Lost Secret of the Rainforest
Educational adventure sequel set in the South American rainforest.
In 1993, Sierra On-Line released *Lost Secret of the Rainforest*, an educational adventure game for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. Though sometimes called *EcoQuest II*, that subtitle does not appear in the game's title. It is the sequel to *EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus*, designed by Gano Haine. Unlike the first game, Jane Jensen did not work on this sequel, as she had moved on to create the *Gabriel Knight* series.
The game follows Adam, now a bit older and able to speak with animals as a natural ability. He explores a tropical rainforest to find a cure for a disease affecting local Indigenous peoples of South America and to save the rainforest from destruction. A key innovation is the "Ecorder," a tricorder-like device Adam uses to learn about objects he encounters. According to *Pelit*, the game is harder than its predecessor and focuses more on the dangers of selfishness and greed rather than the general blight of humanity.
Lisa Young of *Compute!* noted that while the game targets children aged 10 and older, younger users may find some puzzles frustrating, but the satisfaction of solving a difficult problem can encourage them to keep playing.
- Developer
- Sierra On-Line
- Release Year
- 1993
- Platforms
- MS-DOS, Microsoft Windows
- Genre
- Educational adventure
- Designer
- Gano Haine
- Sequel to
- EcoQuest: The Search for Cetus
Lore & Background
In Lost Secret of the Rainforest, the player controls Adam, now slightly older and able to speak with animals as a matter of course. He explores the tropical rainforest in search of a cure for a disease afflicting the local Indigenous peoples of South America, and a way to save the rainforest from destruction. One of the game's innovations is the 'Ecorder' display, a tricorder-like device Adam uses to learn about things he finds during his journey.
Reader's Guide
Lost Secret of the Rainforest is significant as an educational adventure game that continues the environmental themes of its predecessor while introducing new gameplay mechanics. According to Pelit, the game is somewhat harder than its predecessor and places more emphasis on the dangers of selfishness and greed, as opposed to the blight of man. Lisa Young for Compute! noted that although the game targets children age 10 and older, young users may find some problems frustrating, but the thrill of solving a difficult problem is rewarding and may encourage them to continue. The game's legacy lies in its attempt to combine entertainment with environmental education, using a fictional narrative to engage players with real-world issues of rainforest conservation and indigenous health.
Did You Know?
- The game is also known as EcoQuest II, though this does not appear in the game's title.
- Jane Jensen, who worked on the first EcoQuest game, was not involved in creating the second game.
- One of the game's innovations was the 'Ecorder' display, a tricorder-like device.
- According to Pelit, the game is somewhat harder than its predecessor.
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