Calculator: The Game by Simple Machine puts a charming face on an otherwise ordinary object, to make it your new robo-friend. This is one of those titles that comes up with a totally unique gameplay mechanic. This is a funny, simple to understand, but challenging game to perform mathematical calculations using the calculator.
Calculator: The Game Gameplay
You are presented with a calculator, but it is not a standard one. There are only a few numbers and operations available. On the top of the calculator, are two labels. One shows a number of available moves, and the other shows a particular goal. Now, what you have to do is reach the target number, within the number of moves available, by smartly juggling the numbers and operations. For example you might be presented with 5, 2, + and x, and asked to make the number 12 within three moves. Each puzzle within the game provides a limited number of moves, a goal number to attain and a series of operations that can be performed.
The game steadily increases in difficulty through the levels, and you will need to think of all kinds of ways to solve the mathematical puzzles presented. When it gets really interesting is with the introduction of keys that are not there in standard calculators. This may be removing the last digit, reversing the sequence of numbers, swapping a particular number with another, and even portals! There are also nth powers and roots thrown into the mix. In the later, more complicated levels, you have to think through and juggle multiple operations to actually arrive at the goal. There is a lot of free gameplay provided you don’t need many hints – and if you do you are eligible for one free hint per day by watching a video, or you could purchase hints through an in-app purchase. There are non-intrusive footer ads as well as pop-up ads, but you can get rid of them via an in-app purchase (everything but the lowest in-app purchase will remove ads).
Thing is, you cannot even use a real calculator to solve the problems, because of the special operations and keys that the game introduces.
Calculator: The Game Verdict
Then there are a bunch of endearing touchers, such as Clicky, which is a digital assistant that behaves like an unholy offspring of Clippy and Claptrap, as well as a fully functional solar panel to juice up your phone while the app is running. Simple Machine has done a good job with their charming and cute robo-protagonist, and you should give it a try.
SKOAR – 7/10
MOAR
Publisher: Simple Machine
Developer: Simple Machine
Platform: Android / iOS
Price: Free
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Aditya Madanapalle
Aditya Madanapalle, has studied journalism, multimedia technologies and ancient runes, used to make the covermount DVDs when they were still a thing, but now focuses on the science stories and features. View Full Profile
