Well, apparently I have been living under a rock because I have never played Rummy before. Thanks goodness for Mindblock to bring me up to speed!

This timeless looking new take on a classic game is lovely. What I love most though is how perfectly it can be used in education!

What is Mindblock? 

Mindblock is a 3 dimensional Rummy game where you will stack and pair blocks to create runs and sets with the goal of being the first to play all of your blocks, emptying your tray. 

A set is a group of 3 or 4 blocks of different colors of the same total sum. 

A run is 3 to 7 blocks of the same color in ascending order. 

To play, each player takes a player tray and randomly draws their starting hand of blocks from the bag.

In clockwise order, players will do one of two actions:

Play a new run or set from their hand to the center of the table or
Rearrange the blocks on the table. 

If you cannot take an action you will have the player on your right draw you one block at random from the bag without revealing it to the other players. You cannot draw your own block since you know what size block you need and would be able to feel the difference between each block.

Blocks of the same color may be stacked on top of each other as long as the total sum does not exceed 7. A stack of blocks is treated as a single block. So if you have a stack of three blue blocks, 1, 2, and 4, it would be treated the same as a 7 block. 

On your turn you can break down any stack of blocks to form new runs or sets from them as long as you add at least one new block from your hand and follow all placement rules. 

The player who plays all of the blocks from behind their player tray is the winner. 

What do we think?

On the surface, there isn’t anything overly exceptional about the rules of Mindblock. It’s a pretty straight forward game where you’re building sets and runs trying to get rid of your hand before your opponents. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s not earth shattering either. 

However, as an educator, using Mindblock in the classroom is a no-brainer. In our homeschool, we are all about math being hands on. I don’t want math concepts to be abstract to my kids. I want them to actually be able to see what addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication looks like. 

This is where Mindblock is excellent. Making a run means seeing the ascending value of numbers, a two is bigger than a one, a three bigger than a two and so on. While making a set means seeing just how many different ways you can use numbers to equal the same amount. A 1,2, and 4 are much smaller than a 7, but stack that 1 and 2 on top of the four and now you have a stack that equals 7 in both value and height!

It’s hands on math and I love it. 

The manipulation of the blocks is also a fantastic element. Once the blocks are placed in the center, they aren’t stuck there. Any player can add and then rearrange the blocks to suit their needs as long as they follow the placement rules. This means that you can break down a set of 7s into completely different sets or runs by adding blocks from your personal supply and using whats available in the center. 

Players will need to call upon their addition and subtraction skills greatly, yet this game will also favor players who are able to visualize what the blocks can be used to create rather than seeing them as fixed.

I was so impressed with just how cleverly players could rearrange the blocks to form adjusted or entirely new configurations only to have the next player take what the former added and rearrange again to play what they needed to from their hand. 

Components

Component wise I love that this game is made using simple colors and natural wood tones. It keeps the game from being too distracting and also helps it feel more serious as well. While it is a game, it has a more grown up feel that I think will discourage the desire to play with the blocks and will help keep students focused on the task at hand. It also makes it look much more timeless. 

If you’re a Montessori family or try to incorporate Montessori elements into your home, I believe this fits in very well with that style and function.

Summary

Whether you are a fan of that classic style game play or if you are looking for a way to incorporate educational games into your student’s day, Mindblock is an instant recommend. 

I believe homeschool and classroom teachers should definitely give this a look. The game plays up to four players and would be a great option to have for students to choose in both environments. Students will love the tactile nature of the game. As it is made out of wooden materials, the risk of damage is lower compared to other card based options while also looking very beautiful as well. 

Thank you to Blue Orange Games for sending us a copy of Mindblock for review. As always, our thoughts and opinions are our own.

Game Info:
Title: Mindblock
2-4 Players Ages 8+
Designer: Based on an original idea by Dan Klitsner
Publisher: Blue Orange Games

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