I recently have been playing the game Monument Valley. It is an amazing game. Combining strategic problem solving, visual art, geometric and optical illusion, it is a game app I have not seen before. It is not for young kids, but definitely a great one for school age kids to gain first hand experience about all the different geometric structures and hone their problem solving skills.
As described in the App Store, in Monument Valley, “you will manipulate impossible architecture and guide a silent princess through a stunningly beautiful world”. You will guide the princess Ida “through mysterious monuments, uncovering hidden paths, unfolding optical illusions and outsmarting the enigmatic Crow People”. 
What can kids learn through this game? Kids will learn about geometric shapes and structures. It is not about the basics of the structures, but how different shapes form a structure in different ways. The twist of optical illusions will teach them how our eyes can fool ourselves and how can we use it to our advantage.
To be able to advance in the game, kids have to be willing to explore in an unknown world, try different options, and be strategic on actions. Sometimes, they have to take steps back, ie. go back to where they were from to be able to move forward.
To fully utilize what the game can offer, I suggest going back to replay the game after kids finish the whole game. There are so many details in the game design that kids may not realize when their focus is to win the game. However, there are many elements worth the time to explore. The different ways of changing the structures to have different illusion effects, the beautiful scenes, and even the differences in music changes based on players actions, … We finished the game in 2 nights, but we are going back to replay the game, and every time, we find something new!
Monument Valley is available on iPhone, iPod and iPad. It is $3.99 on App Store. Android version is coming soon.
If you would like to check it out or purchase it, please use the App Store link provided below. The cost is the same to you, but iGameMom gets a small percentage. Thanks for your support! Note: The link works for all countries.
