Circuit Maze

I am an avid board game fan with a collection that spans well over 100 core boxes, expansions, etc. But, before ThinkFun, I didn't own any sins.cgle player board games. Now I'm awash with single player board games, and Circuit Maze is the newest addition to the fold. And, did I mention...? It's electrified! In the box is a blue 5x5 game grid, 60 challenge cards, 2 legend cards, 1 linked positive/negative token, 3 beacons, and 13 pathway tokens. You use the challenge cards to layout each puzzle. You're then given a list of the pathway tokens you must use to light up the appropriate beacons. Each challenge card gets progressively more difficult. Now, in solving your electrical circuit puzzle there are a few things you must avoid so as not to damage your tokens/beacons. But, don't stress too much, these are explained in relatively simple language with accompanying illustrations in the instruction booklet. To that end you'll also learn some of the basics about electricity, current, resistance, all why the game builds on your sequential reasoning and logic skills. Because this is an "electric current" logic game, you will need 3 AAA batteries which, unfortunately, are not included. Don't let that stop you. The game is fun, and at the higher challenge levels it can be a formidable brain teaser, which I absolutely love. I did have some issues with the blue game board being a bit too squishy, which meant the pieces weren't always completely seated, they would occasionally pop out of place or give a false negative on an otherwise successful solution. Pros: - Challenging puzzles - Educational difficulty curve - Quality materials (for the most part) Cons: - Batteries not included - Possibility of frying your pieces - "Squishy" game board Takeaway: Another great single player, logic game from ThinkFun. This product was provided for free in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I tested it before gifting it and everything was working great. I had an unused small drawstring bag for brewing looseleaf tea, that I put over the main piece after putting in batteries. Other reviews say if a circuit accidentally forms in storage it can drain your batteries so really, a bag/box for isolating the power should be included. Changing the batteries is a bit of a pain (needs a screwdriver) so you don't want to risk draining them. The game itself seems pretty fun. I was bad at electricity back in highschool Physics classes, which is why I wanted to give my young relatives this game to help them get electricity concepts into their brains early on. But even a dolt like me can readily understand this game. I really don't think you even need to read the instructions, just dive in, as it's obvious what to do. You can read the instructions for ideas when you have trouble winning a round. My point is that even though electricity is confusing and complicated (to some of us!), this game is not. Aside from the twists the electricity adds, this is similar to games like Sudoku or Tetris. You are arranging a set of items according to simple rules. I love those sorts of games so I liked this a lot too. I also like that it is silent. It may have been more appealing to some kids if sound effects went off when the lights do but parents, and even some kids, get very tired of noisy toys. Fun, educational, peaceful... it's really an ideal gift. We gave it to 9 & 11 year olds but it seems like it would be great for a clever younger child (maybe as young as 7?) or a playful adult.

This is a single player game with levels ranging from beginner to expert. The point of the game is to take a challenge card and lay out the pieces on the game board then use the allotted pieces to create a circuit that lights up. The cards have the challenge on one side and the answer key on the reverse side to check your work (making this a really good problem solving activity for my oldest). My younger son likes to sit with me and work through the challenges together. We added a timer to make it a little more interesting/competitive for my boys who wanted to play this one player game together (the timer is not included- this was something extra we did to change it up). There are Challenge Cards, Path Pieces, Beacons, a Switch, a Blocker, and a Power Supply (please note that the Power Supply does not come with batteries -which is clearly stated on the box... so plan on having 3 AAA batteries on hand - or the game will not work). Pros: This is great for problem solving skills. The pieces are good sturdy pieces that I do not worry about breaking The markings on the pieces are very clear to see (defining which side is the positive and which is the negative) The challenge cards are very easy to read and understand and the solutions on the back of the card make it easy to check your own work. Cons: The Path Pieces are a little difficult to remove from the game box. They get stuck and I have to remove the plastic liner and push them out from behind in order for them to pop out - I continue putting them into the game box because it keeps the pieces well organized (so I guess this is both a pro and a con) I just wish they were easier to remove. Sometimes the pieces do not pop easily (and stay) into the game grid, making it difficult to always accurately check your work. A couple times we played through a challenge thinking that we were right and the pieces didn't light up because they were not in all the way - and would not stay in once pushed down. All in all I do like this product even though there are a couple things that I would tweak about it (make the game pieces easier to pop out of the game holder and easier to pop into the game grid). It is a fun game that is very different from other games out there. It is definitely good for working on problem solving skills and the different levels of play make it fun for both kids and adults. Disclosure: I received this product for free or at a discount in exchange for a fair and honest review. My thoughts and opinions are in no way influenced by others. I would give it a 5 star rating if the pieces popped into and stayed in the game grid better. And after playing this game I did go and search out more Think Fun games for my kids.

I got two sets for classroom use. My students love it and are so proud of themselves when they solve the puzzles. My students range from 10 to 14 years old. It seems to be most popular with the 11 year olds. In general, only one students uses them at a time, but sometimes they like to work together to figure the puzzles out. These are durable and have held up under consistent use and some pretty rough handling.

We love all these games! Great quality, engaging and educational. Adults will also want to play.

This game is such a fun challenge! It's easy to learn the rules. Very intuitive, I didn't even have to read instructions to figure it out. I went one by one from the easiest challenge and on. It's sturdy and well thought out! I love that it can be played by one person or by a couple or a few! And since there's a special way to store each piece, it's even fun to box it back up in it's box when you're through! For many ages. My 11 year old son likes to play it and so do I! I'll play it on my own at night for a fun and quick puzzle. I sometimes find a way to solve the puzzle in a different way than it's listed, and I don't love that it only gives one option as a way to solve it. But other than that. It's awesome!

My son was super excited when he got this as a gift. The puzzle aspect and problems solving skill development is well executed. The actual circuit connections are not always dependable and have a tendency to come loose. A few times he got the right solution to a challenge, but then we had to squeeze the pieces together very hard to get the lights to respond.

Perfect! great for lots of ages, has lots of levels and can be played accordingly