Matthew BaileyIt’s rare for me to start a review with a disclaimer, but in this case, it feels appropriate.
Disclaimer: Today, I’m reviewing “Number Explorers,” a delightful card game designed to help children practise addition and subtraction. The game was created by Emma Breden-Smith, a longstanding member of our community. She sent me a prototype many months ago. This early version was printed and laminated on bits of paper, and my boys and I played it extensively, providing plenty of feedback. Much of that feedback has been incorporated into the production prototype, which I’m discussing today. Therefore, I do have some vested interest in the game, so please bear that in mind as you read my thoughts.
The premise of “Number Explorers” is simple: you’re matching pairs of astronauts and planets that either add up to or subtract to 10. Each player starts with a hand of four cards, along with a draw and a discard pile.
On your turn, you can lay down a pair of cards in front of you that makes 10, provided you have one. If you successfully lay a pair, you draw back up to four cards. If you can’t play, you draw a new card from either the draw or discard pile and then discard a card.
The game also features achievement cards that award extra points for specific combinations of planets and astronauts. These add a nice layer of risk and reward, as I found myself holding onto cards instead of playing a pair, hoping the exact match I needed would appear.
Another clever mechanic involves laying down two matching numbers to earn an ability card. These ability cards let you do special actions, like laying three cards to make 10, and can be game-changers if you acquire them early.
There are also lion cards, which act as wild cards. These let you cycle through your hand to improve your chances of making pairs.
The artwork is charming, and the production prototype I’ve been playing is printed on good-quality card stock.
“Number Explorers” is a simple and quick game that works wonderfully with young children to practise their maths skills. The addition of achievements and power cards, which weren’t in the early prototype I played, are a welcome improvement. These elements introduce a level of strategy and decision-making that wasn’t present before, which is fantastic.
There are moments where it feels like you’re cycling through cards repeatedly to find a pair, but since the game is quick, this isn’t much of an issue. I don’t think the intended audience would notice it either but as an adult its not the best feeling.
Overall, my boys enjoyed it. Toby definitely got more out of it than Jack, largely because he’s younger, and this game is clearly aimed at younger children. However, older kids can still enjoy it when playing with their younger siblings.
“Number Explorers” is coming to Kickstarter soon, and I’m sure Emma Breden-Smith will be happy to answer any questions you may have in the comments below.
Kickstarter Link – https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/numberexplorers/number-explorers-a-space-adventure
