Description

In fantasy literature, wizards cast spells, control weather and call forth otherworldly creatures. In the real world, however, the "wizards" are actually mathematicians, who use their magic powers of multiplication, subtraction and other operations to transform numbers into a different form.

In Math-A-Kazam! players try their hand at this math wizardry, using a magnetic wand to pull magnetic number chips from a bowl and creating equations as they do so. The game includes sixty regular number chips (six each 0-9) and ten "gold-rimmed Magic Jewel" number chips (0-9).

On a turn, a player has 30 seconds in which to create an equation. Players must pull chips from the cauldron one at a time and state the equation as they draw each chip, although they can change the equation in mid-play if they can't find the number they need or come across better chips. Equations are created strictly from left to right, ending with the sum or product of the equation with the operators mentally added by the active player. (A variant for math fiends suggests following the order of operations instead of reading the equation from left to right.)

If a player drops a chip while drawing it from the bowl or fails to create an equation before time runs out, then the player returns all chips to the bowl and ends his turn. Otherwise, he keeps all chips used in his equation.

Math-A-Kazam! ends once all the chips have been claimed or no more equations can be created. Each normal chips is worth one point; each Magic Jewel chip worth two. The player with the most points wins.