Your thoughts on Math Kickers

[Rather Dashing]

I have to say, I'm a little dissapointed in Math Kickers. Maybe there's something to it that I don't know yet, but I'm somewhat disappointed that it does not seem to ACTUALLY involve math, and that it's not...fun.

Also, I'm more disappointed in the manual than I am with the actual game. I loved the Snake Boxer V manual because it actually had manual bits. This manual....had no spirit to it. It was ONLY used to convey cheat codes, and I just don't like that.

Meh.

I still start up Episode 1 to play Snake Boxer. I really doubt I'll do that for Math Kickers.

[michaelgum]

Oh man, if those guys at Videlectrix run across this post, they are going to pwn you into next week.

Did I just use "pwn" in a sentence? Dear god.

[David E]

cheat codesClearly you mean extreme combo moves.

[Rather Dashing]

Clearly you mean extreme combo moves.

Well, they obviously weren't part of the original manual, since they were scribbled into the "Notes" section. I think they were secret, hidden, and mystical enough to be cheat code-ish. ;)

[ShaggE]

they are going to pwn you into next week.


Don't you mean *Wheelchair voice* "they are going to pwn you 'til tomorrow NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"? :p

[Videlectrix]

Also, I'm more disappointed in the manual than I am with the actual game. I loved the Snake Boxer V manual because it actually had manual bits. This manual....had no spirit to it. It was ONLY used to convey cheat codes, and I just don't like that.
EXCUSE us, but this MEGA manual is the epitome of design! The Math Kickers manual gives you everything you need to make your own awesome manual!

USER-GENERATED CONTENT, as the kids today say!

We here at Videlectrix are at the cusp of a gaming revolution. Does Mr. Telltale's "non-mini" game have user-generated content? NO!!! It doesn't even have a manual! Why complain about our manual, when Mr. Telltale thinks he's too good to even have one?!

Obviously, you're complaining about the wrong member in this completely equal, 50/50 partnership.

[dentbuds]

i kinda agree. i'm not saying i didn't like it, but snake boxer is better. but i personally don't sit down to just play them. i like the actual games more. this new "maps and minions" or whatever will have me hooked for a while!

[Rather Dashing]

i kinda agree. i'm not saying i didn't like it, but snake boxer is better. but i personally don't sit down to just play them. i like the actual games more. this new "maps and minions" or whatever will have me hooked for a while!

I don't think maps and minions can be won in under 9 turns, and while its game logic works GREAT for a "final puzzle", it's far too simple to actually work well as a game in its own right to be played on its own.

[Will]

Maps and Minions can be done in 8 turns, but that's the bare minimum.

[Rather Dashing]

Oh, seriously?

I suppose I'm going to have to play a few more times. After about 4-5 shots at it, I got my turn count whittled down to 9. I'm going to have to look over the boad again and figure out how to knock off that extra turn.

[Tester Scott]

The real trick is to get 8 turns and the beret in one go. Then you know you did the best you could.

[Weeblerjake]

How high is the green score?

[Gman5852]

I still start up Episode 1 to play Snake Boxer. I really doubt I'll do that for Math Kickers.

Wierd its the other way around for me:D

[Tester Scott]

How high is the green score?

Anything 10 and under.

[C.Olimar788]

Yeah, Math Kickers is kind of bland. At least it's easy to get the green score. And the special moves were pretty nifty.
I personally didn't like Snake Boxer much either, but that's me. XD

I'm more concerned at why the Funmachine was playing an Atari-esque game one episode and a Super Nintendo-esque one the next. XD Next episode will be a 3D N64 game. :P

[Weeblerjake]

Wouldn't mind that... 3D Peasant's Quest, or maybe trogdor? Course the FunMachine a splodes....

[Hiroshi Mishima]

I've never gotten farther than maybe level 10 on Trogdor, because I just am not good at games like that anymore. I only got to maybe level 21 or 22 on Snake Boxer V and that was with the "cheat code". But Math Kickers was the only one I've gotten a high score, and a fairly high level - almost beat level 7 - without using any of the hidden moves or codes. I got to level 8 or 9 with them, which wasn't a huge difference.

So yeah, I like Math Kickers better because it was easier for me to get used to and play. Although I think for people who like a challenge that Snake Boxer is probably the better of the two. Hell, my cousin got to I think Level 8 using the Human in Snake Boxer V, even though he pretty much sucked at the main game. (lol)

[mre]

I was also a bit disappointed that the game didn't involve that much math. The idea and box art were a bit better than the actual game, like so often with games from that era. :(

There are a couple of things I wonder about it though:
- How does the score system work? When beating up bad guys you're supposed to solve for x (and sometimes y), but do you get higher scores for getting x to be a high or a low number? This does add (no pun intended) a little bit of mathematical strategy to the whole thing.

- Does the game have an ending? I've gotten to maybe level 7, and that far the game just speeds up with the same kind of enemies and quadratic formula boss at the end of each stage. It would certainly be interesting to know if there were some variation at some point in the game. Hint hint. For someone with more time on their hands.


EDIT: Also, the Maps & Minions game was such a let down for me. I'm sorry, but from the moment I first opened up the map and saw that the score card had a post for best Maps & Minions score, I couldn't wait to play it! A Strong Bad themed strategy board game almost sounded too good to be true, and I found myself rushing through some parts of the adventure just to get to play it sooner. In the end, the game turned out to have no actual strategy at all, and even though it was a great and unexpected puzzle I couldn't help but feel cheated. :(

Come to think of it, this is the first time ever that I've complained to have been surprised by an unexpected twist in an Adventure game. Maybe I should stop whining and appreciate the puzzle for what it was. But I don't want to. I wanted a mini-game. ;)

[Strong Ad]

I liked Math kickers because it teaches you to do polynomials, solve for x, and how to balance out sides of ninjas.

[MaxFan]

it teaches you to do polynomials

Yeah, just punch and kick them until the solution pops out, why was my math teacher never so cool as to let us do that?

[Hiroshi Mishima]

I liked Math Kickers because it reminded me of a cross between River City Ransem and Double Dragon, which were classic beat-em-ups of the day.. but with ninjas and numbers added.

As for Maps & Minions... I honestly liked it, I just was glad it wasn't the kind of obnoxious mini-game we get in most modern games. Oh how I despise most modern mini-games for their tedious ability to beat you almost 100% of the time... mainly because they feel like you aren't gauged on skill, but luck. I'd rather just have fun and win, not pull my hair out or hurl the controller.

But eh, I guess that's because I'm getting old and my reflexes suck.

[fillyjobob12]

it took me so long to get the maps and minions. i dident know about the sting thing or the draws so i had to look on the internet and it took me so meny turns

[someguyfromazoo]

...What?
Ummm, we're not talking about Maps & Minions.

[Strong Bad Fan]

Math Kickers was a lil dull. They should put in something a lil more awesome.

*coughtrogdorcough*

[metalkombat]

Math Kickers was a lil dull. They should put in something a lil more awesome.

*coughtrogdorcough*

Yeah, because we can't already get that on the website for free. Unless you mean a new one, which they would probably save for the season finale.

Oh, by the way, I thought Math Kickers and Snake Boxer 5 were both awexome, but they really only amused me back when I was getting perfect scores on the games, and when I have friends over ("Why am I punching ninjas? I thought this game was gonna be about math!").

[Holyxion]

- How does the score system work? When beating up bad guys you're supposed to solve for x (and sometimes y), but do you get higher scores for getting x to be a high or a low number? This does add (no pun intended) a little bit of mathematical strategy to the whole thing.

You're not actually supposed to solve for x, just make the equation true,e.g.
x-4=y-4
XX--------X
XX--------X
X---------X

Add 2 to y to make it true.

Also, I think Math Kickers is an awexome game, hard to follow an act like Snake Boxer, but it went way above even my high expectations of Videlectrix, it has good strategy, intellectual quality, epic boss fights, great character development, awesome fighting techniques, and it's less of an instant win as soon as you get cheat codes.

[bigdondoo]

I thought Math Kickers was a quality game, although I never liked games that didn't have total victories (I have this same beef with Snake Boxer though, so it's okay.) Even Donkey Kong had a stage where the thing just broke down, and you knew you won.

[Holyxion]

Who's to say this one won't brake down eventually? There's probably not much memory devoted to it in the whole download, so it would at least have to have to repeat the same level over and over without it getting any harder, but probably not until at least somewhere around 1,000,000 points.

[bigdondoo]

Who's to say this one won't brake down eventually? There's probably not much memory devoted to it in the whole download, so it would at least have to have to repeat the same level over and over without it getting any harder, but probably not until at least somewhere around 1,000,000 points.

Ooooh. Good point.

*proceeds to play Math Kickers for 35 hours straight*