There’s a dirty little secret about video games. While the spectacle and excitement of so many popular genres take center stage, the truth is that a lot of games are really all about math. That’s right, the long-dreaded homework topic is at the heart of countless games and game styles.
How did the much-maligned mathematics make itself so much fun? Here’s a look at a few of the games — new and old, digital and analog — that turned number-crunching into a source of endless entertainment.
1. 2048 and Threes!
Both of these mobile games have quickly attracted legions of fans for the deceptively simple number manipulation. It seems simple enough: connect the tiles, adding them together. In 2048, you’re trying to hit a particular goal number, while Threes! just wants you to get the highest score you can. The two titles have slight deviations in their mechanics, but the basic principle of simple addition has proven surprisingly addictive.
2. Dungeons and Dragons
Even though this tabletop game tells the tales of elves and goblins, the mechanics are no fantasy. All your stats in strength, charisma and other traits are part of the calculations for how successful your character will be in taking actions through the story. Turns out math is lots of fun when it’s being used to create enthralling and suspenseful gaming experiences. Dungeons and Dragons is the classic, but every role-playing game, from World of Warcraft to Skyrim, comes down to the numbers. Contemporary game designers can decide to put the equations front and center or disguise them behind the calculations, but they’re the foundation for every title in the RPG genre.
3. Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering is another beloved tabletop game grounded in math. The card battles couple basic addition and subtraction with a strategy element. Drain your enemy’s life points with different attack cards, and use defensive cards to ensure you don’t lose too many of your own. The players’ simple equations are embellished with a nuanced, complex set of rules and resources. Mix in the angle of building and customizing your decks to take into matches, and you can barely see the arithmetic that underlies it all.
4. EVE Online
RPG-style math is plenty of fun, but imagine how wild things can get when mixed in with the related field of business. For a double dose of math-centered gaming in a futuristic universe, look to EVE Online. As with any role-playing game, you develop a character’s skills over time to become more powerful. On top of that usual activity, EVE Online created a thriving, player-driven economy to further advance your character’s skills and gear. This in-game economy makes it crucial to also have an extra level of savvy with numbers.
5. Number Munchers
The math angle is no secret in this one. Number Munchers was just one of the educational titles that many children of the 80s and 90s remember fondly. You play as a frog-like hero who picks out specific types of numbers, such as multiples of three or primes, all while avoiding monsters. Even though the educational bent was obvious, the game still had plenty of appeal in how it presented the workings of numbers. Although the original version was a black and white computer game, if you’ve got a hankering for the old days, you can find a refurbished version of the classic for both iOS and Android.
6. Yahtzee
