Mia's Math Adventure
Ages 6-10

The math in this game takes second place to the really cute main character and top notch graphics. The host of amusing characters that populate the game are drawn with great skill and endowed with wonderful voices. Enough adjectives - It is a good game. It also has won many awards. The Mia character - a mouse that rolls her eyes, yawns and taps her foot when you take too long travels on a skateboard. Her mission in this game is to create a time machine so she can undo the events that led up to her house being burned. The intro cut scene showing the house on fire is the only thing that might be distressing to kids in light of recent events.

The navigation takes some getting used to. Mia doesn't always respond to your cursor. The manual says that she is just asserting her independence. I think there might be another explanation. But it's worth staying with it. There are levels of difficulty that you can set to make the math challenging for the age range stated. But mostly kids will play it because it's amusing and it's fun being with Mia.

Editor Review 11/01

I thought there was a kind of I SPY aspect to the game because of the sparklies, but it was also a math game. I liked the game but I don't think I would be interested in playing it again. I thought it was neat how the mouse follows your arrow but I wish that Mia wouldn’t say “Let’s concentrate on our mission” so often.

I didn't like where all those rats were hiding, you know in little nooks and crannies. I kept clicking on them, because I thought I was supposed to do something about them, and it confused me when the computer didn't do anything. And it was confusing when the guy with the steel shutters didn’t throw the hat out right away, when I clicked on it. I thought there was no point to that dude.

Also, in the part where some guy says, "click on the number that comes right AFTER... 24"? Well, big problem on that. It was kind of difficult for me to get through it, because, NO ACTUAL NUMBERS APPEARED! But I wanted to get on with the game, so I just clicked anywhere, and, by process of elimination, I finally finished.

And in the room where everything is dark, I think Mia should say to look for a candle right away. I mean, the reason the game is so interesting is because of all those little bits, with using the seesaw to catapult into the garden and all that. And once I've figured out how to make those work, the game isn't interesting.

I think that the age range for the game was pretty accurate. The math parts were kind of easy, but my age is at the top of the list. My brother, who is much younger than I, thought it was funny how at the VERY beginning that Sam spider guy spat at us.

Review by Rebecca L.