Logical Journey of the Zoombinis Taught Me More about Determination than Math

During the 90s, I played a lot of games that insisted they were educational. Some of them taught me a few things — I’m practically a freshwater fish expert — but most failed to live up to their grandiose claims.

The Logical Journey of the Zoombinis said it would help me build advanced math skills, something I desperately needed. Its box alleged it covered everything from data analysis to set theory, and it promised I’d have a little fun along the way.

Zoombinis

And Logical Journey of the Zoombinis did indeed provide me with hours of fun. I played the game over and over, creating hundreds of Zoombinis along the way. I wound up using my own money to buy both of its sequels, and I sunk hours into those as well.

But I’m pretty sure the only skill it taught me was determination.

logical journey zoombinis

Failing in the Zoombini games didn’t mean a game over. It simply meant a Zoombini or two would be sent back to the nearest checkpoint. It didn’t matter if you couldn’t grasp Zoombinis math-based games. Solutions would present themselves through process of elimination.

Math skills may have made the games easier, but they weren’t a necessary part of the equation. You could beat the game entirely through sheer force of will. As long as you were willing to keep trying, you could get through the end without learning a thing.

Zoombinis P

I actually think this may have been more valuable than lessons about math. I’m a writer; my life involves very little algebraic thinking. But forcing myself to keep trying things, even if I don’t understand what I’m doing? That’s a skill I use on a daily basis.

Maybe my life would have taken a different path if Logical Journey of the Zoombinis had taught me the math that it promised. Maybe I would have actually taken calculus, and maybe I would have chosen an entirely different career path.

But for better or worse, I’m pretty good with where my life it at right now now. And maybe, just maybe, I have Zoombinis to thank for that.

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GeoffHom
GeoffHom
3 years ago

Thanks for this. I just tried Zoombinis on iPad and was sorely disappointed. I’ve always been really into math and puzzles, but my brief attempt to enjoy Zoombinis failed. And I don’t think a person (or child) would really learn any math, despite the author’s opinions or lots of good reviews on Steam. However, I can see it teaching a lot of determination, because the game is kind of a slog, but like you said, you can just keep trying things randomly and you’ll eventually get to the end! Good for you for turning lemons into lemonade!

Mongoose
Mongoose
2 years ago

I think there’s been a misunderstanding here. Per its title, the game claimed to promote logical thinking, not actual math. And while simple trial and error might work initially, when playing on the higher difficulties it’s absolutely possible to lose every zoombini and have to restart the chapter, unless the player manages to put on their logical thinking cap. The manual for the game had a comprehensive, scientific breakdown of the skills it teaches. I suspect the author gained more than she realizes.

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