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The Most Interesting Game Ever: Kerbal Space Program

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By Eighth-Grade Blogger Mason Conway

What makes a game interesting? Is it a jumpscare around every corner, or an action-packed fantasy? I personally believe that the best games are the unusual ones, something refreshing can be so nice once in a while. The game that has the most quirk is Kerbal Space Program made by Squad game development group. 

In Kerbal Space Program, you, the player, run a space agency with little green workers called Kerbals. You are faced with choices that can make or break your gameplay. Maybe you don’t put a parachute on your rocket to save a little extra money, but then your rocket crashes without a parachute and the little Kerbal inside dies. You now have a reputation as a failed builder who takes shortcuts.

Kerbal Space Program takes place in the Kerbol system, which is a replica of our solar system. Everything revolves around Kerbol, which is the in-game sun. Moho is Mercury; Eve is Venus; Kerbin is Earth; Duna is Mars; Jule is Jupiter, and Eeloo is Pluto.

If you were a player in the Kerbol system, this is the image you’d see of the Kerbal Universe (Photo Source: NamuWiki).

You can’t shoot a rocket into the vastness of space without a place to build the rockets first. The VAB, or Vehicle Assembly Building, is located on Kerbin. This is where you start the game and where you build rockets in the Kerbal Universe. The VAB in the sandbox mode, or creative mode, gives you everything in the game you need to build with. However, in career mode you only start with basic stuff and unlock new rockets and more through the tech tree; the tech tree is a building that you use to research new stuff. In Kerbal Space Program, science points are needed to progress through the tech tree. You can get points by performing science experiments on different planets. You have to do exploratory jobs to earn points to build rockets.

You start the game building rockets inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (Photo Source:  wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com).
Mason shares with us the image of his technology tree in Kerbal Space Program. Says wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com, “The Technology tree allows the player to unlock more advanced parts for constructing craft. Sami furthers explains, the tech tree is needed when you play in career mode. (Photo Source: wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com)

What follows is footage of my space station. In the game, I used the station for gathering scientific data while in orbit. The game requires data gathering to get points so players can build more rockets.

                                   

Kerbal Space Program might not be action packed or full of epic boss fights, but it has multiple unique little quirks–things like stranding Kerbals on the moon or building a Duna base. That’s why I think it’s the most interesting game out there. You can actually learn something while you play. Thanks, Mr. Kisling (PVS Technology Teacher–who brings Kerbal Space Program to the masses).