But just how accurate is Spore, and is it a legitimate learning system for kids? In October 2008, Science magazine organized a team to review the game’s treatment of evolution and other scientific concepts. The results helped teachers develop an idea of whether or not they should include Spore in their learning systems, and whether or not Spore has any educational value.

The team included evolutionary biologist T. Ryan Gregory and Niles Elredge, who reviewed “Cell and Creature”; sociologist William Sims Bainbridge, who reviewed “Tribe and Civilization”; and NASA’s Miles Smith reviewed “Space.” The Science team evaluated Spore on twenty-two learning system topics.

Spore’s marks ranged from a single A in galactic structure and a B+ in sociology to Fs in mutation, sexual selection, natural selection, genetics, and genetic drift.

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