Algebalance

It seems that for as long as there has been mathematics, there have been allegorical puzzles, involving trains, foxes, chickens, imaginary grocers and so on. Algebalance, a new app game from Irish developers Rongella, continues the noble tradition. A cute introduction tells us of furry little creatures in a laboratory called "Vumbles". You're tasked with balancing them on scales with weights. Every Vumble has its own weight value, and you have to ensure that only one Vumble remains on the left scale. Move and remove weights and Vumbles accordingly to get the balance right. These puzzles (across more than 80 levels) are aimed at 8-12 year olds and are intended to teach them the basics of algebra before they begin it in school. It's well thought out – the delicacy of the scales means you have to keep them vaguely balanced throughout the puzzle, so blind trial and error are out. Whether kids will choose this over-competing games remains to be seen, but it's more intellectually nourishing than your average app game, and certainly more endearing than equations on a copybook. algebalance.com