Logical Journey of the Zoombinis Deluxe
Reviewed by Kim Moon
Published by Broderbund

Age Group: Age 8 and Up Type: Math, Thinking Games Price: $29.95

Requires: 386-33, 4 MB RAM, 5MB Hard drive space, CDx2

Description:

If you want to teach your child "what" to think when it comes to math, this game is not for you. If you want your child to have a great time while learning "how"to think, you should leave for the store immediately. You won't find any "boring" math facts here. What you will find are twelve thinking games with four levels available on each game. These games encourage the player to use logic to take the adorable zoombinis through many "hazardous" adventures where their characteristics determine which paths they may take.

The player is first allowed to choose the characteristics including hair, eyes, nose color, and mode of transportation for the zoombinis. (The program can also choose them at random for you.) Then, the journey begins. The zoombinis encounter the "Allergic Cliffs" where two bridges are suspended above two animated cliffs who are prone to sneezing off the zoombinis that they find offensive. The player must systematically test the cliffs to determine which ones will be allowed safe passage. On to the "Stone Cold Caves" ! Here there are four stone guards who bar the way to the caves who happen to be very picky. The player must again use logic to move the zoombinis into the caves so that they can be on their way. Next is "Pizza Pass". Beginners have to determine which toppings the Tree Troll will accept and more advanced players have to also make a sundae with the correct toppings in order to proceed along the path. Players then reach a "Shelter Rock Base Camp" where they can store Zoombinis or retrieve some if they don't still have the required sixteen to be on their way. The "Trek North" contains "Captain Cajun's Ferryboat", "Titanic Tattooed Toads", and "Stone Rise". The ferryboat puzzle is hilarious. The captain ejects any Zoombini that is seated in the "wrong" seat and makes jokes while doing it. The toads must cross the lily pads (while carrying Zoombinis) only on the ones that "match" according symbol, color, or shape. ''Stone Rise" gives the player clues to match the Zoombinis using their attributes to solve the puzzle. If the player elects to take the "Southern Trek," they encounter the Fleens (mutant Zoombinis who have "gone bad" and want to attack the Zoombinis). The player must try to figure out which of the mutated Fleens used to look like specific Zoombinis in order to lure the Fleens off of a tree branch, upsetting angry bees that chase the Fleens away. In "Hotel Dimensia," the player must use trial and error to place the Zoombinis in their hotel rooms according to their physical similarities. "Mudball Wall" is next. Here, the player must throw "mudballs" at the correct blocks on the wall to catapult the Zoombinis to safety. Then there is another "Shade Tree Base Camp." The last leg of the perilous journey is through the "Mountains of Despair." First comes the "Lion's Lair" where the Zoombinis' path is blocked by the paw of an enormous stone lion. To get him to raise it, the player must use the clues on the wall to determine the order in which they must travel the ledge. The "Mirror Machine" is a mine shaft that requires the player to find each Zoombini's mirror image in order to gain safe passage. "Bubblewonder Abyss" is a puzzle that is sort of a combination between a maze and pinball. The player has to use clues over the "abyss" to determine the path to take that won't "drown" the Zoombini that is using a bubble as its transportation. If you are successful, you have made it to Zoombiniville, which is paradise for your travelers!

Features:

12 games (each has four levels)

A practice setting that allows the player to practice any section at any level

Wonderful guide that even has tips for parents and explanations of skills used in the games

Technical Aspects:

This installed and ran smoothly with Windows 95. The graphics are entertaining and the package accurately depicts the different games.

Report and Conclusions:

Love it! Love it! Love it! (Did I mention that we love this game?) That is the good news. The "bad" news is that you will have to pry your child off of the computer and it will probably cause heated battles between siblings. There are not enough adjectives that are synonymous with "great" and "wonderful" to describe this game!!! The game teaches math concepts, which are often ignored in favor of math facts, especially in school settings. It is addictive and the designers are geniuses. If you want your child to have an understanding of such things as classification, sequencing, grouping by attributes, and matching, run, do not walk, and buy this game! It will be money VERY well spent.

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