ColecoVision · 1984
Monkey Academy
A 1984 ColecoVision educational platformer in which players solve arithmetic problems while guiding a monkey through side-scrolling levels.
- Publisher
- Publisher to verify
- Format
- Cartridge
- Genre
- educational video game
- Released
- 1984
01
Overview
Monkey Academy pairs a simple platforming structure with arithmetic drills, asking the player to choose an operation and difficulty before the run begins. In play, balloons drift up and reveal a sum with one number missing, and the player must pull down the matching hanging scroll and deliver it to the waiting monkey. The session includes timed stages, a two-player option, and a crab enemy that appears after repeated incorrect answers.
02
Why it matters
Monkey Academy is one of the fewer educational platformers that appeared on a home console in the early 1980s, making it a useful example of how arcade-style presentation could be wrapped around basic math practice. Its ColecoVision cartridge is part of the console's short but distinctive software library and sits alongside other Konami-developed titles from the era.
03
The physical edition
A typical complete US copy of the ColecoVision cartridge includes the game in a clamshell box with the printed instruction manual, though exact package contents can vary by region, language, and retailer. The cartridge label and box may identify the title for ColecoVision, and in some cases also for Coleco's ADAM computer, so the edition should be checked directly before purchase.
04
Playing it today
The game is best played on an original ColecoVision or a compatible ADAM machine with a standard controller, since the controls are simple but the timing can feel tight. It is also available in many ColecoVision emulators, which is a low-effort way to try the game before committing to a physical copy.