BOSTON, May 27, 2009 -Is a "strong" dollar always good? Is outsourcing the same as offshoring? Does GDP include exports? These ideas, not always easy to grasp, are explored in "Another Action Hero," an animated educational game now available on the web site of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.

"Another Action Hero" uses the film industry to illustrate aspects of international trade and globalization, including protectionism, trade benefits, currency markets, and the role of government in the global economy.

The Boston Fed now has three animated economic-education games available on the Internet: "Peanuts , Crackerjacks," "Show Business," and "Pursuit!" "Another Action Hero" is a new unit within "Show Business." All games are suitable for both individual and classroom use. The target audience is middle and high school students, but adults can also play, learn, and enjoy.

The Boston Fed has been a leader in the Federal Reserve System in web-based economic-education games:

*The classic "Peanuts , Crackerjacks," launched in 2001, explores the market for professional team sports - how leagues gained market power, why tickets cost so much, why athletes earn as much as they do, why there is so much economic conflict in pro team sports.

*The first unit of "Show Business," called "Climbing the Charts," was launched in 2007. It delves into the music industry to illustrate concerns such as how markets develop, the role of technology in shaping markets, intellectual property rights, and copyrighting.

* Introduced earlier this year,"Pursuit!" focuses on explaining economic growth and how it occurs. At the heart of the game is a timeline of New England's economic history. Players embark on "trails" to explore three different time periods in "pursuit" of understanding how growth occurs. Before setting off, they pick one of six animated characters as their guide - a teacher, inventor, scientist, banker, entrepreneur, or Uncle Sam - each embodying a major factor of growth. Along the way, the guides entertain, educate, and motivate.

"Peanuts , Crackerjacks," "Show Business," and "Pursuit!" were all developed by the Boston Fed's Economic Education Unit, a division of the Public and Community Affairs Department. "Show Business" game content was written by Robert Jabaily.

Look for "Another Action Hero" at
http://www.bos.frb.org/entertainment

Links to all games, as well as other learning activities, can be found at
http://www.bos.frb.org/education/online