# Mission US: Up from the Dust > Interactive historical adventure game about the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. (iPhone/iPad app by Thirteen/WNET.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-up-from-the-dust/id1137321335 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Thirteen/WNET](https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258) - Category: Games, Education, Adventure, Role Playing - Price: Free - Rating: 4.40/5 from 41 App Store ratings · 6 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 9+ - Requires: iOS 6.0 · 768 MB - Languages: American English, Czech, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, European Portuguese and 6 more - Released: 2017-04-13 - Data updated: 2026-06-01 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-up-from-the-dust/id1137321335/reviews.md ## What is Mission US? Step into the shoes of Ginny and Frank Dunn, 13-year-old twins in 1930s Texas. Prospects for survival on your family wheat farm are grim. How will you weather the impending devastation of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl? As Frank, you can ride the rails around the country in search of work and adventure. As Ginny, you can help others find aid and work through New Deal programs, and travel west to assist famed photographer Dorothea Lange. Alternating between Frank and Ginny’s viewpoints, you will meet people from many different walks of life, experiencing and overcoming the daunting challenges many Americans faced in these hard times. “Up from the Dust” is the fifth in the award-winning MISSION US series of adventure role-playing games designed to engage tweens and teens in U.S. history. GAME FEATURES: • Play alternates between two main characters • Innovative choice-driven story with over 20 possible endings and badge system • Includes interactive prologue, 5 playable parts, and epilogue - approx. 2-2.5 hours of gameplay, segmented for flexible implementation • Diverse cast of characters features a range of perspectives on the Depression • Farm minigame simulates boom and bust cycle and impact of drought and Depression on local farmers • New Deal minigame focuses on government programs that helped ordinary Americans • Primary source documents and historic photographs are integrated into game design • Collection of free classroom support resources available at mission-us.org includes document-based questions, primary sources, class activities, vocabulary builders, standards alignments, writing prompts and visual aids. ABOUT MISSION US: • AWARDS include: Games for Change Award for Most Significant Impact, Japan Prize, multiple Parents’ Choice Gold, Common Sense Media ON for Learning, and International Serious Play awards, and Webby and Daytime Emmy nominations. • CRITICAL ACCLAIM: USA Today: “a powerful game that all kids should experience”; Educational Freeware: “one of the most captivating educational games online”; Kotaku: “a slice of livable history that every American should play”; 5 out of 5 stars from Common Sense Media • GROWING FAN BASE: More than 1.7 million registered users across the US and around the world to date. • PROVEN IMPACT: Major study by Education Development Center (EDC) found students who studied the Great Depression and Dust Bowl using “Up from the Dust “ significantly outperformed those who studied the topics using typical materials (textbook and lecture) – showing a 14.9% knowledge gain versus less than 1% for the other group. • TRUSTED TEAM: Produced by THIRTEEN WNET NY Public Media (NY’s flagship PBS station) in partnership with educational game development company Electric Funstuff and the American Social History Project/Center for Media and Learning, City University of New York. ## Key features - Dual character perspectives - Choice-driven story with multiple endings - Interactive historical scenarios - Integrated primary source documents - Farm and New Deal minigames - Classroom support resources ## Recent user reviews (6 of 6) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-up-from-the-dust/id1137321335/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Hot *2022-08-18* It’s good ### 4/5 — Wish it was longer *2022-07-20* This is a really fun game. It would be much better if the story was greatly expanded and you could ride the rails forever, instead of going home after 30 days. ### 5/5 — Love your games *2021-01-17* I love your games, the only thing that I would like is it you made the flash games that are no longer available into games on either your site of here. Other than that your games are amazing and. Very educational. ### 5/5 — It’s a must have game! *2019-05-30* It is the most amazing game I have ever played! Up from the dust is JUSt AMAZING and how you chose how they act! It is kinda lick the game Choices! But better! And no lovey-dovey stuff! This is just a must have! ### 5/5 — An excellent addition to the series *2018-06-15* I’ve played ever single episode of the Mission:US series so far. I am not a grade school student, but just a person who both loves learning about history as well as interactive story telling. And I have to say, this is the most polished game produced in the series to date. It covers a setting often forgotten in the greater context of more flamboyant events in history: life in a dust bowl farming family during the depression. And it does so in a way that really allows a person to relate to the events at hand, particularly during a rather tragic event in the game that I won’t spoil for anyone else. I loved playing it, learning from it, and gaining a new appreciation for history. Everyone should pay this game, especially since it’s free anyway. ### 5/5 — GET THIS APP *2017-12-09* I love Mission us it is a great way to learn and have so much fun we play it at school we have only played 2 but the Crowns for Colonies is my favorite we haven't done this one yet but this is the only one I could get on my iPad👍👌 ## Frequently asked questions about Mission US ### What is Mission US: Up from the Dust about? Mission US: Up from the Dust is an adventure role-playing game that immerses players in the lives of twins during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl in 1930s Texas. Players make choices that influence the story and learn about historical events and challenges. ### How long is the gameplay in Mission US: Up from the Dust? The game offers approximately 2 to 2.5 hours of gameplay, segmented into an interactive prologue, five playable parts, and an epilogue, allowing for flexible implementation. ### Does Mission US: Up from the Dust have ads? No, Mission US: Up from the Dust is ad-free. It is a completely free game with no advertisements to interrupt the historical experience. ### What historical elements are included in Mission US: Up from the Dust? The game integrates primary source documents and historic photographs into its design. It also features minigames focused on the farm economy during drought and New Deal government programs. ### What devices can I play Mission US: Up from the Dust on? Currently, Mission US: Up from the Dust is supported on iPad devices. Future platform support may be announced by the developer. ### What age rating is Mission US: Up from the Dust? Mission US: Up from the Dust has an age rating of 9+, making it suitable for tweens and teens to learn about historical events. ### Are there any classroom resources available for Mission US: Up from the Dust? Yes, a collection of free classroom support resources is available at mission-us.org. These include document-based questions, primary sources, class activities, vocabulary builders, and standards alignments. ### How does Mission US: Up from the Dust compare to traditional history learning? A study found that students using "Up from the Dust" showed a significant knowledge gain of 14.9% on the Great Depression and Dust Bowl, compared to less than 1% for those using traditional textbook and lecture methods. ## Version history (last 1 release) ### 1.0 — 2017-04-13 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. ## Apps similar to Mission US | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Birdie's Dream](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/birdies-dream/id1508263300) | — | $0.99 | Games | ## More apps by Thirteen/WNET - [Mission US: Think Fast! About the Past](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mission-us-think-fast-about-the-past/id566607316) - [Thirteen Explore](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/thirteen-explore/id598509773) - [NJ PBS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nj-pbs/id1383342133) - [ALL ARTS](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/all-arts/id1439833045) - [MissionUS: For Crown or Colony](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/missionus-for-crown-or-colony/id1445695332) All apps by Thirteen/WNET: https://appshunter.io/developer/446797258 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-01.*