I know, I know, a math game probably isn’t on your list of must tries, but for those of us in the parenting trenches, finding ways to make math fun for younger players is a video game find worth its weight in gold. Tales of Mathasia is a fun, brightly colored mathematical title that is more like Animal Crossing than it is the Phantom Tollbooth that may be a solid choice for slightly older young gamers.
Plot Ahoy!
In the land of Mathasia, all the animals live peacefully under the rule of the Wise Royal Owl Family. However, a Dark Sorcerer has begun spreading corruption throughout the land, and the denizens of Mathasia need the great Hero who will master the arts of Mathematics which will be needed in order to free them from the plague of Everlasting Darkness.
Basically, Tales of Mathasia introduces you to a series of adorable creatures that seem to have been pulled from a Lisa Frank color palette, and you have to help them accomplish various tasks. You start with Mathilda (you see the pun in the name, right?), and she needs you to count flowers. Other characters will ask you to identify patterns and match numbers, but you won’t have the perfect matches available to you, you’ll have to drop your tiles into a well. As you go through these tasks, you’ll begin to run afoul of Dark Sorcerer Sparrow who corrupts the various task elements, you have to count or match them to return them to their uncorrupted states, and that’s really about it.
Review Notes
Overall, there are about sixteen stages spread across four territories, so you’ve got enough visual excitement to keep your youngsters occupied even if they could somehow become bored with the character and world designs. The characters are voiced, but there’s something really awkward about the tempo of the dialogue. It’s odd and doesn’t quite work. If that’s something that could be a problem for your players, you should be aware of it.
Speaking of the dialogue, there is… just so much of it. I don’t exactly know what age group Tales of Mathasia wishes to target. The difficulty of the tasks seems to imply a much younger crowd, but the dialogue is both really long and of varying enough complexity that it might overwhelm that same crowd. For example, you may find yourself having to explain the concept of corruption to your five-year-old. If that’s something you’re up for, well, you do you.
Some of the tasks seem a little complex as well. For example, younger gamers might not quite follow the concept of dumping your hand of tiles, which will be required for at least one of the tasks. Again, I’m not sure how old the target audience is for Tales of Mathasia, but it is entertaining enough that you can sit with your math enthusiast and work through the challenges together.
As I mentioned, visually, the game is bright, colorful, and upbeat. The soundtrack mirrors that vibe but can be a bit repetitive, as can the challenges, honestly. However, that’s great in a title for young gamers as you’re reinforcing skills and concepts. Just be aware if you’re the parent or adult working with them.
TLDR
Tales of Mathasia isn’t a perfect title for kiddos, but despite its flaws, it’s a solid way to encourage them to both learn and game at the same time. Tales of Mathasia seems to work best if a parent or adult is present to help, either by skipping the overly long dialogue or by helping players through the robust tutorial.
Tales of Mathasia currently retails for $0.79 on Steam, but that’s a limited time deal.
Stray Thoughts From Behind the Keyboard
- Y’all, Mathilda. I just couldn’t.
- The four biomes are the Uncountable Mountains, the Great Number Plains, The Dividing Forest, and the Multiplication Islands. So, there’s that.
- Tales of Mathasia focuses on counting, addition, and subtraction, so again, it seems to be targeting a much younger player. I’m just not sure it entirely works.