What makes Mathamagica different from other math games?

The player selects a set of skills on which to concentrate, but these skills are not exercised in a predictable order. Questions appear randomly, in the form of popup entry questions or as part of a spontaneously occuring mini-game such as the Word Problem or Sequence-completion activity. This makes the software feel much more like a game than a skill exercise. The player is constantly surprised.

Is the game challenging enough?

There are 5 skill levels to choose from. The most difficult (Expert Level) is usually quite challenging even for adults under the time constraints involved in the game. A pencil and paper is recommended.

When can the skill level be selected or modified?

The skill level is selected at the beginning of each game in the Sign In screen and does not change until that run of the game has been completed. This allows the player to practice a selected set of skills at a fixed level and makes the performance statistics gathered during a game more meaningful by reflecting how the player has performed at that selected skill level.

How many different types of activities are there?

Aside from entry questions, there are 10 different types of activities which appear randomly at any time during play, each having their own themes, animation and presentation of questions.

How many riddles are there?

Each time a game is played, 5 clues are gathered. At the end of the game, the 5 clues form a riddle which the player must solve. There are 15 different possible outcomes to the clues, but the riddles may be presented in several different formats, including rhymes, description word clues, scrambled letter clues, missing letter clues, etc. Therefore, even though a riddle may have a familiar answer, the difference in the way clues are presented makes it seem like a whole new puzzle to solve. Riddle formats can be selected at the beginning of a game.

What if the riddle is too hard for my child?

Hints are given to players who are having trouble solving a riddle. If after a set number of guesses, the riddle still remains unsolved, the game reveals the answer.

Can the timer be paused during a game? YES.

What if my child has trouble reading?

There is a great deal of vocal instruction provided during the game. The word problem games even have a Sound button which reads the problem out loud if desired.

Is the player's status saved when the game is exited?

YES. The player's status is saved every time a question is answered, so that whenever the game is started up, the player can resume play exactly where they left off.

Can kids with different skill levels use the same copy of the game?

YES. It is possible to create up to 10 different players per installation. Each player has an individual record attached, keeping track of that player's selected skill level, skill set, current game statistics and game history. This makes it possible for one installation to serve a whole household of children at once.

What if my child does not fall within the recommended age range?

The ages recommended (7 to 11) are not set in stone. Some more advanced 6 year-olds can handle it (with some parental guidance), and some 12 year-olds still have fun playing.

Is there a description of all available Skill Levels?

YES. An explanation of skill levels can be found through the Help menu.

Can sound be turned off?