Kung Fu Math App Review

Posted by Jennifer

App Name: Kung Fu Math

Overall Rating: 3/5

Mom’s Rating: 3/5

Kids’ Rating: 3/5

Recommended Grades/Ages: Grades 2-6

Skills Developed: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication

Available On/Price: Universal (iPhone/iPod/iPad) – $0.99

Reviewed on: iPad

App Description:

Kung Fu Math is a slice ‘em, dice ‘em math facts practice app.  After instructing your child not to touch the answer to an equation, the action begins.  Numbers are tossed up onto the screen and tapping or slicing by swiping destroys the numbers that are fair game.  Each round adds to your high score but even one wrong swipe that hits the forbidden number ends the game.

There are three sets of math problems to choose from: Times Tables, Additions, and Subtractions.

Times Tables is a flexible drill practice set of questions where you can choose any combination of the times tables to include in the rounds.  Additions include a wide range of addition questions from single digit addition up through to double-digit addition with sums up to 100.   Subtractions also range from single digit problems to double-digit questions.

All of the modes include two difficulty levels – start slow and start fast – which determine the speed with which the numbers are tossed.  There is no background music, but there are sound effects when slicing and dicing those numbers.

Other Notes: This app doesn’t include any ads, in-app purchases, external links, or social media integration.

What We Liked:

Kung Fu Math offers a great amount of flexibility when it comes to practicing the times tables, one of the best I’ve seen actually.  You can choose to practice them all, or only a few, in any combination you like (they don’t even need to be sequential).

If you have a budding kung fu master at home who digs slicing and dicing action games who is struggling to master his times tables, this app is an easy to use tool that helps to reinforce correct vs. incorrect answers with each tap and swipe.

What We Didn’t Like:

This app would really benefit from having more adjustable levels for addition and subtraction so it would be easier for younger children to play.  For example, my eight-year-old daughter was frustrated by the addition questions using higher numbers – one round might be 6+2, the next 65+49 and there isn’t a lot of time provided to solve the problem in.   The very stylized number font is in keeping with the kung fu theme but it may be difficult for children to read.  The app would also benefit from an internal high score board.

Overall:

Kung Fu Math brings the intense, high-energy slicing and dicing of action-based games to addition, subtraction, and multiplication.  Though the app needs some work on the addition and subtraction difficulty levels, the multiplication tables is extremely flexible and can be a valuable tool for drill and reinforcement.

Buy this universal (iPhone/iPod/iPad) app now for $0.99!

Have you downloaded this app?  Let us know what you and your children thought – leave a comment!