incredibox - sprunki but numberblocks
Okay This Is Weird (In A Good Way?)
So my niece was over last weekend - she's 6, obsessed with Numberblocks (which, fair, it's a good show) - and I showed her regular Sprunki. She liked the sounds but didn't really "get" it. Then I found THIS. Sprunki but Numberblocks. What even.
It's exactly what it sounds like: Numberblocks characters (you know, the little square guys with eyes) but they make Sprunki-style sounds. And the sounds are related to their numbers somehow? Like, Numberblock One makes a simple "beep," Numberblock Five makes something more complex with five distinct notes... I think?
How to Play (According to a 6-Year-Old)
My niece's instructions, verbatim: "You click the numbers and they sing. Five sings better than Two. Make them all sing together."
More helpful version:
- Start with Numberblock Three (green one). Solid baseline sound.
- Add Numberblock Six (purple) for a higher harmony thing.
- Numberblock Ten (orange/red) adds this... chime effect? It's nice.
- Avoid Numberblock Four (blue) early on - it's kinda harsh until you have other sounds to balance it.
Actually, you know what? Just let a kid play it. They'll figure it out faster than you will. I watched my niece make something that legitimately sounded like music within 2 minutes, while I was still trying to understand the "rules."
The Educational Part (I Guess?)
So obviously this is meant to be educational. Number recognition, counting, patterns - all that good stuff. But honestly? It just feels like a regular Sprunki mod with different characters. Which is fine! Not everything needs to be SUPER EDUCATIONAL ALL THE TIME.
That said, I did notice that if you put Numberblocks in order (1, 2, 3, 4...), the sounds create this ascending scale thing. That's pretty clever. My niece noticed it before I did, which was humbling.
Q: Is this actually good for learning?
A: It's good for associating numbers with different sounds. Will it teach advanced math? No. Will it make a kid go "oh, that's what five sounds like!" Maybe?
Q: Can adults enjoy this too?
A: If you like Sprunki and don't mind bright colors and simple shapes, sure. It's surprisingly relaxing once you get past the "this is for kids" feeling.
Weird Thing I Noticed
The sounds get more complex as the numbers get higher. Obviously, right? But like, Numberblock Seven's sound has these seven little "blips" in it if you listen closely. Numberblock Eight has this echo effect that kind of feels like... eight layers? I don't know if I'm imagining it or if it's intentional.
Also, the visual feedback when you have multiple Numberblocks going - they kind of bounce in sync with their sounds. It's cute. Makes me wish regular Sprunki had more of that synced animation.
--
Personal confession: I played this for like 20 minutes after my niece left. Not because I was learning numbers (I hope I know my numbers by now), but because the sound palette is actually really pleasant. Less "edgy electronic" than regular Sprunki, more "music box meets video game."
Would I choose this over Phase 13 for serious beat-making? No. Would I put it on for background noise while working? Actually, yeah. It's cheerful without being annoying.
Also, I appreciate the crossover energy. Like, who thought "you know what Sprunki needs? Preschool math characters!" And yet... it works? Kinda?
If you have kids, show them this. If you don't have kids, play it anyway and don't tell anyone. Or do tell them. Be the weird adult who plays educational children's games. Own it.
My niece's rating: "Five stars. No, ten stars. A hundred stars."
My rating: Surprisingly not terrible/10.
