Customer Reviews

Timez Attack Standard--Home License

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Afer spending a few minutes playing the free version I decided it was worth buying the full version for my 8 and 9 year old sons. They are both keen and experienced PC game players and I imagined they would love this.

Before I let them loose on it I played it myelf for a while. I was impressed at first but eventually found it very frustrating and about half way through level 4 (four times table) I gave up in despair.

The problem is that whenever a question is asked and you get it wrong you are sent back to repeat the area of the game where the question was originally set. There is additionally a "final challenge" where you have to get every question right (and there are a lot of them) before you can progress to the next level. A single mistake here and you find yourself sent back to repeat parts of the game.

So why do people make mistakes? Its not because they dont know the answers. Inevitably it is through mistyping - or more likely simply not typing fast enough. All answers have to be typed in on the keyboard. This is the same keyboard you are using to navigate your way through the maze (using w, s, spacebar controls etc) while with your other hand you are usuing the mouse to point the direction of your character and mouseclicks to throw objects. Basically, changing the use of your fingers from navigation and general gameplay to typing-in the correct answers all against a very fast clock just results in typing errors.

A typical example - on the dragon level you have to hop across moving rocks above a sea of lava using the space bar to hop and the w, s, keys to move backward and forward while using the mouse to guide yourself in ther right direction. While this is happening, questions pop up at every rock for which you have to type a numerical answer. I am an avid gameplayer but I found this immensely difficult and finally gave up becuae I had got 2 X 4 wrong five times already and just was not prepared to go back yet again to repeat the learning section for my mistake.

I tried it on my kids. The result was tears, with the eldest really upset because he thought he was good at tables and couldnt understand why he couldnt progress beyond 3 x 9.

The game could be improved radically by allowing answers to be chosen by point and click, or allowing more time for people to enter their answers or just allowing progression through the levels with something a bit less than a 100% score. The game is now no longer used and the kids have had their confidence restored by using a simple flash game to practice instead.

I was so happy to find this on the Internet, and my 8 year old daughter is learning her times, happily for a change. We have the free version, and while we are extremely grateful that Big Brainz offers a free version, it does get a little boring going through the same environment on each level. I want to get her the upgraded version that has all the different rooms but cannot see spending $40 on something she will use for a few weeks until she masters it and then never need again. If they would offer it for $20-$25 I would be all over it. Their customer service is top notch. I hope that they start advertising more, and maybe with a higher sales volume, they can bring down the price. Great game though. Best out there for learning the tedious times table. Cute little martian for the character. He scratches his butt cheek when you take too long to answer.

My kids LOVE this game. It is really nice to have them interested in a game that is building their multiplication skills.

My 1st grader is jumping over addition/subtraction to learn this, because of wanting to play the game. (I am little concerned because the child still needs to master addition/subraction!)

Another child is learning multiplication this year, and has difficulty in school with multiplication; and so far in just a few days he has improved his speed and ability to multiply in just a couple of hours that he has been able to use the game. It has taken a lot of the pressure off of trying to get them to memorize...

I also have an older child who is familiar with multiplication, but is enjoying the game as well to increase speed. I have to admit, I have been playing it too... the free version is a very nice way to try it out, but I highly recommend the disk for the different levels. It adds more challenging obstacle courses and characters that kids like; and teaching the kids coordination using mouse and keyboard.

I have no problem spending the money, if the item produces results... and I have to say that this is one of the better educational disks I have purchased (and was worth it!) Most games cost this or more and do not have the educational value included/ or the support.

BigBrainz: I would like to suggest also producing games for addition/subtraction/division... THANK YOU for your product!

My 8 year old daughter who was unable to retain her addition and subtraction facts throughout 2nd grade spent the 1st 3 months of 3rd grade terrified she was going to look foolish because she wasnt sure she could learn her multiplication facts. 2 weeks ago her class was tested for their X's 2s My daughter was given an extra week because she couldnt pass her test. Thursday while at a friends home I was introduced to Timez attack. My daughter passed her 2s the next day at school, then after working on the 3s for 3 days she has scored an 80% retention of those facts. My daughter smiles everyday and tells me how great school is for the first time in her life she is at the top of the class with the "smart kids". This games keeps her attention, allows her to make mistakes and somehow allows her to retain the information with ease. I cant wait for the next installment!

We are a home school family who is thrilled to find this learning tool! I was sent a link by another family who found the free version. She was so impressed she sent out a blast email. I went to the website and was so drawn into the game...I found myself playing it to see how it worked! My kids love the "video game look and feel". Multiplication mastery is so critical to building that foundation for upper level math, but it can be so frustrating for them (and us parents). Parents spend $40.00 on video games (or a trip to the movies)that is just for entertainment...This is an investment in their confidence to take on the next levels in math! Well Done Big Brainz. Mom to 5 kids (ages 7-13)

I coordinate a program that provides interventions to students who are
struggling in school. I use Timez Attack to help students memorize their
multiplicaiton facts. This game is extremely effective with our middle school and elementary students! Not only is it fun to play, but it
acutally helps improve multiplication fact fluency. Several parents have come to tell me that they can't pull his/her child away from the computer because they love the game so much! I can't tell who are more excited, the parents or the students. This is a wonderful and effective game for children and it's also very affordable! It costs less than most video games for other consoles but is still just as enjoyable- maybe replace one of those with Timez Attack?!? It's worth every penny!

Timez Attack is the most entertaining and educational math program I've found to date for my two ADHD boys. It came highly recommended by a friend who has 2 learning disabled children (ages 9 and 10). Sadly, my boys' school, as with many schools today, do not teach basic math facts as they did when I was a child so, my boys and other kids today lose out on this very important skill. With Timez Attack, my boys (ages 10 and 13)are engaged and get the multiplication facts they need. They are excited about playing so there is no arguing! It's a very good program for kids who have difficulty attending and focusing and are in need of basic multiplication facts. This program drills the facts in a fun way (unless a child is nervous about an ogre--try the demo first). I highly recommend this program for children who struggle with learning multiplication facts. I sure wish they had a program like this for addition, subtraction and division! Thanks BigBrainz!

We homeschool our two sons and this game is a great way to practice the times tables. It is fast and repetitive - which is exactly what you want to really memorize these essential facts - yet exciting enough that our boys want to keep on playing. Kids retain so much more information when "school" is fun! Thanks for a great product!

This is a great game for students and a company that is rated high on my list for its superb customer serice . I would highly recommend this product.

This program makes learning the times tables painless. I can't figure the game out (true of most of my kids' games) but the kids love it. After less than a week my second-grader knows his times tables up to the fives.