Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that this software offers only one educational arcade game. However, the math content can be drilled on four different levels, so kids can choose to practice addition and subtraction or test their knowledge of multiplication and division. Players may get frustrated by the unresponsive arrow pad.
Families can talk about educational video games. Is a video game a good way to practice math facts? Do you like it better or worse than other learning methods? Can you think of any drawbacks to learning this way?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jinny Gudmundsen
COSMIC MATH is Leapfrog's version of the mega-hit Asteroids. Kids answer math equations by turning their spaceship 360 degrees to blast an incoming numbered space rock.
The player's spaceship is located in the middle of the screen, and numbered asteroids orbit around the spaceship while slowly spiraling inward. A correct hit stops the incoming asteroids from striking the spaceship, but an incorrect hit causes the rock to explode, which sends harmful debris toward the ship.
Kids use the arrow pad to turn their ship, and they shoot by pushing the "A" button. The arrow pad is a little unresponsive, which makes this game more frustrating to play than the similiar (but less difficult) Number Raiders.
This game is for kids ages 6 to 10 and offers four levels of math difficulty. The problems range from sums and differences up to 20 on level 1, to division and multiplication questions through 12 on levels 3 and 4. Two-player competitions are possible in which each player completes a round on the chosen level of difficulty and then scores are compared.
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