The US Treasury Department Tries to Have Fun

I just spent my last half hour before bedtime hanging out at the Bad Credit Hotel, a 3D, interactive computer game aimed at teaching 18-20-something youngsters like myself about building and maintaining credit, keeping a budget, etc etc etc.

Looks like the US Treasury Department, with the help of the Ad Council, has taken on my teaching style--that is, tricking students into learning boring stuff like personal finances (or you know, the alphabet) by making it a game!

The Bad Credit Hotel has a 1930's feel to it, and a Morgan Freeman-esque "worldly gentleman" leads you around the hotel as you try to unlock the secrets to getting into Room 850, the only room in the hotel that isn't cockroach-infested and dim.

It's tacky, but thoroughly enjoyable. It's like a grown-up version of Midnight Rescue or Math Mountain. I'm a little bitter that I spent an entire 30 minutes on the site and still only found 8/10 secrets, but that's the nerdy part of me that also loves National Treasure shining through.

Or if you want the Cliffnotes version of the game, you could check out this video from SNL posted on my roommate Katie's blog.