This is part 2 of our 3-part blog series on Logic & Critical Thinking Games for High Schoolers, and this time we’re talking about SmartGames Anti-Virus. I have to start by saying I REALLY like this game! This has become one of those games that everyone in our family seems to fight over who gets to play next.
How Does SmartGames Anti-Virus Work?
SmartGames Anti-Virus is a one-player sliding puzzle game that challenges you to remove the red “virus” piece from the game board. You select a challenge and arrange the pieces on the board according to the challenge. From there, you have to slide the colorful pieces around the board to create a pathway that allows you to move the red virus completely out. Sounds easy, right? Not necessarily! The pieces can only move in certain directions, so you have to think several moves ahead. Moving one piece might solve one problem but create another. That’s where the logic, planning, spatial reasoning, concentration, and critical-thinking skills come into play. As you progress through the challenges, they become increasingly difficult, which keeps the game interesting for older students and apparently the adults in our house too!
A Fun Game for Our Homeschool Day
One thing I love about Anti-Virus is how easily it fits into our homeschool routine. It has been a great game to pull out between Biology lessons. When we’ve been reading, taking notes, or working through something that requires a lot of concentration, Anti-Virus gives us a chance to switch gears while still keeping the brain working. But honestly, one of my favorite times to play has nothing to do with school. We pull it out while we’re waiting for dinner to finish cooking. Instead of everyone disappearing into separate rooms or immediately grabbing their phones, we’ll hang around the kitchen or dining room, pull out Anti-Virus, and see who can figure out a challenge. Someone starts playing, someone else starts giving suggestions, and before you know it, everybody wants a turn. Technically, Anti-Virus is a single-player puzzle, but in our house it often turns into a family activity.
Why I Like It for High Schoolers
As our homeschool moves into the high school years, I’m realizing that games still have an important place in learning. They just need to grow with our students. Anti-Virus doesn’t feel like a little kid’s educational game. It requires students to plan ahead, recognize patterns, problem-solve, and rethink their strategy when something doesn’t work. Those are exactly the kinds of thinking skills I want to continue developing throughout high school. And the best part? Nobody feels like they’re doing another assignment.
Our Final Thoughts
SmartGames Anti-Virus is definitely a winner in our house. It’s challenging enough for our high school homeschool, fun enough that the adults actually want to play too, and easy enough to pull out whenever we have a few minutes. Whether we’re using it as a brain break between Biology lessons, challenging ourselves during the homeschool day, or simply hanging out together while waiting for dinner, Anti-Virus has become one of those games that gets used instead of sitting forgotten on the shelf. And considering everyone in this house seems to want it at the same time, I think that says plenty. Next up in our 3-part Logic & Critical Thinking Games for High Schoolers series: another SmartGames favorite!
Little Learner and Mom 