Crazy Machines by ThinkSMART Games tickles every aspiring mechanical engineer’s fancy by providing a plethora of harebrained, chain-reaction machine puzzles for players of all ages to solve.
Pros:
The game’s storyline features the player helping a nutty and absentminded professor complete his mechanical experiments by providing missing parts that his machines need in order to function properly. Players who are familiar with the works of William Heath Robinson or Reuben Garrett Lucius Goldberg will be delighted to know that the Wii Think Smart Crazy Machines game gives them the chance to build similar wild contraptions.
The gameplay of Crazy Machines is simple enough to understand although difficult to perform. Basically, the player is provided with a number of mechanical, electrical, and household items which must be arranged in a particular fashion in order to complete a set objective. There are many ways to successfully accomplish the task at hand, but the finished product usually isn’t as straightforward as it seems. There are often numerous interactions between the parts, and they have to be arranged in such a way that a chain reaction will occur. Think the old Tom and Jerry cartoon where Tom builds an elaborate mouse trap composed of a cuckoo clock, washer, fan, saw, and a falling safe and you’ll be right at home with Crazy Machines.
The physics system of the game is accurate enough so as not to warrant any faulty situations. Players are supplied with a wide variety of tools to get to work on their machines. There are also male and female guides to coach you through the experience and help beginners quickly get the hang of the gameplay. The Think Smart Crazy Machines Wii game also increases the learning experience by providing a large array of feedback for the finished output and explains how the different parts interact with each other.
The visuals and sounds aren’t that impressive, but the cartoony look fits the game well. There are numerous locales and backdrops where the puzzles take place in including a farm, a volcano, a desert, and even outer space.
The puzzles themselves are cleverly designed and vary in difficulty. There are over 100 brainteasers to solve, and Crazy Machines adds more content by enabling multiplayer cooperative and competitive modes, as well as a Sandbox mode where players can build their own ingenious mechanisms from scratch. Finally, younger players can also join in on the fun with some exercises specially designed for kids.
Cons:
Crazy Machines is a puzzle game that will only appeal to a certain audience, namely those interested in machine and physics puzzles. Those looking for maze games and other types of brain twisters may have a hard time with Crazy Machines.
Some of the puzzles seem too easy and uninspired. Furthermore, the replayability of Crazy Machines is limited once players have figured out all the puzzles. Even the Sandbox mode has its restrictions, and Crazy Machines may not last long even for the most hardcore of mechanical enthusiasts.
Crazy Machines requires the Wii console and the standard Wii remote. The game can be played in single player, multiplayer cooperative, and multiplayer competitive.
Crazy Machines has a whole lot of crazy contraptions as the title unabashedly proclaims. Puzzle players and would-be engineers will thoroughly enjoy this entry. The multiplayer features are a nice addon, and the entire family can join in and offer hints. The game may not have a lot of replayability and production values, but it does its job well. If you’re in the mood for a good brain stretcher, Crazy Machines is the game for you.