Montezuma Puzzle 3 Premium
Mindprint Rating
Tags
Mathematics
^21st Century Skills
All Ages
Android App
Skills
Flexible Thinking
Working Memory
Abstract Reasoning
Spatial Perception
Mindprint Expert Review
Pros
- Simple yet effective design makes the game engaging but not distracting.
- Students can play with no hints to as many as they need to solve each puzzle.
- Requires students to rely on strong visual reasoning and perception skills.
Considerations
- The app includes no instructions so students will need to play with icons to determine what they can and cannot do the first time they play.
- Several distracting ads pop up on the home screen every time the app is reopened, though they do not interfere with gameplay.
Mindprint Expert Review
Montezuma 3 is an excellent, well-designed puzzle app that all students can enjoy and expect a visual challenge. Each level requires a student to correctly place different shapes of connected hexagons to complete a puzzle. Each puzzle has one solution but no timer and unlimited hints. Students can engage in as much trial-and-error as needed and still gain the full 3 stars if they do not use the hints. The hints are one piece at a time and can be used to solve the full puzzle. The background music and graphics are appealing but not distracting. This is a great choice because it is challenging yet all students can have success. *Note: This app was originally reviewed for iPad/iPhone. Some differences might apply.
Academic Benefits
Improves academic skills
- Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
- Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
- Presents educational concepts accurately
- Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
- Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
- Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
- Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)
Fun
Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range
- Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
- Subject matter and problems are relevant, interesting and authentic to students
- Visually appealing to children in the target age range
- Provides virtual rewards or incentives after meeting specified goals or objectives
- Provides a "break activity" between academic problem sets
- Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
- Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option
Easy to Use
Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range
- Has a free or trial version
- Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
- Provides an age-appropriate tutorial/first time users can work independently
- Student should be able to use independently after first use
- Has a multi-player option to foster in-person collaboration or cooperation
- Multiple users can save a profile
- Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
- Can play without sound and not distract others
- Students can save work between sessions
- Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
- Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
- Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
- Overall - Easy to use