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Even More Contraptions | 
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| From: Sierra
Category: Video Games
Buy New: £11.99
New (1) Used (1) from £9.99
Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 2725
Platforms: Windows, Macintosh
Genre: puzzle-games
Media: Video Game
Number Of Items: 1
Age: 3 - 18 years
Operating System: Windows
EAN: 3348542134201
ASIN: B00005NIVH
Release Date: October 19, 2001
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk Review
This fantastic program will have your brain working as hard as a mandrill on a conveyer belt with bananas dangling in front of it. Don't worry, we'll explain. The Incredible Machine: Even More Contraptions gives players dozens of tools that perform an action: balls that bounce, cats that chase (and don't bounce), pulleys, ropes, generators, and yes, mandrill baboons on conveyer belts, bananas a-dangle in front of them. Then players are given a problem to solve with all of this crazy energy. Here's an example: in one puzzle called "Wood is Good," players must get three balls into a box, make wooden toast, and wood-smoke a hunk of gouda cheese for a mouse. Among the tools available to accomplish this task are a bike pump and an antigravity pad. And this is one of the easy puzzles. There are 250 gizmos to build here, some designed for single players and some designed for head-to-head puzzling competition. There is also a field where players can design their own Rube Goldberg Machine from scratch. The vast amount of projects and their complexity make this a program with staying power. Mercifully, there is a tutorial that takes rookies and right-brainers in hand. Players can choose four levels of difficulty: easy, which is quite challenging; to expert, which is insane. Mitigating the challenge factor is a function that turns the cursor into a question mark, and allows players to inspect gadget elements and get in-depth information about what each object and surface does. This program's biggest strength is that it manages to put a humorous and creative spin on physics and engineering. They're not just giving you levers and weights to work with, they're giving you bottle rockets and alligators. A final wonderful point: there is no "right way" to build your contraption. If you scrabble something together that achieves the goal, it's right, no matter if you used the antigravity pad on the cat or on the bowling ball. --Anne Erickson
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| Customer Reviews:
 If you liked 'Contraptions' this is more of the same November 25, 2008
A. J. Sturgess (North Yorkshire, UK)
This is a copy of my review for 'Contraptions' but is equally valid here:
Other reviewers explain the game and the format in some detail, so all I'll do is echo their praise for what is an extremely imaginative and challenging set of activities. If you need more information about the game's structure, look at 'Contraptions' because the style and format is the same.
First, before my own comments, a bit of history ....
I was originally hooked by the first DOS-based version of 'The Incredible Machine'. This can now be downloaded as freeware and it does run under XP. If you delete the file TIM.CFG, you can then play the game as intended with the need to work through problems in sequence.
Next came a couple of other versions, of which number 3 (Professor Tim's Incredible Machine) is still often available from Amazon affiliates. I've had trouble installing this on XP, but other people haven't. I HAVE managed to install it on a machine running '98.
More recently, Sierra released 'CONTRAPTIONS' and 'EVEN MORE CONTRAPTIONS'. Both are genuine updates of the original 'Incredible Machine' and both run smoothly under XP. However, in both cases there are a few things to be aware of ...
(a) After installation, both can only be played with the CD in the disc drive, even if you use the option to install all files onto your computer.
(b) Both are associated with AOL and both try to get you to assign your internet connection to that ISP. This can be side-stepped (more easy with 'Even more contraptions' than 'Contraptions'), but it's a pain.
(c) The constant intervention of the 'professor's' voice reading the instructions is extremely annoying and VERY American. As far as I can see, you can't turn him off. The only alternative seems to be to turn off your speakers and then you lose the sound effects. You CAN adjust the volume of the music - so why not that darn voice??? INFURIATING.
(d) The initial demos and early challenges are exceptionally easy and usually only offer a single solution, rather than allowing the possibility of a few different solutions from the outset.
On balance, I still recommend these two games although another very similar game you might want to investigate is 'Crazy Machines. The wacky contraptions game'. This isn't made by Sierra and is worth checking out before you decide what to buy.
 Boredom busted with this just-one-more attempt game February 23, 2002
PJ (UK)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I played the original "The Incredible Machine" years ago and enjoyed it so much it was a shame when I lost it. However, when I bought "Contraptions: Return of the Incredible Machine" I was delighted. Now the sequel to that is out, with 250 more puzzles, it is even better. The tutorials get you into the game, the easy ones ease you in and then the rest challenge you. The added features of the puzzle creator allow you to challenge your friends and you can now send them over the internet.If you want a challenging game that you'll keep coming back to, this is the one.
Fun and Addictive December 28, 2001
Jon Khairule (jkhairule@yahoo.com (Coventry, UK)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
After reading the reviews, I do not believe this game was made for children. I am a 20 year old puzzle-holic and I am finding the levels challenging (but enjoyable & addictive). I would recommend this game for all ages, children or adults. The game has 5 stages (tutorial, easy, medium, difficult and expert) as well as 2 player head-to-head puzzles. If you get frustrated on a level, you can move on to the next one and come back to it later. Also, if you need a break from the game, you can create your own puzzle and either make puzzles for your friends, experiment with certain objects in the game or enjoy messing about and place objects just anywhere (things you daren't do in real life).The tutorials tend to go on forever and you start to think "When does the game start?". Nevertheless, this is probably because the game was intended for children and I wouldn't let this put you off buying it as you will get through the tutorials, eventually. As for a child's points off view, the game is good because as well as clear written instructions, everything is spoken out clearly. Therefore, if you are buying this game for a younger child, there are no complicated words to read. Overall, if you are looking for something to challenge your brain and something enjoyable, Contraptions is a good choice.
More of the same but who's complaining?! October 11, 2001
J. Quantrill (UK)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful
I played the original TIM what seems like years ago, and I must admit I thought that this new incarnation would leave me cold. For old times sake I fired up the demo and that's when it happened - CIVitis! This rare condition afflicts those who become infected with pure gameplay. Anybody who's sat up until the early hours (or even the next day!) will recognise the "Just one more go" symptom. It doesn't happen very often but when it does you just know you've got a game you will play and play and play.I've just bought Championship Manager, I'm getting Even More Contraptions and CIV3's just around the corner. Sleep? Bah! Sleep is for wimps!
INCREDIBLE! August 7, 2001
L. M. Davis (Derby)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful
Having just finished a night playing the demo of this game all i can say is i am tired and my brain hurts. The graphics may not be cutting edge but the gameplay certainly is! Lets face it, how many games put together a baboon and a mouse, a little man called mel and nitroglycerene? Sounds like a squeeky MELotoff cocktail to me! If you like puzzlers with a difference you wont be disappointed! FANTASTIC!
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