I’m an unabashed fan of classic “choose your own adventure” style gamebooks. Sure, most of my fondness for the genre has its roots in nostalgia, but I still collect them (there are treasures to be found at used bookstores), and I’m continually amazed at just how many different series there were.

From the OG Choose Your Own Adventure books to Time Machine, Twistaplot, Find Your Fate, Endless Quest, Lone Wolf, Fighting Fantasy, and so many more, the 80s were the absolute heyday for immersive gamebooks.

But they’re still around, and there are a number of series putting out new books that deserve more attention. In this series, we’ll highlight a few of the books and series that require you to read closely, make decisions, and hopefully avoid a gruesome end.

Those of you who went to elementary school in the 80s undoubtedly have memories of The Oregon Trail. I even had a copy for our first family computer – an Apple IIe – so I could play whenever I wanted! The game has been revamped and updated a few times over the years, but the original is currently experiencing a bit of a resurgence. There’s a board game and two card games that attempt to re-create that original video game for the tabletop.

But relevant to our interests here, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has been quietly putting out a series of “Choose Your Own Trail!” books based on The Oregon Trail.

There are currently 8 different books in the series, and each is set during a different year from 1845 to 1855 on a specific stretch of the infamous Oregon Trail:

• The Race to Chimney Rock
• Danger at the Haunted Gate
• The Search for Snake River
• The Road to Oregon City
• The Wagon Train Trek
• Alone in the Wild
• Calamity in the Cold
• Gold Rush!

They’re intended for elementary and middle school aged kids (roughly the same age that would’ve played the game), but don’t let that stop you. If you have nostalgia for the game, you’ll find a lot to love here.

Each book is a standalone story – so you don’t need to read them in order – and features 20+ different endings. I’ll tell you that you don’t get cholera or dysentery in ALL of them, but it is possible. You also don’t die in every ending (sometimes you’re forced to stop along the way, short of your destination). Still, you need to choose wisely.

If you’ve played the game, you know making tough choices is perfectly on brand. Should you get help to navigate the river or try to ford it? Should you take the mountain pass or the longer route? Should you stop in town and buy supplies?

There are a lot of familiar landmarks and perils in each book. Independence, Missouri. Chimney Rock. Snake River. Oregon City. Fans of the game will delight in seeing the world fleshed out with more characters, backstory, and plot.

The books also do a great job of introducing the appropriate historical context and setting, so kids, who might not know the original game, won’t feel lost. The books may be based on an 80s video game, but they’re not entirely dependent on nostalgia and in-jokes.

But for those of you who have fond memories of this…

You’ll love these books. Trust us.