I never enjoyed my math studies as a child. I never had the aptitude for math and found the problems to be difficult. Even as a parent who is trying to set a good example for her children, I dread playing math related games. However, Zeus on the Loose has changed the way I've previously felt about math games.
Zeus on the Loose (Gamewright, ISBN 1-932-812-83-0) comes with number cards, Greek god and goddess cards, and a plastic Zeus figurine. Each player takes a turn putting down a card on the card pile, aptly named Mount Olympus. The player who puts down a number card adds the number on his card to the total already in the pile. For example, if the first player lays down a five, he says "five". If the second player then plays a six card, she announces that five plus six equals eleven. Each player continues to add to the pile.
The god cards are like little Loki's in that they can abruptly change the course of a round. For example, the Poseidon card has the player subtract ten points from Mount Olympus and steal Zeus. Hera kicks Mount Olympus up to 99. Ares, on the other hand, changes the Mount Olympus pile to 50.
The object of the game is to have the Zeus figurine in your possession when Mount Olympus reaches 100. You get one letter for each round that you win. Be the first to spell Z-E-U-S and you win the game.
As a parent, I love this game because it not only uses the Greek deities that my children have learned about in literature, but it also makes addition fun. Neither of my children complained about having to add numbers each turn. In fact, they seemed oblivious to the math aspect of Zeus on the Loose. Their single goal is to win the game because, in our house, the winner gets to keep Zeus in his or her bedroom until the next day, and the next game.
