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Crayon Physics Deluxe scores a definite 5/5!

This game is intuitive, innovative and incredibly fun. A good friend bought this for my 5 and 9 year old daughters and within minutes they were happily navigating their way through the game.

The game consists of a series of puzzles, of gradually increasing difficulty. The graphics are stunningly simple, modeled after a child's crayon drawings. The goal of each level is to successfully direct a ball, that starts in one location on the screen, to hit a yellow star located elsewhere. All the laws of physics apply, meaning that the ball will fall due to gravity, it will bounce and ricochet and will gradually slow to a halt due to inertia.

The player has mouse control of a crayon, and draws directly into the game to bridge gaps, weigh down items and generally make a path for the ball to travel through to hit the star and complete the level. Levels increase in difficulty steadily, introducing only one new concept at a time. This allows even young children to master the concepts easily. It is an incredibly fun way to introduce complex theories like pivots, levers and hinges. In no time at all both girls were in fits of laughter with the amazing paths and contraptions they were inventing.

The game is well designed and executed. I not only had a great time playing with my kids on the game, but also enjoyed the game play itself. It has staying power and excellent re-playability as the potential solutions are only limited by the player's imagination. Add to that the benefits of an easy to master level editor, and once you have conquered the basic concepts you can create your own puzzles and challenge your friends family.

Fortunately the sound effects on the game are low key, and not too repetitive, so they don't become irritating with extended use and once you purchase the game you are entitled to load it onto any computer you own.

Crayon Physics Deluxe offers incredible value for money and would make a great gift for kids of any age. Think incredible machine meets tux paint! It is a great game to add to your collection, and one to keep in mind as a birthday gift.

Learn more about this author, Julie Wood.
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