In addition to the similar games listed above, which have been linked to this game specifically in the database, you may find games with a similar theme to Marching Order in the following lists:
Video games contain a lot of maths. Children are often working with complex mathematical concepts without realising it. The temptation is to leverage this maths-play to make learning-games for the classroom. However, as we do that we often unintentionally break what made the experience playful in the first place.
We recently discovered
Aha Machine, that takes a different approach. It provides a series of playful spreadsheets that use dinosaurs, video games and football to inspire and motivate learning. They are brilliant, interactive, free and can be downloaded for use in a school in minutes. What's more they use amazing games as their motivational and reward content in each exercise.
Along with highlighting this brilliant resource, we have worked with creator of Aha Machine, Henry Hartley, to create this list of games that offer experience that get children doing maths without realising it.
This includes games where maths is front and centre, like
Twelve a Dozen or
Dicey Dungeons. But it also includes game that develop math-like investigative thinking, such as
Pawnbarian or
Imbroglio. Then there are strategy games that are all about the numbers, like
Football Chairman Pro and
Universal Paperclips.
Many games use rhythm as a mechanic to involve the player. But this list is devoted to the games that go one step further, and make you feel like you are creating music while you interact with the game. This may be the singing to other characters in
Wandersong or
Fe, or be contributing to the orchestral soundtrack in games like
Flower or
LocoRoco.
These are games that almost feel like you are playing a music album. They invite you to spend time in a meditative musical state that leaves you with their songs and rhythms in your head for the rest of the day -
Pata Pata Pata Pon.
Things don’t stay put. You’re the only one keeping the ship afloat. You can’t get people to do what you tell them. The effort you spend doesn’t produce the results it deserves. Well, in these video games you get to wield complete control over people, things, situations or even whole worlds.
If games offer an escape from chaos, these games are particularly good at granting a sense of satisfying agency and power as they do that. Whether it’s ordering the perfect stock room in
Wilmot’s Warehouse, organising your island in
Animal Crossing, perfectly controlling the flow of traffic in
Mini Motorways or even build civilisation just the way you want it in
Civilization the sense of satisfaction and calm from the achievement is second to none.
You can aid the happiness of your brain by taking on activities that generate key experiences and chemicals:
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Dopamine for motivation, learning and pleasure.
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Oxytocin for trust and building relationships.
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Serotonin for significance and importance.
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Endorphins for euphoria and elation.
Without serotonin you can feel unstable and find your mood changing rapidly. It's a chemical that helps us with routines where we accept ourselves and find calm. With low serotonin it is hard to feel confident in who we are. This can mean that we worry more and find it harder to learn and remember things.
Video games that generate serotonin are those that give to regular simple activities you can complete each day. Games that help build routine are helpful. We may not play these games for long, but they help structure other things around them. Fitness games also complement this, particularly those games that give us a reason to get outside.
These games are for children under seven years old, who will, with some help, discover activities they want to try that will expand their imaginations while establishing the role of your guidance and engagement as part of the gaming world as they grow up. The more open imagination of young children lends itself to games that offer an open world. Rather than forcing the player in a particular direction open world games let players explore wherever they want. The games here offer unusual and age-appropriate experiences that are often educational but keep the emphasis on the sheer joy of interactive play rather than hard learning.
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