true consequences good/bad to my choices as I play.”
“My students LOVE these simulations and Mission US exposes them to history in a completely different way from reading and traditional research. They are placed in situations where they can truly consider many of the factors that have impacted the history of our country. There is quality information and we all love the use of primary documents throughout the missions. I also have many students whose reading levels are far below grade level yet can access these materials with the aid of the audio voice overs and working with partners on something they are enjoying. Thank you for the activity guides which save me so much time in figuring out how to accomplish this task. I love that you provide editable documents that I can customize for my unique groups! I cannot thank you enough. I hope you continue to develop amazing resources like these that are free to our students.”
“I love it. — Okay. I was forced to play this for class and we had to answer questions about the decisions we made and it’s due this coming Monday. I ended up playing this and the bonus games sooo many times because it was great and loads of fun. I don’t know how many praises you get but this was great. I look forward to any updates you create. Thanks soooo much for a good, educational way to spend my free time.”
“I just had to write to say that this is a truly remarkable game and a wonderful way to learn about such a rich time in our country’s history. I hope you make many more of these covering other historical time periods. Kudos to all involved in bringing this to our children. I grew up learning history the old fashioned way – textbooks! This game makes it all come alive in an interesting way that doesn’t speak down to the children. Really appropriate for all ages. Completely well done in all regards.”
“Games can truly place students in the past / build an emotional connection to the past as well as going to a location. My students constantly bring up what happened to their characters in the @Mission_US games! … I embed the parts throughout my units, which gives kids a concrete basis for more abstract ideas. Their teachers’ guides are amazing, too.”
“These Missions are the best lessons I’ve ever found in any subject area, the most motivational, most flexible and thoroughly supported with background material. I will recommend these often as a great example of what modern schooling should look like.”
“I will never forget when I found this website in 5th grade. I am now in 8th grade and about to go into high school. Thank you for being with me all the way.”
“I just wanted to send a thank you for creating this game! My students cheer when they hear we are heading to the computer lab to play. This is the best interactive way for the students to really see what life was like in these time periods, and how their decisions affect the history and the lives of these characters. These games are terrific and I would love to see more available.”
“You’ve managed to do something wonderful with interactions that books, movies, and story-telling can’t always offer, and what’s more you’ve made it available to everyone by providing it in a browser and making it free… I can’t wait to see more productions and would happily volunteer for and support Mission US.”