Math Rescue

This game is amazing!

Math Rescue ist der Nachfolger von Word Rescue und ein 90er Jahre Platformer mit "Bildungsauftrag". In diesem Spiel springt man von Platform zu Platform und löst zwischendurch noch mathematische Aufgaben die für Kinder im Alter von 6-9 Jahren lösbar sind. Hier wurde in den frühen 90er Jahren versucht PC-Spiele mit Bildung zu kombinieren. Das ist auch soweit gut gelungen, aber eben auch nur für die angegebene Altersklasse.

Struggling to get your kid to stay away from TikTok and chatGPT in order to learn mathematical operations? Sucks to be you, but here's a DOS game regardless. Yes, the 1992 not-so-hit not-so-sensation Math Rescue, a 2D platformer that, in all seriousness, works more than adequately for the time it was released. It features the basic operations you know and (maybe) love: sum, subtraction, multiplication and division as well as some problems to interpret which ones you should use. Also, not only does the game motivate you to do them right in order to progress but to avoid getting a game over from the balance you need to make from your shields (lids in this case) and attacks (slime). Run out of slime, then you have to avoid touching enemies which is easier said than done. However, run out of lids or fall off, then you have to play the stage again. Of course, from these last sentences you might start to wonder if the game's too challenging and it isn't but it doesn't pull any punches either. You need to perform well on the jumps and fortunately the controls work well for that. Jump is measured by button press length so you can maneuver with that. Furthermore, not all the collectibles are necessary, they are there so that you can get a higher score which depending on your ambition to compare to your friends might be your way to replay some levels and find secret areas. Who knows, you may even become a new Math Rescue speedrunner (yes they exist). Coming back to this title so many years after I had first played it back in 1997 was like meeting my kid self and doing them a favour by finishing the fight. Next up is Word Rescue which I'm hoping surprises me in a similar vein.

Math Rescue is a fun, educational game I played sometimes as a child, and again as an adult after purchasing the 3D Realms Anthology. The bundle was an insane deal with many great games (I couldn't help, but notice this bundle is missing from Steam now). Math Rescue wasn't my favorite, but as a child, it was simple fun. Now, it seems dated, but a nice trip down nostalgia lane. The game play is split between doing platforming (similar to Commander Keen or some other titles from 3D Realms of the time), and solving math problems. Your goal is to reach the end of each level, and recover all of the numbers as an evil mastermind is stealing all of the numbers (how evil). Of course this is targeted at youths, so don't expect quadratic equations or calculating vectors, lol. The graphics are what you would expect for the time, but still charming to look at. The audio is very crunchy, and discordant as sound adapters were relatively new for computers. No issues or crashes, just wacky game play, and weird controls. I definite recommend for fans of old platformers, 3D Realms and their "good old days" titles, or those that are curious.

I played this game as a kid back when it was on those giant floppy disks on DOS. I remember begging my parents to get the third level, the candyland level, and when the disk came in the mail, it didn't work. I cried about it. Now I can finally play it. Not as exciting as it would have been had I actually gotten to play it back then, but I'm still happy.

Fun game I played as a kid, my kids play it now. The graphics are dated but it's great for practising basic arithmetic. Skill level can be adjusted in the options to make it suitable for children ages 3-10.