The Windup
Game play is simple. Each player takes turns alternating being the pitcher and the batter. The pitcher asks the math question and the batter must guess it correctly. If they do, then the batter has the option to advance to second base by answering a harder one, then to third, and finally to home. The batter can also stop at any time and then the pitcher gets a chance to answer the same difficulty question. If the pitcher answers correctly, the batter is out, otherwise the batter is on base. The game plays just like baseball, with three outs before switching sides and scoring by crossing home.
A very nice touch to the game is the inclusion of a template for the math questions so if the cards become too repetitive or easy, new ones can quickly be created. In theory, this game could be used for math all the way up to pre-algebra just by writing new cards.
The Throw
The look of the game is decent, the ballpark (Euclid field) looks exactly like a baseball field and the players have a nice choice of figures, both boys and girls, to select from. There are both color and black and white versions of each included.
One excellent feature of a PDF game for younger kids is the fact that if any of the pieces get marked or destroyed, a new one is just a print out away. This feature alone makes the game easily worth its nominal cost.
The only significant negative to the game is the fact that it requires two players of roughly equal skill to play. If one is better at math than the other, then they have a marked advantage. For a parent and child, it is easy to let the child be the batter and not switch, just seeing how high a score the child can get before three outs.
It’s a Base Hit
Flashball accomplishes what it sets out to do by making math flash cards a little more interesting. This game would be excellent in a classroom setting and could really make learning math more enjoyable. The inclusion of the template for new cards and the reprintability make this game an obvious choice for families with little math learners.
