123 Pop Review

123 Pop is a fun and interesting space-themed math game for children as well as adults. Players tap a first number, then a second as these numbers float through space. Adding these two numbers together, tap on a third which corresponds to the sum of the first two. For instance, if one taps “1” and then “3,” the third number tapped is “4.” This seems easy, but these numbers can move quickly, and the third number you are looking for may or may not be visible when you need it to be.

I enjoy this game more than I expected, but I do look at this as a strategy or educational action game, not one that is good to help teach basic addition. Kids who are new to adding will not get very far in this game and may feel either rushed or frustrated, as you need to be fast and a lot needs to get done before your time runs out.

I do think, however, that this is a really fun game for grade-schoolers who have a solid foundation in addition to adults as I find myself using my mind and doing a lot of plotting about what numbers added up to a third that was in easy reach to tap, coming up with with strategies that I will keep to myself and not spoil the fun. There are also special objects to tap to gain points such as rockets and magical stars, and numbers can get sucked into vortexes sometimes as well. Included are three difficulties, but I never felt comfortable past “easy” as the numbers in “normal’ and ‘hard” moved too fast and simply were not fun for me, but “easy” was just right.

The music which accompanies this game is very good here, beautiful, relaxing and maybe even a little melancholy. I enjoyed listening to it very much and was encouraged to keep playing long after I needed to for the sake of review purposes. This game got my mind working more than I thought it would, and I appreciate this a great deal.

I recommend this app for those grade school and up who enjoy number puzzle games and math in general, but not for those who are new to addition as this game is simply too hard and too fast for them to succeed at, but a good game for older kids that they enjoy. I think this will be a hit with adults as well, especially regarding the music which is, by far, my favorite part of this application.