Minim Guide

Although not really a typical math game on the surface, Minim really does help strengthen your math skills while also keeping you entertained with truly challenging puzzles. This one is difficult and those not used to puzzle based math games may have trouble getting the hang of how this one is played but a little persistence and a little patience will definitely pay off. The game isn't nearly as complicated as it seems in the beginning. If you stick with it, you'll understand more and more as you play. You'll pick up the skills necessarily to do well in the game and will eventually beat the whole thing. It takes time even for the most experienced players but this is a game that can actually be conquered if you're willing to stay with it.

The basic goal of Minim is to combine all of the atoms in a molecule until you're left with a single atom. It sounds pretty easy, but this is where things can get a bit complicated. The combinations you can make are not mathematical which will be challenging for those who are used to approaching this sort of game with math in mind. Above all else, remember this is not a typical math game. You can't use the same approach with this one as you would use with many of the other math games online. For example, while combining two 1s will give you a 2 combining two 2s won't give you 4 but will instead give you a 3. Two 3s will give you a four and things continue from there. You need to keep that in mind if you want to do well in this game.

In order to combine atoms in Minim the atoms you want to combine must be directly connected by a line. If you have three atoms in a 'v' shape that is connected by only two lines (leaving the top of the 'v' open), you will not be able to combine the two atoms at the top of that 'v'. For example, say you have two 1s and a 2 with each 1 connected to the two by two distinct lines (which would form the 'v') but not connected to each other directly via a line at the top. You will not be able to combine those 1s. Keep this in mind when you're looking at the puzzle you're given and trying to determine the solution.

It's also important to pay attention to what kind of line is attaching the atoms when you're making combinations in Minim. Different lines allow you to do different things. Blue lines allow you to swap the position of two atoms. There is no limit on how many times you can swap atoms along those blue lines. Red lines also allow you to swap the position of two atoms but they can only be used once. Once you've swapped the position of the atoms, the red line will turn to a normal white line. Choose when you use that swap carefully.

Things in Minim really start getting interesting when the modifier atoms are introduced. Modifier atoms follow basic mathematic rules and should be fairly familiar to anyone with experience with math games. Modifier atoms can be combined with normal atoms but will interact in a mathematic way. For example, adding a '-3' modifier atom to a normal 5 atom will leave you with a 2. There are limitations to these combinations though. If the resulting atom would have a number of less than one or more than ten, you will not be able to combine the atoms and the resulting number must be a whole number - no fractions. For example, a '+8' atom could only be combined with a 1 as anything higher would result in a 10 or higher. You also could not combine a '-3' atom with a 2 as the resulting atom would be less than 1. Finally, modifier atoms can not be combined with each other. These rules apply to all modifier atoms (division, multiplication, addition and subtraction).

If you need a modifier atom in Minim but don't have one, you can create one assuming you have the final type of modifier atom; the mathematical symbol atom. You can combine a mathematical symbol modifier atom to get the modifier atom you need for your puzzle solution. For example, you can combine a '2' and a '-' to create a '-2' modifier atom. You can then combine the resulting modifier atom with a normal atom. The modifier atoms are really where the game starts feeling more like a traditional math game but the unique presentation makes it far more appealing and really sets it apart from the other games in the genre.

Overall, Minim starts off fairly complex but gets easier to understand as you play although that doesn't mean the levels get any less challenging. There are thirty-five levels in total, each one a little more difficult than the last. This is the ideal math game for someone looking for a real challenge but who is tired of playing the same old math game. It's hard to find something new and different in the math game genre but this one definitely fits the bill. You don't need above average math skills to beat this game as most of the actual math is pretty simple and straightforward. It's just basic math. The difficulty lies in using logic to determine the best way to solve each puzzle using math. This is a definitely a game that any fan of the genre needs to check out.