From: Out of the Box Publishing, Inc.
Reviewed by: Ron McClung
Zen Benders is a new Dice Puzzle Game from Out of the Box Publishing, Inc.
When I was a kid, there were these silly little puzzle games that had a 3 by 3 grid and 8 tiles that slide along this grid to form a 2D puzzle. I was never really any good at those puzzles, however. I always broke them apart and put them back together. And of course we all remember the Rubics cube. I was the same with the Rubics cube. Zen Benders takes me back to those moments when I just want to take it apart and put it back together.
From the back:
“It some kind of puzzle”
Zen Benders is a series of games that involve 8 dice and the challenge cards. There are several versions of it, but all have the same principles – use the 8 dice in the holder to form the shape in the challenge card. The catch is that you can not take a die out of the holder, you can only flip them and move them up or down. The dice in the holder form a 3 by 3 matrix, with one space empty (which is filled by the placeholder die when stored).
There are 3 degrees of difficulty in the challenge cards, each with a different color border, each being more complex then the next. I tried it a couple of times and was moderately entertained although I did not try the harder puzzles. I am just not puzzle-minded. My wife, on the other hand, loves puzzles and was very interested in the game. My wife and I both played with this game and found it to be fairly addictive. I found myself trying the easier puzzles and once I finished them, I wanted to try the harder ones. It gradually pulls you in. You find yourself flipping and shifting hours away.
This is primarily a one player game. However in case you have more than one set,there are options for a timed competition, so it can be turned into a multi-player experience.
In conclusion, despite my aversion to puzzles games, I like this game pretty well. Maybe I have less of an aversion than I thought. It is a pretty good game if you have some time to kill and want to test out your puzzle solving skills.
For more details on Out of the Box Publishing, Inc. and their new Dice Puzzle Game “Zen Benders” check them out at their website http://www.zenbenders.com, and at all of your local game stores.
Zen Benders
From: Out of the Box Publishing, Inc.
Type of Game: Dice Puzzle Game
Game Design by: Ariel Laden
Developed by: Tom Strom
Design Team: Ellen Winter, Mark Osterhaus, Al Walter, Matt Mariani
Illustrations & Graphics Design by: John Kovalic, Cathleen Quinn-Kinney
Number of Pages: 1 card rule sheet
Game Components Included: 36 puzzle cards, 8 puzzle dice and 1
placeholder die.
Retail Price: $ 9.99 (US)
Number of Players: 1
Player Ages: 8+
Play Time: 1 to 5 minutes
Website: www.zenbenders.com
Reviewed by: Ron McClung