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SpaceChem
By Chad Sapieha,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Extremely challenging puzzler best suited for older kids.
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SpaceChem
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What’s It About?
SPACECHEM puts players in the shoes of a trainee reactor engineer who works to design circuits that act as paths for molecules and their constituent atoms. The player must develop chemical compounds and place commands that change the behavior of \"waldos\" as they move along the circuit grabbing, dropping off, and otherwise manipulating chemical compounds. Molecular cycles are tracked to mark players' efficiency as they work to create specific types of products and deliver them to output areas. As players progress, they eventually work with multiple reactors spread across a planet, where the work from one reactor impacts that of another, creating a complex production map. The current version of the game on computers also supports a sandbox mode in which players can experiment as well as create user-generated puzzles.
Is It Any Good?
SpaceChem is one of those niche games that only appeals to a select few, but if you're one of them you're likely to be passionate about it. In this case, those people are kids and adults with a natural aptitude for disciplines including chemistry, math, programming, and engineering. The chemistry at work here is fictional, but the logic is similar, as are most of the terms. Working on these "visual program" puzzles -- all of which have open-ended solutions that provide room for creative reasoning -- is like attacking logic problems the same way engineers do: there's no one right answer, but there are more efficient answers. Finding them is part of the fun.
Unfortunately, those who fall outside this group may find the bombardment of complicated rules and unfamiliar terms to be overwhelming and off-putting. This is nothing like Tetris or Bejeweled. SpaceChem offers up some extremely demanding puzzles that you're unlikely to solve -- or at least solve efficiently -- by fluke. Don't be dissuaded by the difficulty; just know you that you need to be up for a serious challenge.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about using logic to solve problems. What sorts of real-world problems have you solved simply by thinking about them and noodling out an answer? Do you think you're good at it? Is this the sort of thing you'd like to do for a living?
Families can also discuss science. Do you enjoy thinking about how things work at microscopic or macroscopic levels? Do you find you have a facility for clearly envisioning abstract ideas and seeing how they might connect? Which have you enjoyed more, your classes in chemistry or your schoolwork in physics?
Game Details
- Platforms: Linux , Mac , Windows
- Subjects: Science : engineering, chemistry, Math : patterns, sequences
- Skills: Thinking & Reasoning : analyzing evidence, applying information, logic, solving puzzles, Emotional Development : developing resilience, persevering, Creativity : developing novel solutions, imagination, producing new content, Self-Direction : effort, motivation, work to achieve goals
- Pricing structure: Paid ($9.99)
- Available online?: Not available online
- Publisher: Zachtronics Industries
- Release date: March 2, 2011
- Genre: Puzzle
- Topics: Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating: NR for No Descriptors
- Last updated: September 25, 2017
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