3rd place - Mathica (Heureka - Klett)

Here’s what the jury says:Math can actually be fun, especially when the problems are so cleverly woven into a devious storyline. This game comes packaged as a true adventure game. While adventure games usually offer crude puzzles, the puzzles here take the form of number games. The player barely notices that they’re doing math. They think: They’re just playing. What’s particularly fascinating is that not only must the solution be found, but the problem itself must be discovered within the puzzles. The story begins in Numberville, a town full of puzzles and numbers. Few doors open without codes and numbers; even the vending machines only dispense chocolate if the number combination is correct. Within just a few minutes, children and teens are captivated. To progress through the game, the player delves into the relevant field of knowledge: number phenomena, combinatorics, geometry, probability, and much more.
“Mathica” impresses first and foremost with its depth, subject expertise, and breathtaking graphics.
In addition to its exceptional teaching of mathematical concepts, another key aspect took center stage: Most publishers focus their products on preschool and elementary school. But once kids reach their teens, they’re pretty much on their own. Fighting and shooting games are tempting, and learning mostly takes the form of cramming. However, there are rarely any playful incentives to learn. With its “Lernadventures,” Heureka Klett fills an important gap here.