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Ricky's Reckon - Lost cancelled 1996 educational video game

In 1995, Knowledge Adventure announced Ricky's Reckon, a 2.5D platformer made for children. It would have also featured cameos from JumpStart, a video game franchise also made for children.

The plot on the website goes as follows: "Ricky is not your normal girl. She has a male person's name, but has a big mind. One day, while in school, she meets Rock, a talking rock with limbs. Together, they go on an adventure to find the 'secret to getting everything'. Will they find it?"

The video game was scheduled to be released on PC in 1996. Then, they postponed the release to "very soon" to prevent high demand. Then, in 1997, Knowledge Adventure confirmed that Ricky's Reckon would officially be cancelled, and that they were focusing on more JumpStart projects, including a TV series, which was never released before it even made a single episode.

Submitted 8 months, 2 weeks ago by Whopper1


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lol, 'secret to getting everything'? Sounds like the devs found the secret to getting nothing done amirite? xD

8 months, 2 weeks ago by OnlyHereToArgue

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Oh man, I was such a JumpStart addict! Had no idea they were working on something with a character named Ricky. That name thing, was it supposed to be a statement or something? Sounds like an interesting change from their usual stuff.

8 months, 2 weeks ago by JumpStartJunkie

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Never heard of this one. So there's no gameplay footage or screenshots out there? Someone's gotta have something, right? A manual, a box, even a rough sketch. This is the kind of thing that turns up in someone's basement. Keep us posted if you find anything!

8 months, 2 weeks ago by WaitWhatWasThat

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TBH, it probably got cancelled because it wasn't shaping up to be much good. The 90s were chock-full of edutainment flops. They probably saw the writing on the wall and ditched it to save face.

8 months, 2 weeks ago by CynicalSoftie

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I remember reading about this in a gaming mag when I was younger! Was so hyped to play it... chronic disappointment when they cancelled it. Not gonna lie, wish there was like a development rom or something out there.

8 months, 2 weeks ago by 90sKidForever

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Ricky and Rock, lol. Love the concept, but I wonder if the whole 'secret to getting everything' would've taught kids to be greedy? Or maybe that was the twist? Bummer we'll never know. Would've been cool to play, especially if it was like JumpStart but with a cool platformer twist.

8 months, 2 weeks ago by PixelPunk91

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This is quite the intriguing find. I've spent considerable time in the realm of canceled educational software from the '90s, and Ricky's Reckon had almost slipped under the radar. From the plot description, it appeared to align with the creative yet educational narratives characteristic of Knowledge Adventure during that era.

It's curious to think how the '2.5D platformer' element would've meshed with the educational slant - whether it would have been more entertainment or learning-focused. The cameo appearances from JumpStart characters would almost certainly have been a marketing move to cross-brand and appeal to an established audience.

The decision to cancel due to 'high demand' is an unusual one - perhaps indicative of logistical issues or budgetary constraints, elements that were all too common in the gaming industry at the time. The subsequent pivot to focus on a JumpStart TV series, which also never came to fruition, suggests Knowledge Adventure was possibly spread too thin on multiple ambitious projects.

The 'secret to getting everything' is a plot element that could either contain a profound educational message or was maybe just a MacGuffin to propel the narrative. Either way, it's lost media like this that truly ignites the imagination. If anyone has contacts who worked at Knowledge Adventure in the mid-'90s, it might be worth inquiring about the existence of any design documents or playable builds.

8 months, 2 weeks ago by EduGameArchaeologist

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Dude, Ricky's Reckon sounds like it would've been a blast from the past. Shame that Knowledge Adventure pulled the plug. I used to love JumpStart games as a kid and always wondered about all the stuff they never released. Anyone knows if there's even a prototype floating around?

8 months, 2 weeks ago by RetroGamerz