Bastion
LQ: 9.15
Recommended Age: 10+
Skills Used: Planning, Working Memory, Mathematics, Reading
In Elf Defense, players strategically place elf soldiers about the screen in an attempt to stop the invading humans from making their way across the map. Enemies travel along winding pathways, allowing players to set up various defenses along the way. As they play, players earn gold, which can be used to buy new towers, upgrade defenses and gain new abilities. Elf Defense features mild cartoon violence, some very basic reading and a moderate level of difficulty, so the game is recommended for players ages 8 and up.
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Arranging and coordinating materials in order to complete a task.
In Elf Defense, players earn access to several defensive units, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Icer can cast a spell on enemy units that slows their advance but does no damage, and the Sharpshooter fires a powerful arrow but can only attack flying enemies. Players should be aware of the abilities of each unit in order to develop a strong defensive perimeter, organizing units in positions that compliment one another.
Also, each map has a unique path that enemies follow, full of twists and turns. Often, maps will have at least one bottleneck or looping turn that players can use strategically to trap enemy units and thin their ranks. Players that fail to organize their defenses around such reach will have a much harder time advancing in the game.
Developing a systematic approach for setting and achieving goals.
Each unit in Elf Defense has a number of available upgrades, which increase the units' speed and power. There are also a number of special items, like Poison Bombs and Magic Boxes, that players can place on the track at any time to aid in battle. However, both upgrades and items cost Holy Leaves, which are earned both by clearing levels and by defeating enemies. Players must keep track of their items and their tower upgrades, carefully planning how to spend their Holy Leaves in order to handle the increasing challenges of new levels and larger wave of enemies.
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