Sokobond
By Mark Chen,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Clever game elegantly fuses puzzles with chemistry.
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Sokobond
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What’s It About?
SOKOBOND is essentially a new take on a puzzle genre most associated with a classic game called Sokoban. In these games -- sometimes referred to as "transport puzzles" -- players must slide blocks around on a grid to make a clear path to the level's exit. Sokobond's twist is that players manuever atoms instead of blocks, connecting them to form molecules based on real molecules. When a molecule gets formed, players get a surprisingly rewarding musical diddy, a nice animation, and a bit of chemistry trivia associated with the molecule that was just formed. It's a light, fun game, and the clean presentation style, simple color scheme, and mechanics are perfectly designed. The music is especially delightful, lending a gleeful sense of accomplishment and joy to the end of each level. Also, with each completed level, players move on to increasingly complex challenges.
Is It Any Good?
Sokobond is a pleasure to play, likely to have players grinning gleefuly and crinkling brows contemplatively in equal measure. There's an effortless perfection in its clean presentation style and clever mechanics, which breathe new life into a familiar genre through the lens of chemistry. That said, although the developers drew inspiration from the constraints that particular atoms provide, Sokobond doesn't attempt to accurately model chemistry. Players will, however, gain exposure to molecules and get little chemistry tidbits here and there. By nature of its tricky and addictive puzzles, Sokobond also gets players exercising logical reasoning and lateral thinking and loving every minute of it.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can explore how closely Sokobond models how molecules actual work.
Families can discuss the Sokoban genre of puzzle games. Are there other games you've played that have similar mechanics? How do you see the real world modeling the block-pushing puzzle genre?
Game Details
- Platforms: Linux, Mac, Windows
- Subjects: Science: chemistry
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning: logic, solving puzzles
- Pricing structure: Paid
- Available online?: Available online
- Publisher: Alan Hazelden and Harry Lee
- Release date: August 27, 2013
- Genre: Puzzle
- Topics: Science and Nature
- ESRB rating: NR
- Last updated: August 25, 2016
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