A highly portable mental challenge
Written: Mar 07 '07
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Pros: Small, convenient, and inexpensive distraction for kids and others.
Cons: Frustration. Can't lift the stylus or you'll lose your place and end up starting over.
The Bottom Line: If you have a child--8 or older--who likes mazes or puzzles, this is a worthwhile toy. Perfect for car or airplane trips.
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| rebeccad's Full Review: ThinkFun Amaze |
We picked up this demonic little toy on a whim, because it was inexpensive and looked like it might provide a bit of a challenge to our boys who love mazes. You could say that.
I have only recently discovered ThinkFun toys (I know, I know--if I ever went into a store I might learn something!), but what I've seen has impressed me. Simple concepts that require actual thought while entertaining the kids (or the adults--the two ThinkFun games we now own both have levels difficult enough to challenge me, anyway). This particular little toys is a good example.
What is it?
The Amaze is a roughly six-by-eight inch plastic tray with a raised maze embossed on it (for want of a better word). You follow the maze route with a plastic stylus, conveniently attached to the game by a sturdy cord. What makes it a challenge is that running through the maze are four sliding bars containing some of the maze walls. You set the sliders in your starting position and fight your way to the exit--by moving the sliders. Not too hard, right? Ah, but you can only move the sliders by pushing against a wall with the stylus--which must remain in contact with the board all the time. So you can--must--constantly reform the maze, but can do it only in limited ways.
Let's try to clarify. Each slider has only two positions, left and right. Each position causes passages in the maze to line up differently. There is no in-between; if the slider isn't all the way left or right you can't get down passages on either side. Clear as mud, right? Trust me, if you find one and take a look, it will become obvious in a moment.
So what do you do?
On the back of the game are printed the 16 possible settings for the four sliders. These represent the 16 starting positions, arranged from easiest to hardest. The first two are easy. The third takes longer. I haven't had the patience yet for the fourth (I think my 9-year-old did it). I shudder to think what the 16th might be like!
So you set the sliders for the starting position, put the stylus in the top corner, and find your way through, moving sliders back and forth (but remember, you can ONLY move it if you are up against a wall and can push in the one direction it will go). Starting with level three, this involves a fair amount of back-tracking, looping about, and shifting sliders first one way and then the other.
How does it work?
It works pretty well. I appreciate that there are no pieces to lose, and the device is sturdy (we toss it into the box of toys that live in the car, and it shows little or no sign of wear after a couple years). The kids have had bursts of interest in the thing. Our younger son hasn't yet reached the magical "8 and up", and it shows. He has so far tended to get frustrated rather quickly. His brother has played with it enough to tell me it has some lasting value, though it will probably never be the first toy he fishes out of the box. I appreciate what the other reviewer says about the frustration caused by losing your place if you lift the stylus or have to put the game aside for a time. You pretty much have to play it out to the end in one sitting, which is part of the trouble for my kids.
Final take: well worth the $10, especially as it has the potential to be around--and played with--for years.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 10
Type of Toy: Educational
Age Range of Child: 9 Years or Older
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Epinions.com ID:
rebeccad
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Member: Rebecca Douglass
Location: San Francisco Area
Reviews written: 105
Trusted by: 52 members
About Me:
Frugal bookworm mother of two enjoys hiking, cooking, photography, eating, running, travel, writing.
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