Title: Red Block Returns 3
Developer: Math playground LLC
Platforms: Browser 9 (Flash)
Topic: Geometry / Problem solving
High-level Instructional Goal: This educational game is meant to help players utilize and strengthen their visual problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and geometry skills through various puzzles that have different levels of difficulty which involves a rectangular prism and its environment.
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Description:
The reason I decided to choose this game is because I was looking into Red Block 2, which another student had previously critiqued, and it was not as interesting as I remembered. I had a strong attachment to that game because I played it during elementary school. When I played it recently, it was way too easy so I became disinterested in analyzing it, which led me to look into the other versions that that game had. That is when I was able to come across Red Block Returns 3. It was interesting to see that both games had similar concepts and instructional goals, but are formatted differently. Through that discovery, I sparked an interest in wanting to analyze Red Block Returns 3 while also comparing it to Red Block 2.
Red Block Returns 3 is an educational game where players are given spatial puzzles that increase in difficulty as they pass levels. The setting for this game is a tile-grid platform which is used as the main board. On top of that, there is a red rectangular prism which players manipulate its movement to successfully reach the target so that players can move onto the next puzzle. In order to complete a stage, players need to get the block to stand up right on the red target tile by flipping any side of the prism while also keeping in mind that they do not want the block to land on the wrong tiles and fall off the platform. If players flip to a tile that they shouldn’t be on, it is game over and the game resets the board. In this version, there is no redo button, so players need to carefully evaluate what is the best combination before they move or they will have to start over.
Moreover, when players move the block, they have to keep in mind that there are a rules that they must follow so that they do not get stuck on a level. To start off, the base of block should be within the boundaries of the tile-grid. If it were to not be within the tile-grid, then it will be game over and the prism will fall off the platform. Players need to know where the target destination is which is a single red tile on the grid. This is crucial because it is the only way that players can move on to the next level. The red block should be standing up on the target to pass onto the next level. If the prism is on its side, then it does not count. Adding on, there are special tiles that are tan, turquoise, orange , yellow, white, and purple on the grid designed to bound certain actions or to provide special functions. The purple tiles have a key and lock which players need to pick up to open the lock and get closer to the target destination. The turquoise tiles have a swirl and star on them so that players have the option to teleport from one section to another once the red block is positioned to stand up on it. The yellow tiles have a magnifying glass which helps reveal hidden tiles once it is covered by the red block. Lastly, there are white tiles with arrows on them which sow the way that the block can only move in when it is touching those tiles.
Once players finish solving that specific puzzle, it unlocks the next variation so that players get closer to completing the whole game. The new puzzle has a different configuration of a tile-grid and special tiles which provides a more complex problem than the previous so that players use their visual spacial reasoning skills and geometry skills to figure it out. In order to complete the whole game, players should unlock and pass all of the puzzles.
When players first open this game, it starts with the rules of the special tiles that verbally and visually display them. After explaining the special rules, the game starts right away with first level. In the previous versions of the game, players were given a simple walk-through tutorial that storyboards how to play. On the other hand, this version does not give them that and just lets players start right away with out much tutorial instruction.
I had previous experience playing Red Block 2 which I was able to complete right away, so I assumed this would have been the same with Red Block Returns 3. I overestimated my ability as it took me much longer to complete each level and barely passed the first five levels and ended the game as I was getting extremely frustrated. I was flustered when I started struggling from the second level which took me around 40 minutes. I did various iterations as there was no time pressure, but I was still not able to get to the target. Even though I had prior knowledge in spatial and visual thinking, I was unable to use that knowledge to easily pass through. After playing for an hour and a half, I thought that I started developing my own strategies to solve the variations in a more effective manner, however I was wrong. I did not have a hard time flipping and moving the red block as I used my eyes which were easy to understand. I thought that the user interface was easy and straightforward to understand. Players are alway able to be aware with what is going on with the game. As soon as the red block stands on the destination, than the screen shifts to the level menu so that players can go to the next level or stop for that time being. Or when the red block falls, the screen restarts so that players can try again. Even though there aren’t any words to state those shifts in the game, it was made so that players understand it easily. Overall, I think that Red Block Returns 3 is a challenging game for players to test their visual spatial skills, however I do not see where there could be a potential transfer as I can not think of any real life situations that need this.
Learning Objectives
This educational game is a skill-based so that it helps players develop how to understand and utilize instructions. This is a great platform for players to exercise visual problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and geometry. While they are playing, they have the possibility of being able to develop or strengthen those skills because of the continuous practice they have during the game. Since this educational game is about developing skills rather than learning new knowledge, players mainly use trial-error and iteration to play. In order to play this game, players need to be able to comprehend instructions that have very limited textual guidance. This skill is necessary so that players know how to start the game. In addition, players do need to have some type of knowledge with visual and spatial skills even if it is not advanced so that they can solve the puzzle. Players will not be able to understand the theory behind this game if they do not have experience with visual problem-solving and spatial reasoning. They also need to have some understanding about geometry so that they are able to utilize that information and transfer it to the game through the rectangular prism.
For example, the first stage that players are introduced to requires that players move the red rectangular prism by flipping it so that it reaches the target. Players need to have comprehended the instructions given at the beginning so that they understand that the tan tiles can only be landed on when the prism is on its sides. Players also need to have some kind of common knowledge that they can use they keyboard to manipulate the flips of the box. When the top arrow is pressed, the box moves backwards. If the botton arrow is pressed, then the box moves forward. If the left button is pressed, the prism flips to its left side and vice versa with the right button.
While players continue to go through the levels, they realize that as long as they find the correct combination of flips through spatial reasoning, then they are able to get to the target. For example, if the player flips to the west, south, and east which causes the block to fall off the platform, then the player will try flipping north because they can use their spatial reasoning to see that north is the only option that will work. Every player comprehends knowledge differently, so certain players may not use spatial reasoning, but only rely on their visual skills to just use trial and error and try whatever combination until it is successful.
Overall, the visual and spatial skills that you develop through this game can be used for figuring out where is a good parking spot for your car. This game is meant to enhance your visual problem-solving skills and spatial reasoning. I know that I personally struggle a lot with parking, because I am unable to quickly identify if a certain parking spot will fit my car, so being able to practice my spatial reasoning skill is crucial for me. Through practicing this game, I am able to develop those skills so that I can use them when I am trying to park so that I am aware of how to spatial reason a parking spot to my car. Also, through this game, you develop a sense of patients through the various iterations that you do, which is extremely helpful when doing new tasks for the first time.
Mechanics
The mechanics of the game are simple. There are three main objectives that make up the mechanics. First, players are given 15 levels to finish so that they win the overall game. After they finish one level, the next puzzle is more complex and introduces or adds a new obstacles that players need to keep in mind. Allowing the game to have levels enables players to practice multiple skills for different complexities. Players are only able to move forward when they solve the variation they are on. If players get frustrated like I did or just need to stop playing, they are able to save their place so that they can come back to the level that they left off at. These levels are important in letting players understand what their visual problem-solving skills, spatial reasoning, and geometry skills are at. Adding on, another mechanics that the game has is using visual and spatial problem-solving skills to beat the levels. Lastly, this mechanics is crucial so that players are actual interested and motivated to finish the game. The challenge that this game has allows players to want to come back, because if it was so straightforward and easy, players would be disinterested and not come back after finishing. The game has constraints to play which aids to make the mechanics of the game more interesting for players to be more engaged. There are various constraints that players are given. The first one is that it involves geometric shapes, so that players have to utilize that element to always think about the 3D motion that the rectangular prism while flipping to get to the destanation. Also, because their are already set directions and motions that the block has to go to, players must abide and adjust by that element. Adding on, there are special tiles that have certain criterias that bring up more obstacles to the game. Overall, this educational game has constraints so that it makes players continuously look for solutions by exercising the target skill which include visual problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and geometry.
Dynamics
The primary dynamic of the game is seen as an a platform for intense problem-solving because players can not move on to the next puzzle without solving it and are not given any hints if they can not figure it out. In order to solve a level, players must find the right combination of flips. There isn’t a time limit, so players can try as many possibilities as possible. Since there is not a rush to finish the game, players are able to carefully use their visual and spatial knowledge and apply them to the potential combinations of flips to get to the target destination. As players continue to pass through the levels, the puzzle becomes much more difficult so that it takes much longer and many more tries to get to the target. By the time the player gets to that end of the game, the answer to solve the puzzle becomes more complex. This game really pushes for the constraint mechanics to push players to strengthen their visual and spatial skills. The dynamic of the game relates to the learning objectives by allowing players to freely try as many times as they want to practice the skills that are meant to be developed. Players typically will not be able to solve the puzzle in one try. This allows them to iterate the problem-solving skills to help players become faster and better at solution-seeking. Overall, I do not think that this game is highly dynamic as players are just doing similar tasks over and over again just with varied difficulties. There is a degree of trial and error so that the experience is more than just finding the correct combination.
Aesthetics
This educational game really focuses on the player’s aesthetic experience by creating a challenge that concludes with a discovery. The game provides variations of puzzles, so that players take advantage of the challenge and try solving them. By increasing level of difficulty after every stage, the need to reach the next level with the correct moves with no tips are the mechanics of the game that adds to the level of challenge. Players are able to find solutions to solving the puzzle which adds to the feeling of discovery for players. Challenge and discovery are typical experiences that people experience when doing problem-solving activity. These two experiences are also associated with feelings of accomplishment and reward which are motivating factors in developing skills.
Learning Principles
- Spacing: There is no time limit in this game which allows players to practice across a long period by offering different levels of puzzles.
- Goldilocks: Most of the time, people seek challenges, so that it is more satisfying and fun. They also do not want to waste time trying things they cannot accomplish. When it comes to an educational standpoint, teachers should not do tasks that require students to do repetitive tasks that are boring or else children will not be able to continue to focus which causes frustration and distress. Before starting the game, it instructs what are the obstacles of the game which portrays the various difficulties they are so that players can see. This will help players understand what level they are at so if it is harder than what they want, they can just exit that level and go to an easier one. If it is too easy, then players should be more motivated to finish that level to unlock a harder one.
- Interleaving: This principle allows players to mix several related skills together to complete a puzzle. Each level has a new or different obstacle which players are able to mix their spatial reasoning and visual problem solving skills to solve. Players are able to practice this principle and even use it outside of this game through a transfer. For example, when you are trying to park your car, you are able to use the spatial reasoning and visual problem solving skills to see if your car will fit that spot or if it is too tight.
- Testing and application: The game’s main objective is to test and improve players’ level in target skills. Each variation of the puzzle represents a small practice task that requires players to apply the spatial reasoning with or without visual problem solving in geometry.
Synthesis and Critique
In conclusion, I had a good time rekindling memories for an old childhood game that I played frequently. Now coming back and looking at it from a educational game designer standpoint, it was interesting to see how much my view of this game has shifted. Before, I thought that this game was extremely easy and did not practice any skills. I assumed that there was no high-level instructional objective to it. However, maybe because this was a harder version, I struggled and was able to assess how there are skills that can be developed through this educational game. This game is designed to support developing visual problem-solving, spatial reasoning, and geometry through spatial puzzles. It aids learning by incorporating geometric and spatial relations in the puzzles so that players find the steps to the solution. This aid allows players to develop a better understanding in visual problem-solving. Testing and application is a principle that helps players practice specific skills. Testing challenges players to use target skills in a problem context. When players repetitively utilize a skill, this repition helps players develop a better and deeper understanding of that skill. Overall, the game’s learning principles fit well with the objectives which focuses on skill practice. However, I believed that there could be some things to add to this game like feedback and other work examples which could add more aid to development. The mechanics of this game is designed around the notion of solving leveled variations of a spatial puzzle while having constraints. These mechanics shape the dynamics of the game to be challenging problem-solving while using spatial reasoning and iteration. The aesthetic experience that those dynamic principles bring up are challenge and discovery. Allowing players to have goals and constraints in a problem-solving setting urges them to continuously utilize visual thinking and iteration. Iteration is helpful when problem-solving as it is a good exercise in repeatedly associating spatial reasoning skills until the goal is reached. Repetition causes players to practice over and over again which in the end helps players become much more experienced in that skill. Challenge and discovery are aesthetic experiences that bring about reward which are motivating factors for players’ to practice. Overall, the game integrates MDA and its principles in a clear and effective manner. It would be nice for the game to have more variation to the tasks that players do as the game is extremely repetitive in just flipping the prism which could make players become bored. Also, being able to have a different task from what it has now will let players know how they can use these objective skills in other situations, because right now it is very limited which does not seem very effective. In the end, I enjoyed analyzing this childhood game!
