By Tech Powered Dad | April 2, 2012
Device: iPad/iPhone
Cost:Â $2.99
Ages: Elementary school through early middle school
This post is the start of another “App Week,” so be sure to keep checking back for a couple of more reviews as the week goes along. Last week I posted a video on YouTube about the Math Blaster iPad apps, and I wanted to get a quick post up on them here on Tech Powered Math. I took a look at two of the Math Blaster apps, HyperBlast and Zapper. These games are both really impressive. Both of them are virtual carbon copies of the same games on MathBlaster.com, which is a good thing.
Their math content is simple. They give students a chance to practice arithmetic facts with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division up to 12’s. The presentation is what makes these games so hard to put down. On HyperBlast, the graphics are what really hook me. You ride a cart through a tunnel, shooting at obstacles and trying to boost your shields. At the end of every level (about 1 minute to complete), you get a chance to solve as many math questions as possible in 30 seconds. Doing well will earn powerful “blasts,” which knock out your enemies. It’s hard to progress without blasts.
In Zapper, the music and sound effects are what kept my interest. You shoot asteroids out of the sky that have the solution to problems on them. Shoot asteroids with the wrong answer and you’ll lose points. The music is very driving and the shooting sounds are powerful.
Both these games are extremely polished and will keep a kid’s attention for quite a while. Zapper has a little more math content while HyperBlast has better replay-ability. To see what they look like, check out the video below.
Tap here to get MathBlaster apps on your iPad or iPhone.