Learning with Leeper
{{Short description|1983 educational video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Learning with Leeper
| image = Learning with Leeper cover.jpg
| caption =
| developer = Sierra On-Line
| publisher = Sierra On-Line
| series =
| engine =
| platforms = Apple II, ColecoVision, Commodore 64, Atari 8-bit, ZX Spectrum, Tandy 1000
| released = 1983
| genre = Educational
| modes = Single-player
| director =
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| designer =
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| artist =
| writer =
| composer =
}}
Learning with Leeper is a 1983 educational video game developed and published by Sierra On-Line. Similar to Learning with FuzzyWOMP (1984), it teaches colours, numbers, and the alphabet to players.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=vF8EAAAAMBAJ|title = Black Enterprise|last = Ltd|first = Earl G. Graves|date = 1984-09-01|publisher = Earl G. Graves, Ltd.|language = en}} It reuses the character from the Sierra On-Line game Lunar Leepers
Development
"A Brighter Future For Early Learning Through High Tech" asserted that, in 1984, several commercial software developers had decided that "there is a market for children as young as three" in the gaming space. Learning With Leeper is one such game that attempted to appeal to this segment.{{Cite journal|last = Behrmann|first = Michael M.|date = 1984-01-01|title = A Brighter Future For Early Learning Through High Tech|journal = The Pointer|volume = 28|issue = 2|pages = 23–26|doi = 10.1080/05544246.1984.9943002|issn = 0554-4246}}
Gameplay
The game is played with a joystick. Players navigate the Leeper icon across the menu screen to choose a minigame.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=jqA0AAAAMAAJ|title = The Computer As a Paintbrush: Creative Uses for the Personal Computer in the Preschool Classroom|last = Beaty|first = Janice J.|last2 = Tucker|first2 = W. Hugh|date = 1987-01-01|publisher = Merrill Publishing Company|isbn = 9780675205238|language = en}} The four available choices are symbolized by a dog (counting), balloon (shape matching), frog (hand-eye coordination), and overturned paint can (creativity).{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=QZFVAAAAMAAJ|title = Personal Computing|date = 1983-01-01|publisher = Personal Computing Magazine|language = en}} The game does not record performance scores.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Vy4QAQAAMAAJ|title = Software Reviews on File|date = 1986-01-01|publisher = Facts on File, Incorporated|language = en}}
Reception
Learning with Leeper was well received,{{Citation needed|date=December 2015}} gaining the award for "1984 Best Educational Video Game/Computer Game" at the 5th annual Arkie Awards where judges described it as "a painless way for youngsters to learn such tricky concepts as counting and shape recognition". It was predicted that children who had not yet learned to read would still have "a fine time" with the game and that the game's "Painting" segment would "be a spur to youthful creativity".{{cite journal |last1= Kunkel |first1= Bill |author-link1= Bill Kunkel (gaming)|last2= Katz |first2= Arnie |author-link2= Arnie Katz|date= February 1984 |title= Arcade Alley: The 1984 Arcade Awards, Part II |journal= Video|volume= 7|issue= 11|pages= 28–29|issn= 0147-8907}}{{rp|29}} Personal Computing wrote that children should enjoy the title,{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=NFRRAAAAYAAJ|title = The Digest of Software Reviews: Education|date = 1984-01-01|publisher = School & Home CourseWare, Incorporated|language = en}} while Betsy Staples of Gifted Children Newsletter explained "all in all, we think [it] is an excellent package" due to being aesthetically pleasing, attention-holding, and educational.
In regard to creating a softkey for the game, Hardcore Computist writer Marco Hunter wrote: "The three things you can count on in this life are death, taxes, and Sierra On-line nibble counts. With this in mind, I tackled Learning with Leeper, a recent educational release from Sierra. I quickly discovered that, as usual, the disk is normal DOS 3.3. This means it is easily copied with COPYA."Hunter, Marco. "[https://archive.org/stream/computist-scan-13/issue13#page/n9/mode/2up/search/learning+with+leeper Softkey for Learning With Leeper]". Hardcore Computist. Issue 13. 1984.
Math and Science for Young Children argues the game can be utilised by children for one-to-one kinesthetic and perceptual-motor experiences.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=tfEJAAAAQBAJ|title = Math and Science for Young Children|last = Charlesworth|first = Rosalind|last2 = Lind|first2 = Karen K.|date = 2012-10-22|publisher = Cengage Learning|isbn = 978-1133712060|language = en}} Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective gave the game a rarity score of 3, and a Historical Importance score of L.{{Cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ecuoBQAAQBAJ|title = Ready: A Commodore 64 Retrospective|last = Dillon|first = Roberto|date = 2014-12-03|publisher = Springer|isbn = 9789812873415|language = en}} Reaching Students Through Computers: A New Therapy for Learning and Playing deemed it a "very simple program".{{Cite journal|last = Sisson|first = Lee Hansen|last2 = Mayfield|first2 = Shirley A.|last3 = Entz|first3 = Susan|date = 1985-03-01|title = Reaching Students Through Computers: A New Therapy for Learning and Playing|journal = Journal of Reading, Writing, and Learning Disabilities International|volume = 1|issue = 3|pages = 61–83|doi = 10.1080/0748763850010311|issn = 0748-7630}}