Pirates Undercover
Approx. price: £14.99
Age range: 5+
Website: www.learningresources.co.uk
Pirates Undercover is part of Learning Resources’ new Smart Games line, promising as much educational value as entertainment. Logic, problem-solving and strategy skills are all targeted, with the fun pirate theme sure to catch the eye of youngsters.
The game is deceptively simple. The board is divided into four sections, each with various colourful pirate pictures. There’s a desert island, red- and white-sailed ships, a cave hideaway and a pirate in a rowing boat.
There are also four puzzle pieces, each of a rather unusual shape. When placed over the sections of the board they leave only some of the pictures visible – and this is the key to the game.
The game guide booklet includes 48 challenges. You are presented with a picture, which will include a varying number of the different picture elements from the game board. The aim is to use the four shaped pieces to cover up unwanted pictures while leaving the required ones visible.
There are four levels of difficulty. At the Starter level you get hints – you are shown which way round the playing pieces need to be placed (all four pieces at first, then fewer as the level progresses).
In the Junior level you are not given any hints and the combinations of pictures get progressively more challenging as you move through the Expert and Master levels.
This promises to keep the game challenging as children get the hang of it, while providing a relatively simple introduction to get them started. At all levels, the simple pictorial nature of the game guide makes it easy for children to play on their own.
Playability is helped by the build quality of the game board and puzzle pieces, which sit nicely in the hand while you’re weighing up your options. The glossy game guide also adds to the impression of quality.
The game itself proved to be addictive. Adults as well as children were instantly hooked and the steady progression in difficulty stops the game from becoming dull. Children get a real sense of accomplishment when they solve a challenge and want to move on to the next one right away.
The result is a game that stretches the mind, but never fails to entertain at the same time.
Durability: 5/5
Longevity: 4/5
Value: 4/5
Score: 90%
Conclusion: A cracking game that scores highly on both entertainment and educational value.
