The only real Classcraft alternative is ClassMana
Did you love using Classcraft in your classroom? Maybe you were planning to give it a try, only to find out it’s been discontinued. Frustrating, right?
The problem is, nothing else really measures up. Most other tools are just point systems. They don’t have the exciting game mechanics that made Classcraft so much fun: boss battles, avatars, superpowers, leveling up, pets...you name it.
Some teachers have gone old-school with stamps and tokens, but let’s be honest: that’s a lot of work, and it’s just not the same when it comes to keeping students engaged.
Here’s the good news: I created ClassMana to pick up where Classcraft left off—and take things even further.
Too excited to wait?
If you’re already curious and want to skip the rest of this article, go ahead and check out ClassMana right now. Seriously, it’s ready and waiting for you! Or, if you prefer, keep reading to find out what makes it the ultimate Classcraft alternative.
What was Classcraft?
Classcraft was a popular classroom gamification tool. It turned classrooms into a role-playing adventure. It had a reward/penalty system in order to help the teacher engage and motivate their students, or to manage their behaviors.
Students would get points, which enabled them to acquire powers, level up and progress in the game. Bad behavior would result in losing health points.
Why this all worked was because of the gamified system that students loved. They could customize their characters, fight monsters, and go on quests. It was a great way to keep students engaged and motivated.
Then the news was announced that Classcraft was discontinued, a petition was started to try and bring Classcraft back, but it was to no avail.
Why was it discontinued?
Classcraft was acquired by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) in 2023, and discontinued a year later.
Let's not be diplomatic about it: Classcraft was killed because it made sense for some parties:
- Classcraft investors got a nice return
- HMH eliminates an upcoming competitor
Classcraft was very popular with students and teachers, but the market seemed too small for HMH to keep supporting it.
Unfortunately, this also left teachers without their favorite student engagement tool. I'm sure this was also a big blow for everyone behind Classcraft, who poured their hearts and souls into this product. But in the end, it was not their decision to make.
Classroom Gamification
While other tools mainly keep track of points, Classcraft gamified the whole classroom experience, turning it into an epic adventure.
Kids are hooked on gaming, so it enabled teachers to:
- Reward good behavior.
- Give consequences to students not acting the way they should.
- Increase motivation, team work, participation, grades, etc.
Point management
Classcraft offered a game like point system with experience points, health, crystals, etc.
- Experience Points: Students would earn Experience Points (XP) in class when they were on task, turned assignments in on time, worked well in teams, did well on a particular test, or any other positive achievement. This was all completely customizable by the teacher or they could use the default settings.
- Health Points: Students would lose Health Points (HP) when they failed to do something in class or misbehaved. This could range from not doing their homework to calling out or being disruptive. If they lost all of their HP, they would have to face a consequence in the game. These regenerated daily.
- Crystals or Action Points: Students could earn Crystals when they earned enough Experience Points. These were used to achieve rewards and earn super powers. These super powers could help them on tests, eat in class, listen to their favorite music during independent work, etc.
- Gold Points: Students could earn Gold Points when they leveled up, did something awesome in class, trained pets, won Boss Battles. These gold points were like money inside the game. Students could use these points to purchase new armor, pets, and other upgrades.
ClassMana will offer a point management system mid 2025.
Avatars
Students would get their own avatars in Classcraft. They could choose from Warrior, Mage or Healer, and could customize them with outfits, weapons, etc.
Picking a different avatar not only had visual effects, but also had an impact on the game. Each class had a different set of stats, powers and abilities.
Classcraft also had pets that students could buy.
ClassMana will offer student avatars by the end of 2025.
Leveling Up
Upon earning enough Experience Points, determined by the teacher, students leveled up. Every time they leveled up, they were rewarded with extra outfits, super powers, gold, etc.
Super Powers
When students leveled up and learned super powers, they were able to use them in class. These super powers would help them in class. They ranged from being able to eat or listen to music while working or using cheat sheets on tests or asking the game master questions.
Team Collaboration
Students could form teams in Classcraft. This enabled them to help each other out, and to earn extra points when they worked together. When one student lost health points, another student in their team could help them out.
Quests
Classcraft had a quest system. These quests were a series of tasks that students had to complete on the computer. When they completed a quest, they would earn extra points, gold, or other rewards.
ClassMana will not offer a quest system at the start, but we have a sister program called RPG Playground. In the future we might integrate these 2 products to work together
Classroom Tools
Next to the gaming elements, Classcraft also offered several classroom tools to help teachers manage their classroom. These tools were:
- Formative Review (Boss Battles)
- Daily Random Events (The Riders of Vay)
- Volume Meter (The Makus Valley)
- Countdown (The White Mountain Trek)
- Stopwatch (The Forest Run)
- Random Picker (The Wheel of Destiny)
- Grade Converter (Treasures of Tavuros)
ClassMana improvements
ClassMana is not just a replacement; It offers several improvements over Classcraft:
- Instant Accessibility: Unlike Classcraft's complex setup process, ClassMana offers immediate engagement. Teachers can start using it immediately after signing up, with no complicated configuration required.
- Modern Gaming Technology: Built by a game developer, ClassMana leverages cutting-edge gaming technology to create engaging experiences for the youth.
- Privacy-First Approach: ClassMana takes a revolutionary approach to
student privacy:
- No student personal information is collected, not even emails
- Students participate using simple tokens
- Community-Driven Features: ClassMana's development is guided by real teacher feedback, ensuring that functionality aligns with actual classroom needs.
- Customization: We realize that every classroom is different, and we want to provide teachers with the tools they can use however they want. So we will enable customization and personalization to fit your classroom.
Sign up for free today and turn your classroom into an epic adventure!
Conclusion
While Classcraft's closure left many teachers searching for alternatives, ClassMana has emerged as more than just a replacement - it's an evolution in classroom gamification. With its focus on immediate usability, privacy, and continuous improvement, ClassMana is positioned to become the new standard in educational gaming.
Join the growing community of educators who are turning their classrooms into epic adventures with ClassMana!