By Michelle Curtis on August 6, 2014 at 2:04pm
I am, by no means, a fan of math. As an English major in college, I loathed the fact that I was forced to take Algebra and Calculus when I could have used that schedule time for another Brit Lit course or even creative writing. However, it is a necessary evil, and in the case of Little Worlds Interactive's “The Counting Kingdom,” it is the force which vanquishes wave after adorable wave of monsters.
Story
There's not really much in terms of story. More or less, it's the basic premise of any tower defense game. You play a young magician who protects his castle from hordes of adorable, number-bearing monsters. You must defeat them by matching them to your numbered spells. There are elements of strategy involved, though, especially once you get the Move potion, which allows you to move a single monster into one of the adjacent spaces.
Gameplay
The controls are simple and straightforward. Point-and-click on the monsters whose numbers you want to add, then click on the spell (which is essentially the sum) you want to use. You have to choose monsters in adjacent squares in order to add them. As you progress in the game, you encounter new monsters with larger numbers on them. You can add your spells together and even change out spells. Be careful, though! If you change out the spells, you skip your spell phase, and the monsters progress closer to your castle.
Later stages add potions which allow you to subtract or add to the monster's number which can be very helpful if you don't have a sum that matches in your available spells. There are a variety of potions aside from the addition/subtraction potions that give you more options for strategy. Some stages even include multiplication tiles that increase a monster's value when they stand in that space.
If you choose the wrong spell to destroy the monster(s) you've selected, it tells you that the sum of the monsters is too small and allows you to choose again. While this may not be an issue for some players, those who aren't reading well yet may have some minor difficulties with some of the instructions. However, there are some visual instructions for how to apply potions and add spells that can help. Depending on the age of the player, some parental assistance may be helpful.
Graphics
“The Counting Kingdom” had a very storybook feel to it especially in terms of colors. There were so many beautiful, vibrant colors. The monsters were so adorable, I almost hated to cast spells on them! Each monster has a corresponding number, so there is a variety of little creatures coming at you. My favorite was either 3 (a two-legged monster with a tail and little sprigs of hair on his head) or 10 (who looked like a little tree).
The stages themselves were just as well put together as the monsters. As you completed a world, you were treated to a welcome sign for the next area. It was fun to finish an area and see what the next one held as each world's entrance had its own theme and design. Even the overworld with its many castles was beautifully rendered.
Sound
The sound was simple, soothing, and melodic. It had a very classical feel to it; classical music has often been associated with higher brain function, so this was a great choice in terms of background music.
Creature sounds and atmospheric elements (e.g. birds chirping and trees rustling) gave the game a very adventurous feel. It helped create a fun environment, and at times, I almost forgot I was playing an educational game.
Overall
This was a very cute, fun, and educational game. My biggest problem with educational games is that they often beat you over the head with their purpose. While “The Counting Kingdom” was first and foremost an educational math game, there were times where I didn't feel like it was overly educational. It doesn't hold your hand as much as many educational games do. It was engaging and entertaining in additional to being educational.
That being said, it is a great way to introduce children into strategy and tower defense style games. The elements of both these types of games add a layer of depth to this game, ultimately making it enjoyable to many different age groups.
Currently, "The Counting Kingdom" is on sale on Steam for $8.99.
