Gamification is fun even with the most serious games. Learning through games is as interactive and entertaining as it gets, and Sokobond is no different.
This puzzle game has the player piece together molecules by controlling one atom at a time while trying to connect it to other elements through bonding electrons. Players create common molecules such as water and table salt as well as more complicated structures like ammonia and ethylene. Each new molecule formed unlocks new levels on the periodic-table-shaped map and shows fun factoids.
But its strength is the way it teaches basic molecular structure and critical thinking. Just as in real life, each atom only bonds through its electrons, and once the players uses up all the electrons, you’re out of options. Making the rules of chemistry the same as the rules of the game lets the player learn through varied application instead of routine repetition. A gameplay session with Sokobond instills its material better than any traditional science homework–but it doesn’t end there. It takes immense critical thinking and spatial reasoning skills to form each molecule. With a limited number of solutions and the added mechanics where certain spaces split or double existing bonds, the player must learn to solve the problems creatively.
With its unique take on science, its price, and technical accessibility–low system requirements for the PC version and an upcoming mobile release on iOS and Android–Sokobond is an obvious choice for giving others the building blocks of one the science’s toughest subjects.
Image credit: Pixabay
