There are few games I consider perfect. I should define perfect: Perfect may have flaws, but they matter so little because the title does what it intends to so well that to consider the flaws would be unfair. Math Play is one of these titles. If you have children between ages 5 and 13 in your home, you need to get this game. Just make sure you have your own DS and play with them!

Shame on me. This is an educational title; I expected it to be budget, ergo low production. The graphics are quality; the menus easily navigable; the music is pleasing; and care was taken to ensure that the multiplayer could be played with one OR two carts — up to four players. My children and I have spent as many as three hours in a day "playing" at math.

Math Play is a series of four arithmetic games — three of which are available in multiplayer — that test, train, manipulate and warp your brain in creative uses of the four basic operands of math: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This is not the flash cards of old! This is fun!

Each of the games can be played in Trial Mode — as a quick play with no saved stats — or with a profile that will track your progress day to day. There are five levels of difficulty. You choose the level at which you wish to start and then begin play. You will progress each time you play until your errors become so frequent that it is determined that you've reached a ceiling for that session. You can practice as often as you wish but can only be tracked once each day.

Though some of the games have a familiar feel, they also are quite creative. The crown jewel of the four is the single-player-only game: Equal Drill. I found both the goal and the interface in this game to be quite innovative.

In Equal Drill, you are given a series of cards with which to make an equation. At level one the cards may look like this: 6 5 5 1 - . From this series of cards, you determine your equation including the equals sign using the operand minus. The equal sign is gained by tapping on one of the cards and turning it over. So, from: 6 5 5 1 - you may choose 6-5=1 or 6-1=5. Either is correct. If you are stuck, you can ask for a hint, and it may say "try solving for 5." You will be up against a timer, but should you not complete within the time limit, it simply moves on to the next equation.

The equations become more difficult as you increase in level. At level 4, things become really messy. (I'm not up to working to level 5 while writing this!) An example would be thus: 8 + 4 1 3 1 X 2. There are three answers in this one, but for brevity's sake, the simplest is 12=8+4X1. It will ask you to find all three. If you don't in the allowed time, it will simply move on. And yes, level 5 is more difficult.

The good news is, it follows the rules of equations — although there are times I'd love to be able to stick some parentheses in just for sanity's sake. Also, in all four games, three rules are inviolate:

• Answers must be whole numbers, no decimals.
• Answers can't be negative.
• No equation can be divided by zero.

These rules will save the little ones from the fathers who remember their calculus or think they should get points for negative answers because they're faster. *glares at a certain someone*

The remaining three games are both single and multiplayer:

• Equal Shuffle — This is played on a board like dominoes. You will see a starting "set," for example =6. You will take a series of cards from your hand and place them so that they match accordingly. If you do not have the necessary cards, you can draw from the pile, and the next player takes a turn. In the case of =6, I can choose to place cards on the equal sign or flip a card to become an equal and place it against the 6. I may choose to place =8-4/2. The first player to run out of cards wins.

• Equal Match — Anyone familiar with the card game Uno will find some familiarity with this game. A card will be face up, for example a yellow 2. You may match it based on its color or number with a yellow card (including operands) or with a 2. Or, you may match it with an equation. I can place 19/8 if I wish. The color doesn't matter, only that the equation matches the total. The first to use all their cards wins.
• Equal Nine — The final game has some elements in common with 21. You have two numerical cards and one of each operand. There is a base amount that you will "bet." Your goal is to come as close as possible to 9 without going over. You can use the two cards you have or draw one additional — in doing so, you halve your bet. But, you must use all two (or three) numerical cards. The first to reach a fixed goal wins. If I have 9 and 6 I can choose to use 9-6 (for 3) or draw a card. I draw an 8. In doing so, I have a 9 8 and 6. The closest I can come to 9 is 9-8+6=7. Much better than the 3 I had originally. You are scored based upon where you place in a group of 4 so even though my bet was halved, the higher number is better. (I do wish this had lesser amounts for antes or a greater amount for the final goal. Without penalties for losing, the game ends too quickly.)

Each of the games allows you to adjust settings for level, timer or number of cards; some may disallow the use of multiplication and division or penalties. You can make them harder or easier at your whim or for the people you are playing with.

I honestly cannot stress enough how much FUN this game is. Yes, it's math, but the games challenge you to think outside the box. Although I am better than my children at the higher levels, we are on equal ground at the more basic levels, and there is no guarantee of who will win. The single cart cost makes it a sure win for a family. The production quality is admirable. Natsume have created a title that crosses the age gap, moves beyond the "edutainment" label and is just pure fun. Go get this game; you won't be sorry.