"Did you ever hear the one about 288 - I can't tell you... it's 2 gross!"

Atari 2600 - Basic Math

Looking back at all of the old Atari games, and for that matter games from any system, that the sole purpose for creating the game was so that a child would be educated, I realize that they were setting a bad precedent of parents not being parents and allowing video games to have too large of an effect on people's lives. At the same time, I can do nothing but praise the companies for making a game that could actually help someone learn as opposed to just keep them in front of the television set.

In any event, Basic Math is a learning game that teaches the four basic principles of math, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Don't snicker at the title and move on your way. I have not met many people that have been able to get 10 out of 10 right in the division section of the game.

Gameplay
Basic Math is a fun game for me, however I am a math super-nerd. I never really thought that the concept of math would translate into a smooth playing game, and for the most part, I was correct. Nothing specifically stands out in my mind as making Basic Math a ''bad'' game, likewise, nothing stands out in my mind as making it a ''good'' game.

The game will give you two sets of numbers, you must find the solution (in some modes you will also have a time limit). You can change the numbers and the place column that you are in. That is the concept of Basic Math.

Controls
The controls are very easy to learn, very easy. You will start off with a blinking icon. You will then move the joystick either up or down to change the number. If you need to change the place column, simply hit left or right. Once you feel that the answer that you have is correct, hit the action button. They could not be easier to learn, and there is also no reason that they should be any harder to create. Basic Math is a very simple game targeted towards younger children, in that logic, they created a game that young children could play easily.

Graphics
Harsh. I know I am being kind of rough with the graphics seeing as though it is Atari, but still, they are just bad. The numbers are very blocky, there are many different ways that they could have been done to make the numbers look better, but most looked like they were done in a few seconds without much attention being paid to making curved letters looked, well curved. Most of the color schemes are just painful to look at. They do not compliment each other and after a little while you will begin to feel that sharp squeezing feeling on the side of your eyes. Ouch.

Challenge
The challenge varies from game to game, and even more so, from person to person. I feel that most people will not have a problem with the addition and subtraction. But the multiplication will certainly have many people getting problems wrong. I go to the largest public school in Ohio, it is very sad to see how many people do not know how to perform basic multiplicative functions. The division, well just about everyone will have problems with those. You will be asked problems that you will be forced to figure out problems that go into the decimal places. Eight divided by six... anyone?

Sound
Lalalalala. You know that noise that little kids make when they are in arguments with other little kids and they are wrong but do not want to admit it? That ''la la la, I'm not listening''? Quit looking at me weirdly, you know what I am talking about. Anyway, you just might want to revert back to that childhood tactic while playing Basic Math.

Options
There are a surprisingly large amount of different options that Basic Math has. You are able to control what type of math you would like to practice / learn. You can set a time limit on yourself. You have the ability to work with specific numbers only. There are a lot of things that you can do with Basic Math. It makes for a very enjoyable game, and allows for a lot of challenge for just about any level of mathematician.

Overall
Basic Math is just a plain old average game. Depending on how you look at it, the concept of it is a great one, teach people. However, it can also be inferred that Video Games have taken parents out of the lives of their children, even more so than they already are. That is irrelevant to the fact that Basic Math is fun, and easy, but not so great to look at and listen to. Basic Math fall right in the middle of the video game spectrum.. a disappointing ''average''.

5/10

Reviewer's Score: 5/10, Originally Posted: 03/07/04