Hey, how do you like the for-pay version of TA? We just have the freebie. Is it worth the extra money? It didn't seem like it to me, since my boys seem happy with the free "dungeon" level. But I have yet to hear from someone I know who has the for-pay version.
Whaddya think of it?
DS was hooked right after the first level so I knew it was a hit. If your son didn't seem interested, don't get the full version. There are three unique levels (Caveman, Robots, Dragons) and then after you finish them, you select which monsters you fight during the next times table. Our only real complaint is that the tables, IMO, aren't taught correctly. For example, when you learn the 5s they will give you the problem of 5 x 2 = 10, but they illustrate that by counting by 2s. The virtual manipulatives you pick up will shoot out 5 sets of 2 so you go 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Then when you learn 5 x 3 you are counting 3, 6, 9, 12, 15. I would have rather that it be changed around so that if you are on the 5s, you are always counting by 5s. That makes much more sense to me. Show it as 2 x 5 (5, 10), and then 3 x 5 (5, 10, 15).
It does an excellent job of measuring knowledge and when you take the challenge test if you miss a question, it only makes you review that math fact. Usually that's because DS types it wrong...
The boys absolutely love the game though.
JB
