It requires careful resource management in order to successfully travel across America toward the Western frontier.

The player must overcome many obstacles and make tough decisions, which may result in loss for the greater good of the journey.

The game begins in Independence, Missouri in 1848, where the player selects two people to form a wagon party.

When a town or landmark is reached, players have the ability to use full-motion video or 3D graphics to explore the location.

Eugene Register-Guard wrote "this respected program adds detail, richness, and flexibility...This program gets a high rating for its range of activities and its attention to history, geography, math, and many other skills".