Steam is a neat computer program that lets you play games on your PC, there are so many games I enjoy playing on it from Chuzzle Deluxe by Pop Cap Games to OneShot from Future Cat LLC. In this list, I will discuss ten different franchises/games I like to see on the service. A little disclaimer before I explain this in detail: all of the games in this list are suggestions, and just like my NES/other retro Nintendo systems for Nintendo Switch Online(https://www.weasyl.com/journal/162129/nes-games-for-nintendo-switch-online-i-like-to-see-plus-more) and features for the next Pokemon Mystery Dungeon(https://www.weasyl.com/journal/162167/15-things-we-want-to-see-in-the-next-pmd-game) this is in no way, shape, or form meant to demand Valve or companies who own these games from allowing them to be on the program. So without further ado, here's the list in no particular order:
1. JumpStart Learning System series: This CD-ROM franchise was one of my favorite edutainment games I loved playing as a kid! They consisted of lovable characters, enjoyable music, and of course fun games that make education fun and easy to understand! It would be nice to revisit these games on a modern computer. After all, Humongous Entertainment: another company that I loved playing their games on a PC as a kid ported their games on here too, so if this franchise(Along with most of these other games) gets ported here, it probably might be emulated.
2. The Blaster Series: Another edutainment CD-ROM franchise I loved playing as a kid was the Blaster series by Davidson & Associates. This series contains of math and reading as you help Blasternaut and his friends fight various villains from the Trash Alien to Dr. Minus. These games have addicting and fun arcade-style games while still learning about math and reading like JumpStart, so once again it would be fun to replay these classic games on a modern computer.
3. Classic Lego Games: Lego is one of my favorite toys growing up with, it involves creativity, imagination, and patience. Unfortunately, a lot of the current videogames are basically reskins of Lego Star Wars as they take the same assets and gameplay from the HUD to the way how you attack enemies from that game just with a different franchise or brand. Back then, there were a lot of different types of games from racing to an open world where you can explore an island. These games do a much better job at showing how creative the toy works, as well as how there are more variety on what you can make with them. If there's a new Lego game, I sure hope we don't get another reskinned Lego Star Wars.
4. Living Books: This series had a lot of stories that can be read out loud and have lots of fun surprises you can find and laugh to. I found these stories very fun to read and play in, and even though some of them were ported to IOS and Android, I honestly wondered why they weren't ported on to a PC service like Steam. It's like if a collection of games that were on NES was on Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC, but not Nintendo Switch; it wouldn't make any sense.
5. Sushi Cat Series: We all remember playing Flash games, but sadly, they're going to be shut down in 2021... One of my favorites has to be Sushi Cat: a cat who eats sushi and gets bigger. I love the concept, and the character who is down right adorable! The gameplay is also challenging and fun too: drop the cat in a pachinko sort of area to where you think he’ll eat the sushi in the playfield, and try to eat a certain number of them in a limited amount of moves. It would be nice to see these games ported to Steam in either a full collection or in separate games. After all the popular Henry Stickman series was ported with all of the games having enhanced graphics and a new game, and before that Haunt the House which is another Flash game I loved playing became a bigger game that made its way to Steam too, so it would be great if Sushi Cat was ported as well.
6. Classic Disney Interactive Games: Back when Walt Disney Pictures were not some money grubbing company, they made a lot of fun games based on their franchises. Although some of their console games are ported to the program, it also would be fun if their CD-ROM games like the Animated Storybooks, Activity Centers, Learning games, Action games, and even art programs. These games would make fun games that either I loved playing or ones that I never played before and might want to give a try.
7. Hasbro Interactive titles: Speaking of a mix between games I loved playing and ones I love to try, Hasbro is another company that made CD-ROM games that are fun to play. This company consists of various brands like Tonka, My Little Pony, and Furby; various board games like Monopoly, Operation, Chutes & Ladders, Candy Land, Scrabble, Guess Who, Sorry, Boggle, Yahtzee, and more; even arcade games being remade like Centipede, Frogger, and Pac-Man Adventures In Time. Sure there are some board games on here like Battleship and The Game of Life, but some of them are simple and don’t have as much fun animations and gameplay as the older games. Not to mention, some arcade games made into 3D like Pac-Man Adventures In Time and Frogger seem interesting to me, and I enjoy playing their original games.
8. Hamtaro: Wake Up Snoozer: I bet you knew I was going to put this on my list! If you’re a long time viewer of mine, you’ll likely guess I really love Hamtaro, and after all ever since I heard about this game, I wanted to give it a try. It’s an educational game where the Ham-Hams have to get Snoozer out of the way of a hole Boss dug to find Penelope. Even though the voice acting isn't the same in the show and the animation looks different too, it still manages to keep the charm of the show. However, my only concern is that this is one of the Learning Company’s games where it opens with a file where you have to type in your name, then the file closes as the game starts up as opposed to the game starting up with the logos, an introduction, and then the sign-in screen. I guess it all depends on how the game’s being emulated.
9. Backyard Sports and Blue’s Clues: As I mentioned in the beginning, Humongous Entertainment’s games are on Steam, however two franchises aren’t in the series: the Backyard Sports and Blue’s Clues. The first is a sport series that had some kind of license with professional sport leagues that started off without them. I’m not exactly sure how sport games that use a professional sport league works and if retired players are prohibited from older seasons, but it would be at least nice to play the first Backyard Baseball and Backyard Soccer games that don’t have anything to do with the MLB or MLS. The second is Humongous Entertainment’s only series based on a TV show known as Blue’s Clues. These games are either adventures where you help Steve find clues like in the show while playing games along the way or activity games that teach letters, numbers, reading, and art as you help Blue’s friends with her. Even though there is a reboot of the show(Which honestly isn’t that good compared to the original in my opinion), it still would be fun to replay these games even though Viacom can be overprotective with their content.
10. The Magic School Bus: For the last games, The Magic School Bus is one of my favorite series that started off as a book then a TV show about a crazy teacher who takes her class to very unusual field trips from outer space to the inside of a flower. Along the way, the readers can also learn about these subjects as well, making it an edutainment series. There were also CD-ROM games by Microsoft that followed the same formula by giving information related to the game’s topic as well as games that are related to the categories and experiments that help the players understand the categories better. Even though I only remember playing one of these games, I still think these would be fun for both learning and entertainment!
Honorable Mentions:
I Spy: These games are fun challenges to come across as you follow a riddle to find objects in it just like in the books it’s based off of.
Flying Hamster: A mobile game that’s a horizontal shooter about a hamster with a flying ability saving his girlfriend who has been kidnapped. Even though it would be nice to see the game ported here, I also want to see it on videogame consoles too.
Kid Pix: A painting program I grew up playing with that has lots of wacky and fun tools to use. Not to mention the Undo Guy's really funny! "I made a boo-boo, yeah!"
If you have any other suggestions on games you like to see on Steam, feel free to share what ones you like to see!