While it seems juvenile on the surface, having animated characters that are a mix of Smurf and Mr. Potato Head, The Zoombini's Logical Quest can prove to be challenging for dad's, too. I consider this game a nice switch from the glut of suduko games flooding the market today. Besides, why buy a brain teasing game when this one has been around for almost a decade? It's certainly more interesting to look at and more fun to play! I bought the Zoombinis for my kids. Produced by The Learning Company, I knew by experience this game would keep me from hearing gunfire and crashing steel coming out of my desktop all night long. I got involved with The Logical Quest to help my 8 year old through one part of the game, and within a half hour I also realized that Daddy was going to be hogging lots of PC game time away from Junior just so dad could play! Yes I do think this game is that fun. So does my kid. The story line; The Zoombinis are cute little industrious creatures, with no home to call their own ever since the evil Bloats enslaved them. So the Zoombinis decide to sneak away in small groups (16 at a time) through a wilderness of 12 different challenges on 4 different escape routes. Their ultimate goal is a paradise called Zoombiniville, at the end of the map. Along their perilous route are two campsites, where you can save their progress and collect more of them to regroup the way you see fit for the rest of the journey, 16 at a time. Any Zoombini who fails during one of the 'tests', will find themself back at the slave camp, unless they've already made it to one of these campsites-which become their new startout point. Nobody dies, but everybody can get 'bonked around'. You'll win if you can get all 625 Zoombini safely to Zoombiniville, and get new buildings erected in Zoombiniville, dedicated to you. The game mechanics; All your Zoombinis are blue without hands or arms. However, they are extremely customizable. You get to select 4 body parts on each-Hair, Eye type, Nose color, and Feet. (Mr.Potato Head) The feet can be propellers, tires, sneakers, roller skates and springs. The eyes and hair have a similiar selection to pick from, all of the above making each Zoombini unique from his/her neighbor, but still very Zoombini. Not to worry -even though each gets a name, you don't have to bother with building all 625 one at a time since there is a random generator that can make 16 at a time for you. Yes, I think 625 slaves to guide home makes for a long game. This is not a single-sitting kind of game to complete! It is tedious after the first 2 hours (school kid attention span). Anyway, all these combinations are mathematical; 4 feet styles, 4hair types, 4 eye types, 4 nose colors.Each in a group of 16 with 16 challenges. Yup- this is a Math Skills game afterall with a big dose of logical thought. Challenge; The different combination of features in your group is what enables you to pass the tests on the way to Zoombiniville. As their guide, you will be grouping, sorting and tossing around the little buggers to get through challenges, according to clues found in each scene. If you can't figure out the current pattern in a level, like all orange noses to the left, or only bald heads on this bridge,etc. you will lose some Zoombinis. You Bad Guide! The tests get more complicated with each successful pass you make in a scene, too. AKA; Instead of having only roller skates as the important clue to pass a test, your 3rd time in a scene you will have to consider rollerskates AND sunglasses as the important clue to sort with. It gets ugly by the 4th difficulty level. Some of the test scenes do not rely on just the features of your little escaped scamps- there is a level with a Pizza Eating Troll ("Arno") blocking your path. Arno dosen't care what you look like. He just wants you to make his pizza before you can pass. Every time you pick the wrong topping, however, he'll smack one of your Zoombinis back to the start! Some of the other Bad Guys-a cliff with 2 bridges that sneezes your Zoombini into the canyon below if he ain't the 'right sort' crossing over The Allergic Cliffs . A cave guarded by four gargoyles who will crash the whole works down on you for guessing the wrong entrance to get in. There is also a gang of Anti-Zoombini Fleens waiting in the Dark Forest to jump you. They guard a hornet nest, you pair up the guards to your Zoombini, then drop the bee hive into the Fleens for escape. Most of the tests involve you matching up sets of Zoombini to defeat guards or get over obstacles, and each time you need to get another platoon of 16 through the scene something gets more difficult. Recommendation; If you aren't ashamed of playing what seems like a kiddie game, and like tweaking your Grey Matter without feeling the burn, then The logical Quest of the Zoombinis is definitely something to brave. It is animated, colorful and has action that brain teaser games lack. You will also be asking yourself "How can a kiddie get through this, but I can't?". You won't go into an action packed frenzy over it, but you will be proud of the progress you make-enough so that when all your friends have gone to bed, you probably will find yourself sneaking another round in on The Zoombinis. It's okay, I won't tell on you.....
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In Zoombinis Logical Journey you help Zoombinis get across a island you logical thinking. Zoombinis are blue people who`s village is captured, and the Zoombinis are turned into slaves while they are slaves they find a wh... Read Full Review
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