Cliko & Tangramino Puzzle Book Expansions Review

The Basics:

• For ages 3 and up (publisher suggests 7+)
• For 1 player
• About 5 minutes to complete

Geek Skills:

• Logical & Critical Decision Making
•  Hand/Eye Coordination & Dexterity
•  Pattern/Color Matching
•  Visuospatial Skills
•  Imagination

Learning Curve:

• Child – Easy
• Adult – Easy

Theme & Narrative:

• None

Endorsements:

• Gamer Geek rejected!
• Parent Geek approved!
• Child Geek approved!

Overview

The Clicko and Tangramino puzzle book expansions are part of the Architecto line, puzzle games that focus on spatial visualization by building structures out of blocks (referred to as “Geoblocks”). The structure puzzles start out simple and gradually progress to more difficult and challenging puzzles. This allows Little Geeks and Big Geeks alike to sit down at the table and play the game at their pace and comfort level. The game also allows for easy free-form play and invites the player to build whatever they can imagine.

The puzzle books can be found in all the products under the Architecto line. You can purchase the puzzle books and Geoblocks as a boxed set or just the puzzle book itself if you already have a set of Geoblocks. I must also add you can buy just the Geoblocks, too, if you want to build more complicated structures during your free-form play. This allows the owner of the game to continue to challenge themselves with new puzzles and in new ways without having to buy additional game sets. See the FoxMind web site for full product details.

This review will only cover the contents of the two puzzle books, Clicko and Tangramino. To learn about the Geoblocks and how to play the game, see either the Architecto or the Equilibrio game reviews. Both of the puzzle books discussed in this review are 100% compatible with the larger games.

These two books, in addition to using the same rules as the other games in the Arhitecto line, focus more on the perspective in which the player is given the structure puzzle. While no more complicated than the other puzzle books, the slight difference serves as a refreshing new challenge as the player must now interpret how to make flat, single shaped structure puzzle illustrations into a 3-dimensional object. To assist the players, a visual representation of all the different Geoblocks using the different structure puzzle illustrations is included in the puzzle books. Also included in the puzzle books are structure puzzle solutions and the specific Geoblocks needed to complete each puzzle. All structure puzzles start out easy and gradually increase in difficulty.

Example of the different perspectives the structure puzzle illustrations can can to identify how the Geoblocks are placed.

Clicko

Clicko offers the player 55 new structure puzzles that focus on building objects using only the view from above or the view from below. Where one piece ends and another begins is ilustrated by a thin white line. However, if a piece is behind another, there is nothing identifying what the piece is or where it should be placed. There is absolutely no sense of depth to any of the illustrations which will require the player to build the structure in such a way so when looked at head-on, the illustration matches the built result.

learn more about this puzzle book by visiting the official web site.

Tangramino

Tangramino offers the player 64 new structure puzzles that focus on building objects using views from the left, right, below, and above, but does not specify which. There is absolutely no sense of depth to any of the illustrations which will require the player to build the structure in such a way so when looked at head-on, the illustration matches the built result. No lines or any other indicator is present to suggest where one Geoblock ends and another beings. By far, Tagramino is one of the more complicated puzzle books.

Learn more about this puzzle book by visiting the official web site.

Prediction

Nothing to really predict on this one. My little geeks love these games and continue to either attempt to solve the structure puzzles or just take out the blocks to build with them. While not as popular as LEGO, they are a clear winner in our family and much loved.

When I brought out the two new puzzle books for my little geeks to look at, my 7-year-old took one book and my 4-year-old took the other. They flipped through the puzzles and said things like, “Oh, I can make that one” and “I’m going to try this one right now!” If nothing else, my little geeks got ideas of how they would want to build their next structure based off of the illustrations.

Final Word

Sure enough, these two books expand the already wonderful games, Architecto or the Equilibrio, brilliantly. They add a new angle and challenge to the puzzle building that I found refreshing. My little geeks also enjoyed the new puzzles and now bring all four puzzle books to the table whenever they play with the GeoBlocks.

I can’t say really anything new that hasn’t already been said in my earlier reviews of Architecto or the Equilibrio. Suffice to say, the puzzle game continues to thrill, entertain, challenge, and be well loved by the entire family, from Father Geek to Baby Geek and everyone in-between. The game plays intelligently and these two new puzzle books bring more of the good stuff to the table for all to enjoy. Of all the puzzle games I know of, these are my family’s and my favorite.

This game was given to Father Geek as a review copy. Father Geek was not paid, bribed, wined, dined, or threatened in vain hopes of influencing this review. Such is the statuesque and legendary integrity of Father Geek.