Matthew BaileyGame 40 of the “Bailey Family Summer 2023 Board Game Bonanza” is the “Minecraft Magnetic Travel Puzzle,” played by Jack and myself.
The “Minecraft Magnetic Travel Puzzle” is a robust puzzle game featuring 40 levels of logic-based puzzles themed around the crafting system in the popular kids’ video game, Minecraft.
Both of my boys are avid Minecraft fans, so we tend to explore anything related to Minecraft. Generally speaking, Minecraft as an intellectual property holds a prominent position in the board game community. Games like “Builders and Biomes” are exceptional, and I believe they deserve more recognition within the broader community, despite any stigma associated with being linked to Minecraft.
Allow me to share links to my previous reviews at the end, as inquiries about Minecraft-related games arise frequently.
The gameplay revolves around solving puzzles that provide information about the location of different objects on your crafting grid. These objects could be a pickaxe, a sword, or a chest piece. Additionally, you receive hints about the location of different coloured materials, such as diamond, gold, or steel. Utilising this information, you must deduce the correct placement of objects within the 9-square grid.
The concept is relatively straightforward, but it becomes increasingly challenging as the available information becomes more abstract, progressing through the 40 levels. The game comes in a nicely designed ring-bound booklet, featuring sizeable chunky magnetic pieces. After playing, it can be conveniently folded up and stored in the outer box.
Jack received this game for his birthday and has already worked through all the puzzles twice. We often bring this game with us when we anticipate waiting somewhere, like a restaurant or an appointment. The magnetic design ensures the pieces are secure, and the layout works exceptionally well.
My only criticism is that there are only 40 puzzles included. Nevertheless, the difficulty level escalates towards the end, with some puzzles requiring significant thought and logical reasoning, even from adults. In my opinion, having 60 puzzles with a more gradual difficulty curve would have been preferable. However, what is offered here is still commendable.
“Minecraft Magnetic Travel Puzzle,” is well-crafted and serves as a prime example of the growing solo puzzle genre over recent years. Furthermore, if your child is fond of Minecraft intellectual property, that affinity is likely to enhance their enjoyment, even though there isn’t an overt thematic connection to Minecraft in this game.
We got ours from TK Maxx for £12.99 and unfortunately (prob should have checked this before I wrote the review) it seems to be hard to get at the moment. Infact ordering from Amazon USA seems the cheapest outside of a luck bricks and mortar shop find.
