 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
SpongeBob Marbles & Slides
- iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook HD
- Price: $1.99-$3.99
- Category: Puzzle Games
Common Sense Media says
Fun and varied physics puzzler set in Bikini Bottom.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that SpongeBob Marbles & Slides is a strategic and thoughtful physics puzzle game that just happens to use characters and settings from the popular cartoon. There's a bizarre storyline in which the greedy Plankton has somehow transformed SpongeBob and Patrick into marbles and sent them down a drain so he could steal the secret formula to Krabby Patties. But that plot is only related to quick lines of written dialogue in between levels and has little to do with the actual gameplay. The game itself focuses on using a wide-ranging array of techniques (tilting, drawing, deflecting, etc.) to guide marbles toward an exit.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn about physics as they create slides and runs to direct marbles. In doing so, they'll observe two of Newton's laws, seeing that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless an external force is applied, and seeing how factors influence an object's motion. Kids will develop thinking and reasoning skills as they predict how the marbles will react to obstacles. The erase feature, which gives players the chance to erase their paths and redo them, allows kids to develop persistence and learn from mistakes. SpongeBob Marbles & Slides is a fun experience in the physics of pinball.
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoningproblem solving, solving puzzles
- Creativitydeveloping novel solutions
- Self-Direction
- Emotional Developmentdeveloping resilience, persevering
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Responsibility & Ethics
- Tech Skills
- Health & Fitness
What's it about?
Kids use a finger to draw lines to create runs and slides, and then press buttons and tilt the device, similar to playing a pinball machine, to move the SpongeBob-marble on designated paths, past obstacles, and through different levels. At beginning levels, kids can follow guidelines to draw a path for the marbles to follow. As they advance through levels, the environment offers objects to aid and obstacles to hinder the marbles moving toward the goal. Players are rewarded with objects to be used in other levels.
Is it any good?
There are plenty of marble-game apps out there, including ones in which you tilt your device to roll marbles through a maze, ones in which you draw lines to guide marbles, and ones in which you bounce marbles around like pinballs -- but SPONGEBOB MARBLES & SLIDES does all of that in one game. Plus more. The combination of different techniques is what keeps this app feeling fresh and fun, whether you're a SpongeBob fan or not.
In addition, you'll also see levels in which you need to roll over switches to open doors, and levels in which you use magnets to pull marbles in different directions. It's almost like a Greatest Hits app for marble games. The SpongeBob story is undeniably strange, though, as if the writers had a really hard time trying to come up with a plot in which SpongeBob could be a marble.
What kids can learn
Kids can learn about physics as they create slides and runs to direct marbles. In doing so, they'll observe two of Newton's laws, seeing that an object in motion tends to stay in motion unless an external force is applied, and seeing how factors influence an object's motion. Kids will develop thinking and reasoning skills as they predict how the marbles will react to obstacles. The erase feature, which gives players the chance to erase their paths and redo them, allows kids to develop persistence and learn from mistakes. SpongeBob Marbles & Slides is a fun experience in the physics of pinball.
Subjects
- Language & Reading:
- Math:
- Science: gravity, motion, physics
- Social Studies:
- Arts:
- Hobbies:
Skills
- Thinking & Reasoning: problem solving, solving puzzles
- Creativity: developing novel solutions
- Self-Direction:
- Emotional Development: developing resilience, persevering
- Communication:
- Collaboration:
- Responsibility & Ethics:
- Tech Skills:
- Health & Fitness:
How kids will learn
In this engaging physics-based game, kids will learn how objects in motion can be stopped or directionally changed by encountering another object. Kids will visualize the marble's path and use trial and error to create a path to get the marbles from point A to point B. Kids choose the path the marbles must take to get to the destination. Players are, in a way, creating their own pinball machine and playing the game as well.
How parents can help
- Discuss simple machines with your child. Point out examples of slides, levers, pulleys, and wheels that you encounter.
- Create a marble run at home by taping cardboard paper towel and toilet paper rolls and other objects from around the house to a wall. Experiment with different placements for different outcomes.
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Kid, 10 years old
March 29, 2011
AGE
It is sussposed to be easy to play because it is fun and easy for all ages!
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Kid, 10 years old
July 22, 2011
AGE
great
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| Category: | Puzzle Games |
| Platforms: | iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Nook HD |
| Price: | $1.99-$3.99 |
| Publisher: | MTV Networks |
| Version: | 1.0 |
| Release date: | October 8, 2010 |
| Minimum software requirements: | iOS 3.0 or later, Android 2.2 and up |
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