Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
Luke Skywalker, Hans Solo and Obi Wan Kenobi go bird-brained in this wacky Angry Birds spin-off. Players will use a host of new powers and abilities, using lightsabers, blaster pistols and the force itself to take down the Imperial Army. Levels consist of structures made up of various materials, each of varying strength, weight and durability, which players must take down in an effort to defeat the Imperial Pigs scattered across the stage. Players begin by looking over the stage and choosing the angle in which to fling their Rebel forces. Each bird is modeled after a Star Wars character, with special abilities that can be activated by tapping the screen after launch. Doing so allows players to shoot enemies, swing a lightsaber for extra power, use the force to push pigs and material out of the way, and more. Depending on the amount of pigs defeated and number of birds used, players are awarded up to three stars per stage, and can replay them to improve their score.
Angry Birds Star Wars is a great educational game for practicing Planning and Flexibility, and is available on iPhone, iPod, iPad, Android (including Kindle), Windows Phone, PS3, PS Vita, Wii U, Wii, 3DS, PC and Mac. The game is easy to play and features a colorful, goofy presentation with only minimal cartoon violence, making it recommended to kids ages 5 and up.
Teachers: check out the classroom guide!
Adapting and adjusting to changing conditions and expectations.
As players progress through the game, they'll be granted new powers which augment the gameplay. This means changing strategies and adapting to new mechanics continually, using these new abilities to good effect in order to take down structures and earn a three-star rating. Furthermore, the game introduces new obstacles and materials level to level, tasking players with coming up with new ways to approach puzzles. Hitting a structure head on may work early in the game, but eventually complex structures made of sturdy material must be toppled, requiring players to experiment with different powers and angles in order to land on a working solution.
Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.
At the start of each stage, players can take a long-view look at the entirety of the puzzle, allowing them to analyze structures and pinpoint the locations of the pigs they must take out. Also, behind their slingshot resides the limited amount of birds they get to fling before the level ends. They are lined up in the order in which they'll be fired, requiring player to think ahead and formulate a plan that puts each bird and its respective power to good use. For instance, if a stage gives players an Obi Wan bird to begin with, followed by Han Solo birds, it may be a good idea to use Obi Wan's force push to move heavy material out of the way, then soar over as Hans Solo to take out the pigs with the blaster pistol.
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