Zoombinis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Zoombinis
Series Logo
Genres	Educational, puzzle
Developers	TERC and Broderbund (1996) The Learning Company (formerly SoftKey) (2001-2) TERC, FableVision, and Learning Games Network (2015+)
Publishers	Broderbund (1996) The Learning Company (2001-2) TERC (2015+)
Platforms	Windows, Mac OS, OS X, iOS, Android
First release	Logical Journey of the Zoombinis March 1996
Latest release	Zoombinis August 2015

Zoombinis is a fun series of educational puzzle games. You play on computers or tablets. These games help you learn important skills while you have fun!

In the games, you guide small blue creatures called Zoombinis. Each Zoombini looks a bit different. You help them travel through strange lands filled with puzzles. The first game, Logical Journey of the Zoombinis, came out in 1996. Later games include Zoombinis: Mountain Rescue (2001) and Zoombinis: Island Odyssey (2002). In 2015, the first game was updated for modern devices.

Logical Journey of the Zoombinis (1996)

Creating Zoombinis at Zoombini Isle

The story begins on Zoombini Isle, the home of the Zoombinis. Evil creatures called Bloats take over their island. The Zoombinis must escape! They end up in a mysterious and dangerous new land.

Your job is to guide the Zoombinis through this land. You need to help them reach a safe place called Zoombiniville. This new land is full of hope and good things for the Zoombinis. The game was first made in 1995 and released in 1996.

How to Play: Logical Journey

You start by creating a team of 16 Zoombinis. You can choose their hair, eyes, nose color, and shoes. There are 625 different ways to make a Zoombini! You can use each combination twice in the game.

Next, you play a series of mini-games. These games help your Zoombinis cross dangerous areas. Some Zoombinis might get left behind if they can't solve a puzzle. At certain points, your Zoombinis can rest at a campsite. Here, they can join other groups if you have less than 16.

The journey has different paths. You can choose which way to go. All paths eventually lead to Zoombiniville. When a group of 16 Zoombinis makes it safely through a section, a monument is added to Zoombiniville. You win the game when 625 Zoombinis reach Zoombiniville!

Zoombinis Mountain Rescue (2001)

After finding peace in Zoombiniville, some Zoombinis get trapped. They hide in a cave during a big storm. Inside, they meet strange creatures called Boolies. The Boolies live in a city called Booliewood.

The storm scattered the Boolies everywhere. Their leader, the Grand Boolie Boolie, has also disappeared. Your mission is to rescue 400 Boolies. You need to bring them back to Booliewood to find the Grand Boolie Boolie.

How to Play: Mountain Rescue

You start in Zoombiniville and create a team of 16 Zoombinis. Just like the first game, you guide them through mini-games. You use the Zoombinis' different looks to solve puzzles. Some puzzles need only your logic, not the Zoombinis' features.

As you finish mini-games, you move to new parts of the land. This game feels more like an adventure. The number of Zoombinis in your group can change. If Zoombinis don't make it through a puzzle, they return to checkpoints. You can also choose different routes from these checkpoints.

Zoombinis Island Odyssey (2002)

Long ago, the Bloats took over Zoombini Isle. They stripped the island of all its food and plants. This left the Zerbles and native moths hungry. The Bloats had to leave the island.

A seagull tells the Zoombinis in Zoombiniville about the damage. An expedition team goes to see the island. They decide to bring caterpillars to help the island's nature. Your goal is to restore the island's balance of life.

How to Play: Island Odyssey

You start by making a group of 12 customizable Zoombinis. You then solve different puzzles. These puzzles include growing berries and breeding moths. Your goal is to bring the island's ecosystem back to life.

This game teaches you about science and math. You'll learn about things like how fast things grow and how to solve codes. You'll also use Venn diagrams and Punnett squares. Some puzzles are even like the ones from Logical Journey. The game's graphics are updated, and the Zoombinis look 3-D.

Why Zoombinis Helps You Learn

Zoombinis is a fun computer game for kids in elementary and middle school. It's also a great learning tool. It helps you with math, thinking, and solving problems. The game clearly shows you what you need to do. You can figure out solutions yourself or learn from playing.

Math Skills You'll Use

The different games in Zoombinis teach you many math skills.

• "Pizza Pass," "Allergic Cliffs," and "Stone Cold Caves" help you sort and group information.
• "Captain Cajun's Ferryboat," "Stone Rise," and "Titanic Tattooed Toads" teach you about ordering and linking information.
• "Fleens!", "Mudball Wall," and "Hotel Dimensia" focus on graphing and mapping.
• "Lions' Lair," "Mirror Machine," and "Bubblewonder Abyss" train you in organizing and algebraic thinking.

Learning to Think Logically

Games like "Allergic Cliffs" and "Stone Cold Caves" make you find patterns. You need to arrange the Zoombinis correctly to pass. If you guess wrong too many times, a Zoombini goes back to the start. This makes you think carefully instead of just guessing. These games help you build strong logical thinking skills.

Testing Your Ideas

In "Pizza Pass" and "Mudball Wall," you learn to test your ideas. You look at pizza toppings or dots on a wall. Then you try different patterns to move the Zoombinis forward. If you guess wrong, the incorrect tries stay on the screen. This helps you learn from your mistakes and find the right answer.

How Well It Works for Students

Since its release in 1996, Zoombinis has been very helpful for students and teachers. It's a fun way to learn for kids today. The characters are simple but cartoonish, which makes them appealing. The game also encourages teamwork. When players talk about how to solve a puzzle, they learn together.

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