Zoombinis - Island Odyssey review

14 July 2003 0:00 GMT / By Stuart Miles

Aged for the young at heart, Zoombinis - Island Odyssey sees you trying to save 200 Zoombinis and their island. To do this, you have to send your little critters through a series of puzzles that test logic, timing and general puzzle solving capabilities.

The puzzles themselves test everything from gear ratios to matching colours and shapes. Overall most puzzles are fairly simple, although some will stretch a child's ability.

To make the game last that little bit longer you can only ever attempt to get 12 Zoombinis through the levels at any one time. Based on the notion that you would get a perfect score every time, you're still looking at some 16 times to get everyone through the game. In reality, this isn't going to happen and in the beginning you'll be lucky to get even one or two through the six or seven puzzles set out before you.

This, while beneficial in keeping the player - ie your child - quiet for some time, doesn't help on the excitement scale, and you can't but help feel the novelty would soon wear off before the game is ever completed.

Verdict

Overall this game is great fun for the young at heart in fact it will even keep some adults happy. The puzzles are stretching at times which is a good think, while the repetition might bore your youngsters after only a short time.

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Review Recap

Made by: Mindscape
Price as reviewed: £20
The good: Good babysitter
The bad: It’d probably drive an adult nuts (for either patience or addiction)
Quick verdict: It is an engaging non-violent puzzle game so good for the family market, so now it should be dirt cheap to shortlist.
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