Timberdoodle LogiBugs Review

I have had the pleasure of sharing so many games with you recently.  And they have been Smart Games, some of my absolute favorites.  I want to share with you one more from Timberdoodle, LogiBugs!  LogiBugs is a one player game recommended for kids 6 and older or 1st grade and up manufactured by Smart Games.  It's target range is 1st-4th grade.  If your child is less familiar with Smart Games this is a great introductory one.

Above you can see how our metal game board and magnetic ladybugs work together.

What's included in our game?

Our set includes one metal game, 12 magnetic ladybugs (5 red ladybugs with 1-5 dots, 4 orange ladybugs with 1-4 dots and 3 yellow ladybugs with 1-3 dots) and a booklet containing 48 challenges and their solutions.  The 48 challenges increase in difficulty from Starter, Junior, Expert, and Master with each grouping containing 12 challenges.

Our Game

How do you play?

Players will choose a challenge.  The various challenges give hints about the location of some of the ladybugs.  A rectangle with a color means that a player must put a ladybug with that specific color in that location, the dot number does not matter.  A rectangle with a white ladybug with a certain number of dots means that a player must put a ladybug with the specific number of dots shown in that location, the color does not matter.  And lastly, a rectangle with a colored ladybug and certain number of dots means that a player must put a ladybug at that location that is that color and contains that specific number of dots as well.  

Players will then figure out how to place the remaining ladybugs on the game board so that all the bugs of the same color family form a chain either horizontally or vertically.  The ladybug with one dot will also be next to the ladybug with two dots, which will be next to the ladybug with three dots and so on.   Get it?  Each challenge has one unique solution, which can be found at the back of the challenge booklet.

 

Challenge 1: On the top left you can see the set-up for Challenge 1 and under it you can see the solution.  On the top right, you can see our board set-up and under it you can see that we completed the solution correctly!  The ladybugs are in order of dots and stay in their color chains.  Easy Peasy.

G working through a challenge

 

F working through a challenge while G watches

 

I love that LogiBugs is hands-on and great for both visual and kinesthetic learners as is all our Smart Games!  And I'm a huge fan of the travel aspect of this particular game.  Our metal tin is compact and thin and easy to take along or place in a backpack.  The magnetic factor on both sides of the tin with the ladybugs makes it easier for the pieces to stay together and we are less likely to lose them - a win-win in my book.

 

I think this would be a phenomenal game to include in a Unit Study on ladybugs!  Have you ever raised ladybugs?  Years ago we ordered ladybug larvae from Insect Lore and it was so fun.  The kids really enjoyed watching the larvae go through the process of becoming adult ladybugs.  I need to do this again with the younger boys!  This would also be great to have for a ladybug Unit Study.  And on that note, I created a ladybug word search for you to use.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

LogiBugs is another great one player game from Smart Games.  Like its counterparts, it encourages concentration, planning, problem solving and flexible thinking.  And if you have a ladybug lover or want to do a fun unit study, you will absolutely want to check it out!

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  I received LogiBugs in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Walls & Warriors Review {Smart Games}

I have an amazing game to share with you today from Timberdoodle, Walls & Warriors.  This single player game is designed to challenge both kids (8+) and adults.  And just like our other Smart Games, we are fans!

What's included?  This game includes a game board, 4 red knights (which are the enemy knights), 3 blue knights (which are your knights), 4 unique walls, a high tower (blue roof top), and a challenge/solutions booklet.

The red and blue knights have a circular base so they easily sit on the game board.  I like that they are detailed.

The walls are durable and easy to maneuver.

 Challenge/Solutions Booklet

 

The challenge and solutions book contains 80 challenges with 5 levels of difficulty - Starter, Junior, Expert, Master, and Wizard.  The difficulty increases with each level and every challenge has only one correct solution.  The answers for each challenge can be found at the back of this booklet.

 

How do you play?  A player begins by choosing a challenge and setting up the game board as indicated in that challenge.  At the Starter level, players are given the position of one or more of the walls to help give them a feel for the game as they proceed to more difficult challenges.  The goal of the game is to position the walls so that the red knights are kept outside and the blue knights and high towers remain within the ramparts - that's it in a nutshell.  I want to note that the walls need to fit  in the indents of the game board.  If it doesn't fit, it's not in a valid position.

Let's dive into the very first challenge!

Above you can see the set up for the 1st challenge.

Given how easy the set up is, you should be able to quickly get to the solution above and solve this challenge.

There are no red or enemy knights in this challenge so you only have to enclose your blue knights!  Let's look at a more complex challenge now, Challenge 33 in the Expert level.

Above you can see the set up for Challenge 33.

The first few walls are placed.

The next wall...

And the placement of the last wall leads you to the solution!

Walls & Warriors is part of Timberdoodle's 12th Grade Curriculum Kit and we are beyond excited to have it as part of our homeschool resources and games!  Be sure to check out our other Smart Games reviews including Asteroid Escape and Zig Zag Puzzler.

 

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  Timberdoodle sent my family Walls & Warriors in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are my own.
gg

Timberdoodle's Asteroid Escape Smart Game Review

Our Asteroid Escape

You hear me say this a lot, we love space!  I have another Timberdoodle game to share with you, the Asteroid Escape Smart Game.  Think of this as a Sci-Fi equivalent for a car chase.

If you read our recent review, this is similar to Brain Fitness Solitaire Chess in that it is a single-player game and is geared for ages 8 to adult.  Yes, I can play too!  It also comes with a challenge and solutions book.

Game Board - 7 puzzle pieces with asteroids and 1 puzzle piece with the spaceship

The goal of Asteroid Escape is to navigate your spaceship through the asteroid field and through the exit or in other words, slide the puzzle pieces around until you can slide the spaceship off of the game board.  You select a challenge and set up the puzzle pieces as indicated.

Ground Rules:

•  All puzzle pieces must remain horizontal.
•  Tilting or lifting puzzle pieces is not allowed.
•  While asteroids can overlap empty parts of other puzzle pieces or the border of the game board, they can never overlap other asteroids.
•  Likewise, the spaceship can overlap empty parts of the puzzle pieces or the border of the game board but it may not overlap asteroids.
•  Only the spaceship may slide off the game board.

Setting up a challenge

 Moving the pieces

Winning the challenge


The pieces slide easily...

 Unless you are trying to make an illegal move.  The spaceship cannot come off the game board in the above photo because it bumps the asteroid next to it so this move is not legal.

There are 60 challenges with five different levels to choose from:  Starter, Junior, Expert, Master and Wizard.  If you get stuck, the challenge booklet contains the shortest solutions for each challenge.  Now, this might look super easy.  The very first challenge requires only 6 moves to win the game.  But I want you to know that the last challenge requires 109 moves to complete!  Wowza.  There is definitely planning and strategic problem solving involved in this game.  My family enjoys it.

Here you can see the game board with its lid on top.

I love that it comes with a lid making storage for everything a breeze.  This also makes it more portable so it's easy to carry along in the car and such.

I was not familiar with Smart Games before the beginning of this school year.  A received Anti-Virus Mutation as part of her Timberdoodle 9th Grade Curriculum kit (review coming soon!) and now we own Asteroid Escape as well.  Smart Games encourage planning, problem solving, spatial insight and flexible thinking.  They are both great additions to our homeschool.

You can see Asteroid Escape circled in red in the bottom left corner.

Asteroid Escape Smart Game is a part of Timberdoodle's 8th Grade Curriculum Kit.  This would be a great addition to your own homeschool resources, games and would even make a fun unique gift for that hard to find child.  And at under $15, it's a great price.

Disclosure:  Huge shout out to Timberdoodle for selecting me as a Timberdoodle Blogger.  Timberdoodle sent my family the Asteroid Escape Smart Game for a discounted price in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are my own.