Puzzles to expand kids' minds
— -- If your kids have become experts at judging the trajectory necessary to make "Angry Birds" fly into egg-stealing swine, here are more puzzles worth exploring.
These puzzles encourage kids to think outside of the box. They all reward experimentation; and demonstrate that the seemingly impossible is possible if you come at it from a different perspective. One even shows kids that they can make order out of chaos. Availability varies, but the list includes some for Apple devices, Android devices and computers.
Blueprint 3D HD
FDG Entertainment, best for ages 7-up, $.99, for iPad. (Non high-def version, Blueprint 3D, is available for iPhone/iPod Touch for the same price)
Rating: 4 stars (out of 4)
In the crowded market of puzzle apps, Blueprint 3D HD shines for its uniqueness. Each puzzle in this brilliant collection of over 300 levels presents you with a mass of seemingly unconnected dots and lines, set in different planes in this 3D space. By rotating the jumbled mass, you start to observe that some of the lines seem to connect and that the dots can be turned in just the right way so that they line up. Before you know it, you "see" order in the chaos . When you align all of the planes to hit the "sweet spot," the random squiggles might magically line up to be the Eiffel Tower or the Statute of Liberty. Solving a puzzle always creates an "aha!" moment.
These picture-creating puzzles are grouped by themes covering Architecture, High Tech, Medieval, Electronics, Space, Military, Transport, Christmas and our favorite: Animals. By bringing order out of chaos, kids feel a great sense of accomplishment for each puzzle completed. Expect a lot of fist bumping after kids "see" the solution.
Auditorium: The Online Experience
Cipher Prime Studios, best for ages 8-up, $9.99, for PC, Mac, Linux at www.cipherprime.com.
Rating: 4 stars
Winner of several indie game awards, this puzzle combines light and music in a magical way. Each puzzle starts with the flow of light particles coming into a black screen. You are provided with moveable tools that help you direct the flow to sound containers. When the light particles hit the sound containers, music begins. Filling the containers solves the puzzle and produces a symphony of sound that is wondrous to experience.
The puzzles get progressively harder with the addition of more complex tools to manipulate the "flow," sound containers that will only accept "flow" that has gone through color changes and the introduction of obstacles. Experimentation is the key to solving these puzzles that reward both your eyes and ears. You can try a free demo before buying at www.playauditorium.com.
Note: There is a short free iPhone version, published by Electronic Arts, which just doesn't do this puzzle game justice. Part of its appeal is the combination of visual and auditory rewards, which don't have the same impact on the small screen of the iPhone. When you expand the iPhone version on an iPad, the experience gets fuzzy. Plus, you must pay to unlock further iPhone content. The computer game version is the way to go — it's worth the $10. There is also a version for the PS3 and PSP which we have not played.
Joining Hands
10tons Ltd, best for ages 7-up, $2.99, for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Win, Mac
Rating: 4 stars
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