Fantastic time waster. This should be portable!

User Rating: 7.6 | Crazy Machines: The Wacky Contraptions Game PC
I bought this game not long ago for my 9 year old. I thought he spent too much time playing Super Smash Bros and wanted him to think a little when playing games.

I installed it on my machine (as I normally do) and fired it up so I could have a game, get familiar with it in case of future support requests from him.

After 3 hours I reliased I had gone beyond the basic support training and was actually enjoying the game. "Just one more" was the catchphrase of the night. I finished one puzzle and just had to have a go at the next one.

I finally installed it on my son's pc and he loves it too. Whats even better is when he asks for help I can wander in and give him good hints on how to solve the puzzle. He doesn't get too frustrated and I look like a superhero :) It occupies a lot of his conversation these days, and he has been building his own "inventions" for me to try out. I plan on doing the same for him.

One thing I would have liked in the game is the ability to try the current level again. Wheny ou have finished it, you can move to the next one, watch a reply of how you did it, or watch a replay of the suggested solution. It would be nice to tinker and think of even more ways to solve it.

There are a couple of levels in the game that aren't thought out too well. eg, one of them already works without you having to change anything. Some are very difficult, but generally well laid out and you can get a feel for what the puzzle makers want you to do.

Overall it's a fun and cheap gane, and a great way to get your kids thinking and spend some intellectual time with them!