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spacer all reviews > > > problem solving software

Crazy Machines 1.5

Viva Media

Ages 8 to adult

Rating Scale
5 = great,    1 = poor
Educational Value
4.0
Kid Appeal
4.0
Ease of Use
5.0

Crazy Machines 1-5 arrow indentSystem Requirements

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Crazy Machines 1.5 is a puzzle game in which players are presented with objectives and parts. The parts must be placed/arranged in constructed formations that accomplish the objective. The game is exactly like its predecessor Crazy Machines The Wacky Contraptions Game but with 200 brand new challenges for the player. In addition the "My Laboratory" button allow the player to create his/her own levels with his/her own objectives.

Educational Value

As in the original game, Crazy Machines 1.5 teaches the user some basic physics and tests the player's creativity. Each puzzle requires a new outlook on how to accomplish the objectives. As objectives are accomplished, new ones become more complicated: e.g., more of the same parts, new parts like bombs and batteries, more objects to control with the new parts. With 200 levels, the game progresses into some pretty complicated puzzles. For those eager kids who do not want to wait through the simple beginning levels, there is the option to skip to some more difficult ones.

Kid Appeal

Crazy Machines 1.5 has good background music that does not distract the player, and a friendly professor character who helps the player along. This game is most suitable for ages 8 and up. While kids younger than 8 may be able to complete some of the earlier levels, they will most likely get stumped as the game goes on. One frustrating aspect of the game, however, is that the timer for each level begins running while the player reads the objective for the level. There is ample time so this most likely will not be a problem, but nevertheless it can be flustering to watch the clock run down before even beginning to construct a solution to the objective.

Ease of Use / Install

Crazy Machines 1.5 was very easy to install, and the game itself is quite easy to play. While the puzzles become challenging, the navigation does not. The same set of controls is used for the entire game. Also, the main menu is very clear and well organized

Best for... / Bottom-Line

Crazy Machines 1.5 is a challenging game that allows players to take a unique approach to solve puzzles offered by the game and puzzles that they create themselves.

See SuperKids' comparisons with other problem solving software titles, and the Buyers Guide for current market prices of the product.

System Requirements
PC: Windows XP or Vista, 2.0 GHz Pentium 4 (or equivalent) or faster cpu (3 GHz recommended), 500 MB hard drive space, 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended), DirectX® 9.0c - compatible graphics card with 64 MB and Pixelshader 2.0 (256 MB recommended), CD-ROM, DirectX® compatible sound card, Internet connection (optional).

Reviewed on:
-     Pentium 4 - 3GHz running Windows XP, with 1GB RAM and 24x - CD-ROM
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