Donald Duck

Donald Duck’s Playground - the 1986 educational action game for
Commodore 64 from Sierra On-Line.

Help Donald earn money through part-time jobs around Duckburg so he can
buy toys and playground equipment for his nephews—Huey, Dewey, and Louie.

Core loop
- work mini-games in various jobs to earn coins
- deposit earnings in the bank and spend wisely at stores
- deliver purchased items to the playground
- finish by building a complete playground for the kids

Systems and items
- four jobs - airport baggage handling, produce sorting, toy factory,
and railroad cargo
- bank system - deposit and withdraw earnings manually
- shops - buy slides, swings, and toys with correct change
- educational focus - teaches money counting, saving, and budgeting

Level design and feel
Each job is a small arcade challenge with colorful sprites and cheerful
animation. The pacing is gentle, encouraging younger players to practice
coordination and arithmetic through fun repetition.

Why it is notable
- designed by Al Lowe, later known for “Leisure Suit Larry”
- one of Sierra’s first family-friendly edutainment titles
- praised for combining arcade play with real-world money concepts

Tips
- deposit coins frequently—Donald drops them if overloaded
- buy cheaper items first to quickly open new playground sections
- pay attention to color codes in job mini-games for higher earnings

At a glance
Year - 1986
Developer - Sierra On-Line
Design and programming - Al Lowe
Graphics - Sierra On-Line team
Music - Al Lowe
Publisher - Sierra On-Line
Genre - Educational action
Players - 1
Controls - Joystick in port 2