http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/rss/catalog/tag/tagName/Harder Than it Looks/ Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 Zend_Feed en_US http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/brick-by-brick-puzzle The object of Brick by Brick is to use five puzzle pieces to construct a symmetrical brick wall that matches one of 60 challenge cards without peeking at the solutions. But we’re all about creativity so feel free to ditch the cards and experiment with your own designs and configurations. Whether you’re following the cards or going rogue, this engrossing puzzle will exercise your spatial reasoning skills as you methodically work your way through individual steps in order to achieve your goal. Brick by Brick comes in a handy travel bag and makes a wonderful gift for both novice and master puzzlers.]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/chocolate-fix-game The owner of the candy shop put you in charge and the customers are very persnickety about how you assemble their chocolate assortment. It’s up to you to decode the clues on the challenge card to figure out where each type of candy should be placed in order to keep the customer happy. Chocolate Fix is a Sudoku-like game of clues with levels ranging from beginner to expert. Note: Not really chocolate. ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/crazy-cheese Don’t let the deceptively simple cheese slices fool you. Crazy Cheese is one of those masters of brain game trickery where the puzzle ends up being decidedly harder than it looks. Good thing it has two difficulty levels for younger players and those light brain training days. The reward for arranging the cheese pieces to form different patterns is improved critical thinking, logic and spatial processing skills. Crazy Cheese is made by Blue Orange Games, a manufacturer dedicated to high-quality toy construction that plants two trees for every one it uses to make its games. ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/v-cube-2 Most days, you can work your way through the gazillions of permutations of V-Cube 5 without your neurons even breaking a sweat. Unfortunately, today isn’t one of those days. Today’s hectic schedule calls for a quicker, simpler, snack-sized portion of brainy goodness. It calls for V-Cube 2. This mini cube boasts incredibly smooth rotation and will boost your visual perception and problem-solving skills just like its bigger, cubier siblings. But with fewer pieces, V-Cube 2 lets you work in that much-needed brain workout no matter what else your day has in store.]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/swish We use our visual perception skills for everyday things like hanging a perfectly-aligned picture wall that would make a certain lifestyle icon turned women’s penitentiary resident turned reality TV show host proud. But skills like that take practice. That’s why there’s a game called Swish. This spatial card game challenges players to make matches, or “swishes,” by layering transparent cards on top of one another so that every ball swishes into a hoop of the same color. The player with the most swishes wins. Various levels of play and a few twists make Swish surprisingly addictive to play. ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/the-geekbox These puzzles may not have many pieces, but don’t get too cocky as you take them apart, thoroughly convinced that you can reassemble them during the commercials of your favorite Star Trek (the original series) episode. Because if that televised geekfest has taught you anything, it’s that looks can be deceiving. And assembling these handsome little fellas is much harder than it looks. To succeed, you’ll need a hefty dose of memory, visual perception, and strategic thinking skills. The payoff is a smarter brain and a computertop decoration that’s both beautiful and brilliant.]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/modus Your brain is begging you for a new strategy game to flex your frontal cortex. Your wallet is not-so-politely reminding you that you’re on a budget. Good thing your mind just hit pay dirt with Modus so you can get three brain-boosting games in one value-packed box. Modus has 24 tiles that form different game boards and 16 blue or white playing pieces. The board can change during game play and the pieces can function differently depending on whether the top or bottom is showing up. Master all three games and then give your frugal and brainy self a much-deserved pat on the back.]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/pajaggle Despite all our complex emotions and sophisticated neurotransmissions, humans can be truly simple creatures at times. As proven by the same smug sense of satisfaction people get from plugging a thick puzzle piece into a snug-fitting socket of Pajaggle. This fun twist on a traditional puzzle challenges players to assemble Pajaggle as fast as they can. Time yourself or test your speed against other players. But don’t let the seemingly simple spirograph-like pieces fool you. With so many similar shapes, Pajaggle is sure to give your visual perception skills a serious workout. ]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/eternas We’re always on the lookout for gifts that cool and clever dads will covet. We knew we'd found one the second we spotted Eternas. This three-dimensional, two-player strategy game challenges players to be the first to get four of their colored beads in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Sounds easy enough. But the circular shape allows for borderless play, which ups the strategy quotient and makes the game more fun. This handsome, crafted-from-hardwood game was made to be left out on the coffee table, where it’ll always be ready to beckon your brain to come out and play.]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000 http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/gustav-klimt-smart-puzzle So long, humdrum existence of snapping puzzle pieces into place for a brain workout. Hello, smART Puzzles, a clever spin on the jigsaw featuring overlapping cards that you have to angle just so to create a continuous image. Here's how it works: smART Puzzles contains 200 3X3-inch cards printed with various sections of a well-known work of art. To add to the challenge, each side is printed with a different painting featuring similar color tones. Your job is to flip, rotate, and alternate which cards are on top to complete the puzzle. Along the way, you'll build visual perception skills and hand-eye coordination, while gaining a greater appreciation for some of the world's most beloved works of art.]]> Tue, 21 May 2013 16:15:06 +0000