This game is excellent for all ages. It's a game where inventiveness and thinking outside the box is crucial. You don't have to be a teenager with rapid-fire reflexes to excel. I'm an over-50 Mom and I have as much fun and do as well as my teenagers. The puzzles do progress to more difficulty fairly quickly, so a pre-teen may need help, but collaberating can be half the fun.
You aren't timed in the manner of a clock ticking, but for each problem, the game keeps track of how many tries was needed for you to solve the problem. On the screen where it keeps track of your completed projects, you can get one, two or three gears for each completed project, depending on how fast you completed it (and any extra-credit objectives). It has been very fortunate for me, at times, that you can't time out. However long it takes you is how long it takes you.
And sometimes it takes me a very long time. As with any puzzle game, sometimes the Rube Goldberg-esque answer is simple, but I just don't see it right away. Sometimes the answer is not so simple, and I end up pulling my hair out. As you progress to the more difficult projects, you may need to do more than just place objects correctly. You may need to zoom in on a specific puzzle part, to get a closer look before you can tell what is needed (using the mouse wheel). Or you may need to change your perspective (by holding down the mouse wheel). Or the answer may not hit you until you rotate your view (hold ALT and the mouse wheel down).
Sometimes you've got the right idea, but your placement of an object is a tad off to the right or left or up or down. This is a game of patience and cunning - yes CUNNING - even if your "opponent" isn't moving, you have to out-think the diabolical puzzle maker!
A word of advice! Most of the puzzles have a primary goal and a secondary goal or goals. Ex. Goal 1 is to get the blue pin in the basket. Goal 2 is to knock the red pin off the shelf. The first time you run your Goldberg machine and accomplish Goal 1, the game congratulates you for completing the puzzle, and you're on to the next one. So, if you want to get more gears (see above), I suggest you figure out the ancillary goal first!
Crazy Machines 2 has over 200 puzzles, so you get a huge amount of game play and enjoyment for your money. In addition to completing the game's puzzles, you can create your own Goldberg puzzles. If you join a forum, you can upload your creation and others can play your puzzle, and you can play other people's creations. (I haven't tried that.)
I bought the CD-ROM version of this game over a year ago, and we've had no problems running it on a PC XP. I can't speak to the downloaded version, as I haven't tried it and we try to steer clear of downloads. Crazy Machines 2 is available on Steam, which is one game site we trust for downloads.
I really really liked this game. Excellent brain work - get the kids off their SIMS games and give them something to actually do!
Happy Reader
Crazy Machines 2
3.7 | 82 ratings
Price:
Last update: 06-01-2024
About this item
Hundreds of all new levels to complete; new parts, new pieces, new contraptions
Incredible 3d graphics with brand new effects
Multiple solutions-play these challenging puzzles again and again
Swap ideas with other members of the online community
Trick out your own contraptions in free-style mode
Incredible 3d graphics with brand new effects
Multiple solutions-play these challenging puzzles again and again
Swap ideas with other members of the online community
Trick out your own contraptions in free-style mode
Top reviews from the United States
Happy Reader
Flat Out Excellent Brain Work and Creative Thinking Game
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2010
Happy Reader
Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2010
You aren't timed in the manner of a clock ticking, but for each problem, the game keeps track of how many tries was needed for you to solve the problem. On the screen where it keeps track of your completed projects, you can get one, two or three gears for each completed project, depending on how fast you completed it (and any extra-credit objectives). It has been very fortunate for me, at times, that you can't time out. However long it takes you is how long it takes you.
And sometimes it takes me a very long time. As with any puzzle game, sometimes the Rube Goldberg-esque answer is simple, but I just don't see it right away. Sometimes the answer is not so simple, and I end up pulling my hair out. As you progress to the more difficult projects, you may need to do more than just place objects correctly. You may need to zoom in on a specific puzzle part, to get a closer look before you can tell what is needed (using the mouse wheel). Or you may need to change your perspective (by holding down the mouse wheel). Or the answer may not hit you until you rotate your view (hold ALT and the mouse wheel down).
Sometimes you've got the right idea, but your placement of an object is a tad off to the right or left or up or down. This is a game of patience and cunning - yes CUNNING - even if your "opponent" isn't moving, you have to out-think the diabolical puzzle maker!
A word of advice! Most of the puzzles have a primary goal and a secondary goal or goals. Ex. Goal 1 is to get the blue pin in the basket. Goal 2 is to knock the red pin off the shelf. The first time you run your Goldberg machine and accomplish Goal 1, the game congratulates you for completing the puzzle, and you're on to the next one. So, if you want to get more gears (see above), I suggest you figure out the ancillary goal first!
Crazy Machines 2 has over 200 puzzles, so you get a huge amount of game play and enjoyment for your money. In addition to completing the game's puzzles, you can create your own Goldberg puzzles. If you join a forum, you can upload your creation and others can play your puzzle, and you can play other people's creations. (I haven't tried that.)
I bought the CD-ROM version of this game over a year ago, and we've had no problems running it on a PC XP. I can't speak to the downloaded version, as I haven't tried it and we try to steer clear of downloads. Crazy Machines 2 is available on Steam, which is one game site we trust for downloads.
I really really liked this game. Excellent brain work - get the kids off their SIMS games and give them something to actually do!
Happy Reader
Images in this review
James Stock
Awesome, Mind-Stimulating Puzzle Game
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2009J. Morris
Review of the demo: not bad, but needs improvement
Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2009Gregory Law
Doesn't work
Reviewed in the United States on July 5, 2009Leonardo_de_Jim
Good and Bad all in one - NO SUPPORT FROM VIVA MEDIA
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2009