I recently wrote that too many educational computer games look too educational and are not fun to play.  I have recently, however, come across a couple of causal games that although they don’t set out to be educational actually are, but are also addictive and fun.   Casual games are simple, cheap games that are easy, yet compelling to play.   The first game Drop 7  by area/code is a game involving numbers but also works a bit like Tetris.  To play you have to drop different balls with numerals inside into rows or columns and try and ensure that the numerals and the number of balls match i.e. every time you line five balls up the ones with the numeral 5 in them disappears.  I think that this game, without intending to, actually reinforces numerosities,  which is the ability to automatically recognise the number of objects in a set.  Understanding Numerosities is associated with the intraparietal sulcus in the brain and is the foundation for the development of mathematical thinking.  Individuals with dyscalculia (maths dyslexia) have difficulties with this concept.   I don’t think the designers knew this and just designed an addictive clever game.   But it would be interesting to research whether this does actually help children and especially those with developmental dyscalculia to develop in terms of maths.   In the meantime at the least it is a good fun way for children to reinforce automatic number understanding.

The second game by one of my favourite casual gaming companies Popcap is called Bookworm.  In this game you have a grid of letter tiles and have to create words out of them.  You get points for the complexity of the word.  You also have to use up a burning tile before it reaches the bottom of the page (it goes down one step every time).  It is a fun, fast moving, compelling game but improves word knowledge and spelling at the same time.  Popcap are great at developing addictive simple games such as Bejeweled and Peggle.  It is great to see that they can use the same principles to create games that are educational.

I should note that both games are also just fun for adults and children to play.  Me and my children enjoying playing them as well as other games just to relax.  They are great on the iphone.  I am sure that they are good at producing increased levels of dopamine (the reward neurotransmitter) in my brain!